Alcohol Use Decreases the Risk of Renal Dysfunction in Healthy Men

Using
data from the Physicians’ Health Study, researchers assessed
whether alcohol use can affect the risk of renal dysfunction.
They examined baseline alcohol intake and renal function
(creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rates [GFR])
in 11,023 initially healthy men and re-measured renal
function 14 years later. Analyses were adjusted for potential
confounders (e.g., age, body mass index, smoking, diabetes
mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease).

• At
  baseline, 75% of subjects consumed <7 drinks per
  week.
• At
  follow-up, 4% had elevated creatinine (>=1.5 mg/dL)
  and 12% had reduced GFR (<=55 mL/min).
• Subjects
  who drank >=5 drinks per week at baseline had lower
  odds of elevated creatinine than did those who drank
  less (odds ratios 1.0 for 2-4 drinks, 0.88 for 5-6
  drinks, and 0.75 for >=7 drinks; P for
  trend=0.03).
• Similarly,
  subjects who drank >=5 drinks per week had lower
  odds of reduced GFR (odds ratios 1.01 for 2-4 drinks,
  0.77 for 5-6 drinks, and 0.75 for >=7drinks; P
  for trend=0.001).

Comments:

Over
14 years, the risk of renal dysfunction in initially healthy
men decreased in a graded manner with increasing alcohol
consumption. These findings raise the intriguing possibility,
which requires further study, that moderate alcohol use
may protect the kidneys through the same possible mechanisms
as it protects the cardiovascular system. Importantly,
this research does not change the current lower-risk drinking
recommendation of no more than 2 drinks per day on average
for men.

R. Curtis Ellison, MD
Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc

Reference:

Schaeffner ES, Kurth T, de Jong PE, et al. Alcohol consumption and the risk of renal dysfunction in apparently healthy men. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1048-1053.