NAT2, alcohol, caffeine-rich beverages and SLE risk

What is it about?

Consumption of black tea (odds ratio (OR) = 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03 - 3.41) and coffee (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.95 - 2.61), but not green tea, was associated with an increased risk of SLE, while alcohol use (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.20 - 0.55) was associated with a decreased risk of SLE. There were significant interactions between the NAT2 polymorphism and either alcohol use (Pinteraction = 0.026) or consumption of black tea (Pinteraction = 0.048).

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Why is it important?

The NAT2 polymorphism significantly modified the effects of alcohol use and black tea consumption on SLE, emphasizing the importance of incorporating genetic and metabolic information in studies on management of SLE.

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