Moderate alcohol intake and lower risk of coronary heart disease: meta-analysis of effects on lipids and haemostatic factors
BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7224.1523 (Published 11 December 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:1523
- Eric B Rimm, associate professor (eric.rimm{at}channing.harvard.edu)a,
- Paige Williams, associate professorb,
- Kerry Fosher, research assistanta,
- Michael Criqui, professorc,
- Meir J Stampfer, professora
- a Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- b Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health
- c San Diego School of Medicine and Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California at San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Correspondence to: E B Rimm
- Accepted 7 September 1999
Abstract
Objective: To summarise quantitatively the association between moderate alcohol intake and biological markers of risk of coronary heart disease and to predict how these changes would lower the risk.
Design: Meta-analysis of all experimental studies that assessed the effects of moderate alcohol intake on concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A I, fibrinogen, triglycerides, and other biological markers previously found to be associated with risk of coronary heart disease.
Participants: Men and women free of previous chronic disease and who were not dependent on alcohol Studies were included in which biomarkers were assessed before and after participants consumed up to 100 g of alcohol a day.
Interventions: Alcohol as ethanol, beer, wine, or spirits.
Main outcome measures: Changes in concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A I, Lp(a) lipoprotein, triglycerides, tissue type plasminogen activator activity, tissue type plasminogen activator antigen, insulin, and glucose after consuming an experimental dose of alcohol for 1 to 9 weeks; a shorter period was accepted for studies of change in concentrations of fibrinogen, factor VII, von Willebrand factor, tissue type plasminogen activator activity, and tissue type plasminogen activator antigen.
Results: 61 data records were abstracted from 42 eligible studies with information on change in biological markers of risk of coronary heart disease. An experimental dose of 30 g of ethanol a day increased concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol by 3.99 mg/dl (95% confidence interval 3.25 to 4.73), apolipoprotein A I by 8.82 mg/dl (7.79 to 9.86), and triglyceride by 5.69 mg/dl (2.49 to 8.89). Several haemostatic factors related to a thrombolytic profile were modestly affected by alcohol On the basis of published associations between these biomarkers and risk of coronary heart disease 30 g of alcohol a day would cause an estimated reduction of 24.7% in risk of coronary heart disease.
Conclusions: Alcohol intake is causally related to lower risk of coronary heart disease through changes in lipids and haemostatic factors.
Key messages
Results from observational studies provide strong evidence that moderate alcohol intake lowers risk of coronary heart disease
Short term trials of alcohol intake show significant changes in concentrations of lipids and clotting factors
The changes in concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, and triglycerides associated with an intake of 30 g of alcohol a day should reduce risk of coronary disease by 24.7%
Alcohol intake may be causally related to lower risk of coronary heart disease through changes in lipids and haemostatic factors
Footnotes
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Funding The Europe Alcohol Task Force of the International Life Sciences Institute.
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Competing interests EBR has received both honorariums for speaking at academic conferences and travel expenses from alcohol related organisations.
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website extra Additional references and details of the studies appear on the BMJ's website www.bmj.com
- Accepted 7 September 1999