Positive Health Online

Abstract

AJANI and colleagues, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215-1204, USA, uajani@rics.bwh.harvard.edu investigated whether there is an inverse association between moderate alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease (CHD) in men with diabetes mellitus.

Background

Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between moderate alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methodology

Subjects were male US physicians (n=87,938) who were invited to participate in the Physicians’ Health Study. All were free of myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer or liver disease at the start of the study. 2,790 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Subjects were followed up for an average of 5.5 years.

Results

850 deaths due to CHD were documented: 717 among non-diabetics and 133 among diabetics. Among non-diabetics (at baseline), the relative risk estimates for death due to CHD were 1.00, 1.02, 0.82 and 0.61 for those reporting rarely/never, monthly, weekly and daily alcohol consumption respectively. Among diabetics (at baseline), relative risk estimates were 1.00, 1.11, 0.67 and 0.42 respectively. Results were adjusted for age, aspirin use, smoking, physical activity, body mass index and history of angina, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with similar risk reductions in CHD among diabetic and non-diabetic men.

References

Ajani UA et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of coronary heart disease by diabetes status. Circulation 102 (5): 500-5. Aug 2000.