Coffee
consumption is associated with a reduced risk of incident chronic kidney
disease (CKD), a recent systematic review and meta-analysis confirmed.
The
meta-analysis of pooled data from 4 cohort studies with a total of 25,849
participants found that coffee drinkers had a significant 13% decreased risk of
incident CKD compared with nondrinkers, investigators Thatsaphan Srithongkul,
MD, and Patompong Ungprasert, MD, MS, of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj
Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, reported in the European Journal of Internal Medicine.
When
the investigators applied a stricter definition of coffee drinkers
(participants who drank at least 1 cup per day on average), coffee consumption
was significantly associated with a 14% decreased risk of incident CKD.
The
current study is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the
risk of incident CKD among coffee drinkers compared with non-drinkers, Drs
Srithongkul and Ungprasert noted.
“All
of the included studies comprehensively adjusted their effect estimates for
comorbidity and other potential confounders, suggest that coffee itself was
responsible for the lower risk,” the authors wrote. “However, the exact
mechanisms that could lead to the reno-protective effect of coffee are not
known with certainty and further investigations are required.”
The
most plausible explanation is related to anti-oxidative effects of coffee as
atherosclerotic injury to the kidneys is among the most common underlying
mechanisms in the pathogenesis of CKD, according to the investigators. In vitro
and clinical studies have demonstrated that caffeine has anti-oxidative and
anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce oxidative stress, they noted.
Reference
Srithongkul T, Ungprasert P. Coffee
consumption is associated with a decreased risk of incident chronic kidney
disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies [published
online April 18]. Eur J Intern Med. doi:
10.1016/j.ejim.2020.04.018