Risk of pancreatitis according to alcohol drinking habits: a population-based cohort study

The association between alcohol intake and pancreatitis has been examined previously in case-control studies, mostly consisting of men. The significance of beverage type and drinking pattern is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the association between amount, type, and frequency of alcohol intake and risk of pancreatitis. For this purpose, the authors used data on 17,905 men and women who participated in the Copenhagen City Heart Study in 1976-1978, 1981-1983, 1991-1994, and 2001-2003 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Alcohol intake and covariates were assessed by questionnaire. Information on pancreatitis was obtained from national registers. A high alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of pancreatitis. Hazard ratios associated with drinking 1-6, 7-13, 14-20, 21-34, 35-48, and >48 drinks/week were 1.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 1.6), 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8, 1.8), 1.3 (95% CI: 0.8, 2.1), 1.3 (95% CI: 0.7, 2.2), 2.6 (95% CI: 1.4, 4.8), and 3.0 (95% CI: 1.6, 5.7), respectively, compared with 0 drinks/week (P(trend) < 0.001). Associations were similar for men and women. Drinking frequency did not seem to be independently associated with pancreatitis.