Association between dietary acid load and the odds of ulcerative colitis: a case-control study

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBDs), which have a pivotal role in weakening the quality of lives of suffering patients. According to some recent studies, significant changes in dietary patterns may have contributed to the increased prevalence of UC. Potential renal acid load (PRAL) is an index used to estimate dietary acid load of the diet. The aim of the current study is to investigate the association between PRAL and odds of UC. The current case-control study included 62 newly diagnosed cases of UC and 124 healthy controls. Dietary habits of participants in the last year were collected with a valid food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Thereafter, PRAL score was calculated based on a formula containing the dietary intake of protein, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Participants were categorized according to quartiles of PRAL. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds' ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of UC across quartiles of PRAL. The results of the current study indicated that in the crude model, participants in the fourth quartile of PRAL had 2.51 time higher odds of UC compared with those in the first quartile of the PRAL [(OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.03-6.14), (P = 0.043)]. After adjustment for age and biological gender, this positive association remained significant [(OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.16-7.72), (P = 0.023)]. In the final model, after further adjustment for BMI, current smoking, education, Helicobacter pylori infection, and dietary intakes of total energy, omega-3 fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, and total dietary fiber, the odds of UC in the highest quartile of PRAL was significantly higher compared to the lowest quartile [(OR 3.08; 95% CI 1.01-9.39), (P = 0.048)]. So, we observed that higher dietary acid load assessed by PRAL score is associated with greater odds of UC.