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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2013

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

Alcohol consumption is associated with lower self-reported disease activity and better health-related quality of life in female rheumatoid arthritis patients in Sweden: data from BARFOT, a multicenter study on early RA

Authors: Stefan Bergman, Sofia Symeonidou, Maria L Andersson, Maria K Söderlin, for the BARFOT study group

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2013

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Abstract

Background

Earlier studies have found a positive effect of alcohol consumption, with a reduced disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to assess alcohol consumption and its association with disease activity and health related quality of life (HRQL) in Swedish RA patients.

Methods

Between 1992 and 2005, 2,800 adult patients were included in the BARFOT study of early RA in Sweden. In 2010 a self-completion postal questionnaire was sent to all 2,102 prevalent patients in the BARFOT study enquiring about disease severity, HRQL, and lifestyle factors. Alcohol consumption was assessed using the validated AUDIT-C questionnaire.

Results

A total of 1,238 out of 1,460 patients answering the questionnaire had data on alcohol consumption: 11% were non-drinkers, 67% had a non-hazardous drinking, and 21% were classified as hazardous drinkers. Women who drank alcohol reported lower disease activity and better HRQL, but there were no association between alcohol consumption and disease activity in men. For current smokers, alcohol use was only associated with fewer patient-reported swollen joints. The outcome was not affected by kind of alcohol consumed.

Conclusions

There was an association between alcohol consumption and both lower self-reported disease activity and higher HRQL in female, but not in male, RA patients.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Alcohol consumption is associated with lower self-reported disease activity and better health-related quality of life in female rheumatoid arthritis patients in Sweden: data from BARFOT, a multicenter study on early RA
Authors
Stefan Bergman
Sofia Symeonidou
Maria L Andersson
Maria K Söderlin
for the BARFOT study group
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-14-218

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