Moderate alcohol consumption may protect against overt autoimmune hypothyroidism - a population-based case-control study

Allan Carle, Inge Bülow Pedersen, Nils Jakob Knudsen, Hans Perrild, Lars Ovesen, Lone Banke Rasmussen, Torben Jørgensen, Peter Laurberg

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69 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol consumption is an important protective risk factor for many autoimmune diseases. We wished to study the association between alcohol consumption and autoimmune hypothyroidism. DESIGN: Population-based, case control study, 1997-2001, Denmark. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed autoimmune overt hypothyroidism (n=140) prospectively identified in a population (2,027,208 person-years of observation), and their matched controls with normal thyroid function (n=560) were recruited simultaneously from the same population. Participants gave information on alcohol intake, smoking, previous diseases, education, and family history of hypothyroidism. The association between alcohol intake and development of hypothyroidism was analyzed in conditional regression models. RESULTS: Hypothyroid cases had a lower reported alcohol consumption than controls (median units of alcohol (12g) per week: 3 vs. 5, p = 0.002). In a multivariate regression model, alcohol consumption was associated with a reduction in risk for development of overt autoimmune hypothyroidism. Odds ratios (95% confidence interval) compared to the reference group with a recent (last year) consumption of 1-10 units of alcohol per week were: 0 units/week 1.98 (1.21-3.33), 11-20 units/week 0.41 (0.20-0.83), ≥21 units/week 0.90 (0.41-2.00). Similar results were found for maximum previous alcohol consumption during a calender year. No interaction was found with type of alcohol consumed (wine vs. beer), sex, or region of inhabitancy. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption seems to confer considerable protection against development of overt autoimmune hypothyroidism irrespective of sex and type of alcohol consumed.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Endocrinology
Volume167
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)483-490
Number of pages8
ISSN0804-4643
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

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