According to the researchers, no specific correlation between osteoarthritis and alcohol has been found. However, it has been found that alcohol can increase the risk of hand osteoarthritis. The relationship between women’s alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis is still a relatively unexplored area.
The data used as the basis for the analysis in the study comes from a study that began in 1976 called “Nurses Health Studies” (NHS). The study included over 120,000 female nurses aged 30-55 years. They reported their lifestyle habits regularly. In 1988, the first osteoarthritis diagnosis was reported, and for this reason, the current study was based on this year. Some women were excluded from the study for various reasons, such as if they had undergone a hip replacement operation before 1990 and if they did not drink any alcohol at all. The NHS study participants were asked on several occasions about whether they had received an osteoarthritis diagnosis and whether they had undergone a hip replacement operation as a result of osteoarthritis.
The current study also discusses that it can be difficult to diagnose hip osteoarthritis as it has many different symptoms and clinical findings. Additionally, the findings on X-rays do not always correspond to the person’s symptoms. In the early 2000s, study participants who underwent a joint replacement surgery were asked additional questions about their surgery and diagnosis. 76% had undergone the surgery as a result of osteoarthritis. From 1980, participants were asked questions about their alcohol habits. This data, together with the data collected on joint replacement surgeries and osteoarthritis diagnoses, forms the basis for the current study.
The participants also answered questions about their alcohol habits when they were younger. The results show that during the 24-year follow-up in the NHS study, 1,796 women developed severe osteoarthritis. The study investigated the correlation between alcohol intake and hip osteoarthritis, focusing on alcohol habits in early life and later in life, different types of alcohol, and how often alcohol was consumed. The results show, among other things, that those who consumed 1 or more units of alcohol per day had an increased risk of needing a hip replacement surgery. Drinking 2 or more units of alcohol per day showed an increased risk of hip osteoarthritis, but this result also depended on the total average alcohol intake. The researchers also report that studies have been conducted on mice to see what happens in the body when alcohol is consumed ad libitum. They found, among other things, that cartilage breaks down similarly to what happens in human osteoarthritis. Increased alcohol intake also led to signs of increased symptoms from the mice’s joints. It may be that high alcohol intake affects humans in a similar way, but this has not been confirmed.
If you want to read more from the study, you can find it on the ACR journal’s website. The page opens in a new tab.
