Moderate drinking benefits kidney transplant recipients, study suggests

Of these, 288 (48%) were abstainers, 94 (16%) sporadic drinkers, 210 (35%) had moderate alcohol intake, and 8 (1%) were heavy drinkers. Moderate alcohol drinkers were 67% less likely to develop diabetes than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers.

During an average follow-up of seven years, moderate alcohol drinkers were 44% less likely to die than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers.

The authors concluded that in contrast with common advice for kidney transplant recipients to refrain from drinking alcohol, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol appears to protect against diabetes and premature death in kidney transplant recipients, similar to the general population. "Quality of life in renal transplant recipients is under pressure by many threats, restrictions, and recommendations," said Ms. Zelle. "Our results indicate that one of the restraints on quality of life in stable renal transplant recipients may be released. There seems no reason to advise renal transplant recipients to abstain from alcohol post-transplant."

Study co-authors include Eva Corpeleijn, Ronald Stolk, MD, PhD, Jaap Homan vd heide, MD, Willem Van son, MD, PhD, Gerjan Navis, MD, PhD, and Stephan Bakker, MD, PhD (University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands).

The study abstract, "Moderate Alcohol Consumption Is Associated with Low Prevalence of Post-Transplant Diabetes and Reduced Risk for Mortality in Renal Transplant Recipients," [TH-PO941] was presented as a poster on November 18, 2010 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO.