Relationships between alcohol intake and atherogenic indices in women

Background: Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is known to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships of alcohol intake with atherogenic indices, such as the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C ratio) and the ratio of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C ratio), in women. Methods: Subjects (14,067 women, 20-45 years) were divided by alcohol intake into three groups of nondrinkers, occasional drinkers, and regular drinkers, and each drinker group was further divided into lower- (<22 g ethanol/drinking day) and greater- (≥22 g ethanol/drinking day) quantity drinkers. Atherogenic indices were compared among the alcohol groups. Results: Odds ratio (OR) for high LDL-C/HDL-C ratio or high TG/HDL-C ratio calculated after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, and habitual exercise was significantly lower (P <.05) than a reference level of 1.00 in regular or occasional lower- and higher quantity drinkers vs. nondrinkers (OR for high LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, 0.28 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.18-0.44) in regular lower-quantity drinkers, 0.18 (95% CI, 0.12-0.28) in regular higher quantity drinkers, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.61-0.83) in occasional lower-quantity drinkers, and 0.53 (95% CI, 0.44-0.64) in occasional higher quantity drinkers; OR for high TG/HDL-C ratio, 0.52 (95% CI, 0.32-0.85) in regular lower-quantity drinkers, 0.67 (95% CI, 0.47-0.96) in regular higher-quantity drinkers, 0.61 (95% CI, 0.50-0.76) in occasional lower-quantity drinkers, and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.50-0.79) in occasional higher-quantity drinkers. Both LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and log-transformed TG/HDL-C ratio were significantly greater in smokers than in nonsmokers. Both in smokers and nonsmokers, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and log-transformed TG/HDL-C ratio were significantly lower in regular lower- and higher-quantity drinkers than in nondrinkers. In nonsmokers, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and log-transformed TG/HDL-C ratio tended to be lower and greater, respectively, in regular greater-quantity drinkers than in regular lower-quantity drinkers. Conclusion: In women, alcohol drinking is inversely associated with atherogenic indices irrespective of smoking status, and the inverse association of alcohol drinking with LDL-C/HDL-C ratio is stronger than that with TG/HDL-C ratio.