Different amounts of alcohol consumption and cataract: A meta-analysis

Different amounts of alcohol consumption and cataract: A meta-analysis

Journal Article

2015

Optometry and Vision Science

92

4

471 - 479

2015

10405488 (ISSN)

Purpose. To evaluate the association between different amounts of alcohol consumption and the risk of age-related cataract. Methods. We searched PubMed and Embase from their inception until May 2014 for case-control or cohort studies with data on alcohol consumption and age-related cataract. Heavy alcohol consumption was defined as more than two standard drinks per day, which is equal to a daily intake of 20 g of alcohol or 140 g per week. Moderate consumption was defined as less than 20 g of alcohol per day but more than never any. We performed separate meta-analyses for the associations of moderate or heavy alcohol consumption with age-related cataract under a random-effects model, respectively. Results. Five case-control and five cohort studies were identified through comprehensive literature search. In the metaanalysis of 10 studies, the associations between moderate alcohol consumption and age-related cataract were marginally nonsignificant (pooled relative risk, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.74 to 1.05; I2 = 82.1%), whereas heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of age-related cataract (pooled relative risk, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 1.50; I2 = 58.9%). The association between heavy alcohol consumption and cataract was stronger in casecontrol than in cohort studies. Adjusting for smoking as a potential confounder attenuated the association between heavy alcohol consumption and cataract. Conclusions. Heavy alcohol consumption significantly increased the risk of age-related cataract, whereas moderate consumption may be protective for this ocular condition. Clinically, information on a patient's alcohol drinking history might be valuable to general physicians and ophthalmologists when there is a diagnosis of age-related cataract and should be collected on a routine basis in eye clinics. Copyright