A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and the risk of gout

Alcohol consumption had been linked to the risk of gout theoretically, but the results from observational studies were conflicting. Hence, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of gout. A comprehensive search was performed to identify all eligible studies on the association of alcohol consumption with gout risk. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) from fixed and random effects models were calculated. A total of 12 articles with 17 studies involving 42,924 cases met the inclusion criteria. The pooled RR for highest vs. non/occasional alcohol drinking in every study was 1.98 (95 % CI, 1.52-2.58). The RRs for light (≤1 drink/day), moderate (>1 to <3 drinks/day), and heavy drinking (≥3 drinks/day) vs. non/occasional alcohol drinking were 1.16 (95 % CI, 1.07-1.25), 1.58 (95 % CI, 1.50-1.66), and 2.64 (95 % CI, 2.26-3.09), respectively. The results suggested that alcohol consumption might be associated with increased risk of gout.