Search resultsAlcohol consumption as a risk factor for pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Title
Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2010
Authors
Journal
Epidemiology and Infection
Volume
138
Issue
12
Pagination
1789 - 1795
Date published
2010
ISBN
09502688 (ISSN)
Keywords
alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol dependence, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, article, Causality, communicable disease, community acquired pneumonia, Community-Acquired Infections, drinking behavior, Female, Heavy drinking, human, Humans, incidence, infection risk, male, meta analysis, morbidity, mortality, pneumonia, review, risk factor, Risk Factors, systematic review
Abstract
The aim of this study was to quantify the association between alcohol consumption and incidence of pneumonia and to examine possible pathways. This was done by a systematic review and meta-analyses on the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption or alcohol-use disorders and the incidence of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The relative risk (RR) of CAP increased monotonically with increasing alcohol consumption. Individuals consuming 24, 60, and 120 g of pure alcohol daily demonstrated RRs for incident CAP of 112 (95% CI 102-123), 133 (95% CI 106-167) and 176 (95% CI 113-277), respectively, relative to non-drinkers. Clinically defined alcohol-use disorders were associated with an eightfold increased risk of CAP (RR 822, 95% CI 485-1395). In conclusion, alcohol was found to be a risk factor for pneumonia with a clear statistical association, and a monotonic dose-response relationship.