Association of alcohol consumption with all-cause mortality, new-onset stroke, and coronary heart disease in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism-Findings from a 10-year follow-up of the REACTION study

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic complications threaten human health seriously. Healthy lifestyles can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and long-term complications. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and CVD mortality is still controversial, and there is a lack of evidence from large-scale longitudinal studies in the Chinese population. Based on the REACTION study (Risk Evaluation of Cancers in Chinese Diabetic Individuals: A Longitudinal Study), this paper explores the association between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality, stroke, and coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism during a 10-year follow-up period to provide evidence for lifestyle counselling for these patients.

Methods: First, baseline data were collected from the REACTION study cohort in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, in 2011-2012. A questionnaire survey was performed among patients with abnormal glucose metabolism aged over 40 years. The frequency of their alcohol intake, the type of alcohol, and the amount of alcohol consumed daily were surveyed. Physical and biochemical examinations were also performed. Then, through the Primary Public Health Service System of Jilin Province, we collected outcomes during the 10-year follow-up up to October 1, 2021, including all-cause mortality, stroke, and CHD. Next, we conducted logistic regression to analyze the relationship between baseline alcohol consumption and 10-year outcomes, and risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI were calculated by adjusting for different clinical indicators. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 4855 patients with T2DM and prediabetes (35.2% men and 64.8% women) were included in the baseline analysis. Outcomes of 3521 patients during the 10-year follow-up were obtained, including 227 deaths, 296 new-onset strokes and 445 new-onset CHD. Occasional drinking (less than once a week) was associated with a reduced 10-year all-cause mortality, with an RR of 0.511 (95% CI [0.266, 0.982]) after adjustment for age, gender, medical history, and lifestyles and an RR of 0.50 (95% CI [0.252, 0.993]) in a fully adjusted model including additional biochemical indicators. In addition, heavy alcohol consumption (≥30 g/day for men and ≥15 g/day for women) was significantly associated with an increased incidence of stroke, with an RR of 2.503 (95% CI [1.138, 5.506]) after the adjustment for age, gender, medical history, lifestyles, and biochemical indicators. No significant association was found between alcohol consumption and new-onset CHD.

Conclusions: For patients with abnormal glucose metabolism, occasional drinking (less than once a week) reduces the risk of all-cause mortality, while heavy alcohol consumption (≥30 g/day for men and ≥15 g/day for women) significantly increases the risk of new-onset stroke. They should avoid heavy alcohol intake, but light alcohol consumption or occasional drinking is acceptable. Additionally, it is crucial to control blood glucose and blood pressure and keep performing physical activities.