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. 2008 Mar;23(3):275-82.
doi: 10.1007/s11606-007-0502-z. Epub 2008 Jan 8.

The relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among patients with diabetes: the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry

Ameena T Ahmed  1 , Andrew J Karter, E Margaret Warton, Jennifer U Doan, Constance M Weisner
Affiliations

The relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among patients with diabetes: the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry

Ameena T Ahmed et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2008 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption is a common behavior. Little is known about the relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among people with diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and glycemic control.

Design: Survey follow-up study, 1994-1997, among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members.

Patients: 38,564 adult diabetes patients.

Measurements: Self-reported alcohol consumption, and hemoglobin A1C (A1C), assessed within 1 year of survey date. Linear regression of A1C by alcohol consumption was performed, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, clinical variables, and diabetes disease severity. Least squares means estimates were derived.

Results: In multivariate-adjusted models, A1C values were 8.88 (lifetime abstainers), 8.79 (former drinkers), 8.90 (<0.1 drink/day), 8.71 (0.1-0.9 drink/day), 8.51 (1-1.9 drinks/day), 8.39 (2-2.9 drinks/day), and 8.47 (>/=3 drinks/day). Alcohol consumption was linearly (p < 0.001) and inversely (p = 0.001) associated with A1C among diabetes patients.

Conclusions: Alcohol consumption is inversely associated with glycemic control among diabetes patients. This supports current clinical guidelines for moderate levels of alcohol consumption among diabetes patients. As glycemic control affects incidence of complications of diabetes, the lower A1C levels associated with moderate alcohol consumption may translate into lower risk for complications.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cohort creation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Unadjusted and multivariate adjusted hemoglobin A1C levels (%, mean and 95%CI) by average daily alcohol consumption in the past year among 38,564 adult diabetes patients. Multivariate model is adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, obesity, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, duration of diabetes, medication-treated dyslipidemia, type of diabetes, and self-care behaviors (self-monitoring of blood glucose, medication adherence, abstention from smoking, use of diet and exercise to control diabetes). Number of patients in each group is indicated on X axis.
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