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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Drinking Raises Risk of Hip Replacement Due to OA

  |  Issue: November 2023  |  

All above analyses adjusted for body mass index and physical activity.

Conclusion

The positive association between alcohol consumption and hip OA risk is biologically plausible. Studies in mice showed that alcohol consumption led to matrix proteoglycan loss, inflammation in joint cartilage and cartilage destruction similar to that observed in OA. Studies in rats revealed an association between bone loss and alcohol consumption. The effect of alcohol consumption may be similar in humans, with increasing alcohol consumption leading to increasing cartilage destruction. Supporting the hypothesis that alcohol per se in these beverages may affect joint health, Marchand et al. showed that different types of alcoholic beverages (e.g., wine and liquor) were associated with OA independently.

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For complete details, including source material, refer to the full study. 

Excerpted and adapted from:

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Marchand EN, Hu Y, Song M, et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in women. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023 Sep;75(9).

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