Table I.

Main characteristics of cohort and case-control studies evaluating the association between alcohol drinking and MDS.

Study (year)	Country	Gender	Age (years)	Study design	Source	No. of cases	No. of controls	Risk factor assessment	Study quality	Matching and adjustments	(Refs.)
Lv et al (2011)	China	M/F	20–88	Case-control	HB	403	806	Face-to-face interview	6	Age, gender, anti-TB drugs, D860, TCM, alcohol intake, benzene, pesticides, gasoline, glues, hair dye, education, new building	(10)
Ma et al (2009)	United States	M/F	50–78	Cohort	PB	193	471,799	Mailed questionnaire	8	Age, gender, race, education, total energy intake	(16)
Pekmezovic et al (2006)	Serbia Montenegro	M/F	18–85	Case-control	HB	80	160	Interview	6	Age, gender	(8)
Strom et al (2005)	United States	M/F	24–89	Case-control	HB	352	443	Mailed questionnaire	7	Age, gender, ethnicity, education, family history of hematopoietic cancer, alcohol intake, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, benzene, solvent, gasoline	(11)
Dalamaga et al (2002)	Greece	M/F	44–86	Case-control	HB	84	84	Interview	6	Age, gender, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, time since first diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder	(12)
Nagata et al (1999)	Japan	M/F	20–74	Case-control	PB	111	815	Telephone interview and mailed questionnaire	8	Age, gender, living area	(13)
Ido et al (1996)	Japan	M/F	20–75	Case-control	HB	116	116	Interview	6	Age, gender, hospital, hair dye use, occupational exposure to organic solvents	(9)
Brown et al (1992)	United States	M	≤70	Case-control	PB	100	820	Interview and mailed questionnaire	7	Age, state, tobacco	(14)
Crane and Keating (1991)	United States	NR	≥18	Case-control	HB	46	224	Telephone interview and mailed questionnaire	6	Age, gender, alcohol intake, benzene, metal fume, dyes, glues, lacquers, varnishes, radiation, pesticides, paints, spray paints	(15)

MDS, myelodysplastic syndrome; M, male; F, female; HB, hospital-based; PB, population-based; TB, tuberculosis; TCM, traditional Chinese medicine; NR, not reported.