Search resultsDifferential effects of moderate or heavy alcohol consumption on circulating adhesion molecule levels
Title
Differential effects of moderate or heavy alcohol consumption on circulating adhesion molecule levels
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2002
Authors
Journal
Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Volume
88
Issue
1
Pagination
52 - 55
Date published
2002
ISBN
03406245 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, arteriosclerosis, article, atherosclerosis, blood, blood pressure measurement, cardiovascular risk, cell adhesion molecule, Cell Adhesion Molecules, clinical trial, comparative study, controlled study, dose response, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, drinking behavior, drug effect, E-selectin, endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, Ethanol, glucose, heart protection, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, human, Humans, ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1, ischemic heart disease, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, major clinical study, male, Middle Aged, priority journal, protein blood level, risk factor, smoking, triacylglycerol, uric acid, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1, VCAM-1
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that moderate but not heavy alcohol consumption provides protection against coronary heart disease. We assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption and serum levels of adhesion molecules involved in the pathogenesis of early atherosclerosis. One-hundred apparently healthy men with similar cardiovascular risk factors were divided into four groups according to ethanol intake. Moderate drinkers (20-40 g/day) showed lower serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels than abstainers (p <0.05; both), as well as lower serum ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin levels than heavy drinkers (p = 0.01; all). The latter also showed higher serum ICAM-1 and E-selectin levels than abstainers (p <0.001; both). We conclude that moderate drinkers show a significant reduction of soluble endothelial adhesion molecule levels compared to abstainers and heavy drinkers, that may contribute to the protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption against atherosclerosis.