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Background/Aims: The association between alcohol consumption and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been reported. What is not known is whether drinking pattern combined with the weekly frequency of alcohol consumption and the quantity per drinking day is associated with the risk of CKD. Methods: We enrolled 9,112 Japanese nondiabetic men aged 40 to 55 years with absence of proteinuria, an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 or higher, and not on antihypertensive medications at baseline. CKD was defined if eGFR was <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. The weekly frequency classification was nondrinkers, 1-3 drinking days/week, or 4-7 drinking days/week. The quantity consumed per drinking day was classified as 0.1-23.0 g ethanol/drinking day, 23.1-46.0 g ethanol/drinking day, 46.1-69.0 g ethanol/drinking day, and ≥69.1 g ethanol/drinking day. Results: During the 79,099 person-years, 1,253 subjects developed CKD. Compared to nondrinkers, those who consumed 23.1-46.0 or 46.1-69.0 g ethanol/drinking day on 4-7 drinking days/week had a decreased risk of CKD (multiple-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.62 (0.52-0.74) and 0.76 (0.59-0.97), respectively). The association between the quantity per drinking day and the incidence of CKD was U-shaped among each category of the weekly frequency. HRs within similar categories of quantity per drinking day were lower in the 4-7 drinking days/week group than in the 1-3 drinking days/week group. Conclusion: Among middle-aged Japanese men, the people who drank middle-range quantity, specifically who drank 4-7 days/week, had lower risk of CKD than nondrinkers. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]