The Association of Alcohol Consumption with Glaucoma and Related Traits: Findings from the UK Biobank.
Stuart KV., Luben RN., Warwick AN., Madjedi KM., Patel PJ., Biradar MI., Sun Z., Chia MA., Pasquale LR., Wiggs JL., Kang JH., Kim J., Aschard H., Tran JH., Lentjes MAH., Foster PJ., Khawaja AP., Modifiable Risk Factors for Glaucoma Collaboration, the UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium, and the International Glaucoma Genetics Consortium None., Members of the Modifiable Risk Factors for Glaucoma Collaboration None., Members of the UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium None., Members of the International Glaucoma Genetics Consortium None.
PURPOSE: To examine the associations of alcohol consumption with glaucoma and related traits, to assess whether a genetic predisposition to glaucoma modified these associations, and to perform Mendelian randomization (MR) experiments to probe causal effects. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational and gene-environment interaction analyses in the UK Biobank. Two-sample MR experiments using summary statistics from large genetic consortia. PARTICIPANTS: UK Biobank participants with data on intraocular pressure (IOP) (n = 109 097), OCT-derived macular inner retinal layer thickness measures (n = 46 236) and glaucoma status (n = 173 407). METHODS: Participants were categorized according to self-reported drinking behaviors. Quantitative estimates of alcohol intake were derived from touchscreen questionnaires and food composition tables. We performed a 2-step analysis, first comparing categories of alcohol consumption (never, infrequent, regular, and former drinkers) before assessing for a dose-response effect in regular drinkers only. Multivariable linear, logistic, and restricted cubic spline regression, adjusted for key sociodemographic, medical, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors, were used to examine associations. We assessed whether any association was modified by a multitrait glaucoma polygenic risk score. The inverse-variance weighted method was used for the main MR analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure, macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL) thickness, macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness, and prevalent glaucoma. RESULTS: Compared with infrequent drinkers, regular drinkers had higher IOP (+0.17 mmHg; P