Abstract
BackgroundSome previous studies have reported inconsistent results on the association between alcohol intake and diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of alcohol intake on subsequent DR risk using a meta-analytic approach.MethodsThree electronic databases (PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane library) were systematically searched for observational studies from their inception till November 2019. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied for the summary effect estimate using a random-effects model.ResultsA total of 15 studies (5 cohort studies, 4 case-control studies, and 6 cross-sectional studies) with 37,290 participants and 12,711 DR cases were selected for the final meta-analysis. The pooled OR indicated no significant association between alcohol intake and DR risk (OR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.78–1.06; P = 0.225), irrespective of the studies being pooled cohort (OR: 0.95; 95%CI: 0.66–1.36; P = 0.761), case-control (OR: 0.97; 95%CI: 0.77–1.23; P = 0.818), or cross-sectional (OR: 0.86; 95%CI: 0.69–1.08; P = 0.190) ones. However, this association might have been affected by the type of diabetes mellitus and the adjusted status.ConclusionThe results of this study showed that the potential impact of alcohol intake on DR risk may differ according to the type of diabetes mellitus and adjusted status. Further large-scale, prospective cohort studies should be conducted to verify the findings of this study and to evaluate DR risk in relation to the dose and type of alcohol intake.
Highlights
Some previous studies have reported inconsistent results on the association between alcohol intake and diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk
A meta-analysis conducted by Song et al contained 31 studies and found that insulin treatment, elevated fasting blood glucose levels, and high glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations are associated with an increased risk of DR in Chinese diabetic patients [13]
The findings of this study show no significant association between alcohol intake and DR risk, irrespective of the studies being pooled cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional ones
Summary
Some previous studies have reported inconsistent results on the association between alcohol intake and diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of alcohol intake on subsequent DR risk using a meta-analytic approach. Several studies have identified some of the potential risk factors for the progression of DR. A meta-analysis conducted by Song et al contained 31 studies and found that insulin treatment, elevated fasting blood glucose levels, and high glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations are associated with an increased risk of DR in Chinese diabetic patients [13]. The investigating the potential role of alcohol intake on the risk of DR with an important public health implications owing to alcohol was the most widely consumed beverages. To clarify the role of alcohol intake plays in DR is important, as it not defined in general and DM populations. Stratified analyses were conducted according to the study design
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
