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Table 2 Relative risks of stroke types for light-to-moderate and high-to-heavy alcohol consumption, overall and stratified by geographic area, sex, and study quality

From: Differing association of alcohol consumption with different stroke types: a systematic review and meta-analysis

 

Alcohol consumption

Light-to-moderate (≤ 2 drinks/day)

High-to-heavy (> 2 drinks/day)

No.a

RR (95 % CI)

I 2b

No.a

RR (95 % CI)

I 2b

Ischemic stroke

 All studies

24

0.91 (0.88–0.94)

9.1 %

23

1.09 (1.03–1.16)

0 %

 Geographic area

  United States

9

0.90 (0.85–0.94)

7.7 %

8

1.12 (1.01–1.24)

0 %

  Europe

9

0.93 (0.88–0.98)

11.1 %

8

1.14 (1.04–1.25)

0 %

 Asia

5

0.87 (0.78–0.98)

10.6 %

6

1.07 (0.93–1.23)

30.6 %

 Sex

  Men

12

0.94 (0.88–1.00)

18.4 %

10

1.11 (1.00–1.23)

15.2 %

  Women

7

0.88 (0.83–0.95)

0 %

6

1.15 (0.96–1.36)

0 %

  Womenc

7

0.88 (0.79–0.98)

32.2 %

7

0.96 (0.85–1.08)

7.9 %

 Study quality

  NOS ≥ 7

18

0.90 (0.86–0.93)

0 %

17

1.09 (1.02–1.16)

0 %

  NOS < 7

5

0.87 (0.81–0.94)

13.6 %

4

1.10 (0.97–1.25)

9.3 %

Intracerebral hemorrhage

 All studies

11

0.95 (0.84–1.07)

10.2 %

9

1.45 (1.18–1.78)

55.0 %

 Geographic area

  United States

3

0.94 (0.75–1.17)

33.4 %

2

1.38 (0.86–2.21)

33.6 %

  Europe

4

0.92 (0.77–1.10)

0 %

3

1.39 (0.98–1.96)

40.2 %

  Asia

4

1.09 (0.79–1.49)

34.1 %

4

1.56 (1.13–2.17)

69.7 %

 Sex

  Men

5

0.98 (0.78–1.24)

26.4 %

5

1.35 (1.06–1.72)

59.4 %

  Women

3

0.95 (0.76–1.19)

0 %

2

2.23 (1.47–3.38)

0 %

  Womenc

3

0.81 (0.55–1.19)

37.6 %

3

1.54 (1.08–2.18)

29.6 %

Study quality

  NOS ≥ 7

7

0.99 (0.84–1.18)

7.5 %

6

1.68 (1.32–2.14)

25.4 %

  NOS < 7

4

0.90 (0.76–1.07)

17.0 %

3

1.20 (0.92–1.56)

51.9 %

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

 All studies

10

1.16 (0.98–1.37)

0 %

9

1.57 (1.18–2.09)

39.0 %

 Geographic area

  United States

3

1.46 (1.02–2.10)

21.4 %

2

2.04 (1.12–3.73)

24.4 %

  Europe

4

1.03 (0.81–1.30)

0 %

3

1.17 (0.58–2.37)

58.9 %

  Asia

3

1.26 (0.81–1.97)

19.8 %

4

1.57 (1.10–2.24)

31.3 %

 Sex

  Men

5

1.06 (0.69–1.60)

29.9 %

5

1.48 (0.96–2.28)

51.0 %

  Women

3

1.38 (1.04–1.85)

0 %

2

1.90 (1.16–3.13)

0 %

  Womenc

3

1.56 (1.01–2.38)

19.5 %

3

1.54 (1.08–2.20)

0 %

 Study quality

  NOS ≥ 7

7

1.25 (0.97–1.62)

13.4 %

3

1.44 (1.01–2.06)

16.5 %

  NOS < 7

4

1.10 (0.87–1.39)

0 %

6

1.57 (1.03–2.40)

50.0 %

  1. CI confidence interval, NOS Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, RR relative risk
  2. aNumber of studies that contributed data to each category of alcohol consumption and strata
  3. bTest for between-study heterogeneity. I2 values < 30 %, 30–75 %, and > 75 % were interpreted as no or low heterogeneity, moderate heterogeneity, and notable heterogeneity, respectively
  4. cSensitivity analysis in which light-to-moderate alcohol consumption for women was defined as ≤ 1 drink/day and high-to-heavy consumption was defined as > 1 drink/day
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BMC Medicine

ISSN: 1741-7015

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