Impact Of Moderate Alcohol Consumption Research Articles

The relationship between alcohol consumption and chronic kidney disease in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Objective: To examine the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in individuals diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as NAFLD has been identified as an autonomous risk factor for CKD and previous research has demonstrated a reduction in overall mortality in NAFLD patients who consume alcohol in moderation. Methods: This study included participants from ten consecutive rounds of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES:1998–2018). Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to assess the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in both male and female populations. Subgroup analysis was conducted by categorizing patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index. Results: 17040 participants were eligible to be included in the study. The logistic regression analysis model showed that moderate alcohol consumption was a protective factor for CKD in male NAFLD patients, with an unadjusted OR: 0.37 (0.22,0.65), and p < 0.001. After further adjustment, the association persisted. However, the association was not significant in female patients with NAFLD. Among men with low risk of liver fibrosis group, moderate alcohol consumption remained a protective factor for CKD (OR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.12–0.84, p = 0.02), but the association was not significant in the high risk of liver fibrosis group. In female patients, both moderate alcohol consumption and excessive alcohol consumption were not significantly associated with CKD in either the low-risk group or the high-risk group. Conclusion: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower prevalence of CKD in men with NAFLD.

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with significant fibrosis progression in NAFLD.

The effect of moderate alcohol consumption on NAFLD histology is disputed. Assessment of alcohol consumption is commonly performed with interview or questionnaires. Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in blood is a highly sensitive and specific alcohol biomarker, which only forms in the presence of ethanol. PEth has hitherto not been evaluated in longitudinal NAFLD studies. This study aimed to examine the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on histologic progression and evaluate the utility of PEth in NAFLD. NAFLD patients with serial biopsies were reviewed for inclusion in the study. At baseline, all patients reported alcohol consumption <140g/week. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed at baseline and follow-up. Alcohol consumption was assessed thoroughly at follow-up with clinical interview, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire, and analysis of PEth in whole blood. Eighty-two patients were included. Mean follow-up time was 17.2 years (SD±6.0). Patients with significant fibrosis progression (defined as progression of ≥2 stages or development of cirrhosis-related complications) reported higher alcohol consumption and had significantly higher PEth. Consumption >66-96g/week (but <140g) (i.e. moderate alcohol consumption) was associated with increased risk of significant fibrosis progression compared with no or low consumption. PEth ≥48ng/mL and binge drinking showed the highest risk for significant fibrosis progression (aOR: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.6-21.4) and aOR: 5.1; 95% CI: 1.4-18.1, respectively). NAFLD patients consuming moderate amounts of alcohol are at increased risk for significant fibrosis progression and development of cirrhosis-related complications. PEth is a potential biomarker to assess harmful alcohol consumption in NAFLD. Patients reporting moderate consumption or exhibiting PEth ≥48ng/mL should be advised to reduce alcohol consumption.

Impact and potential mechanism of effects of chronic moderate alcohol consumption on cardiac function in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene heterozygous mice.

BackgroundMitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a key enzyme in alcohol metabolism. The ALDH2*2 mutations are found in approximately 45% of East Asians, with 40% being heterozygous (HE) ALDH2*1/*2 and 5% homozygous (HO) ALDH2*2/*2. Studies have shown that HO mice lack cardioprotective effects induced by moderate alcohol consumption. However, the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiac function in HE mice is unknown.MethodsIn this study, HO, HE, and wild‐type (WT) mice were subjected to a 6‐week moderate alcohol drinking protocol, following which myocardial tissue and cardiomyocytes of the mice were extracted.ResultsWe found that moderate alcohol exposure did not increase mortality, myocardial fibrosis, apoptosis, or inflammation in HE mice, which differs from the effects observed in HO mice. After exposure to the 6‐week alcohol drinking protocol, there was impaired cardiac function, cardiomyocyte contractility, and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial function in both HE and HO mice as compared to WT mice. Moreover, these animals showed overt oxidative stress production and increased levels of the activated forms of calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and ryanodine receptor type 2 (RYR2) phosphorylation protein.ConclusionWe found that moderate alcohol exposure impaired cardiac function in HE mice, possibly by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS)/CaMKII/RYR2‐mediated Ca2+ handling abnormalities. Hence, we advocate that people with ALDH2*1/*2 genotypes rigorously avoid alcohol consumption to prevent potential cardiovascular harm induced by moderate alcohol consumption.

The Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Circulating Metabolites and Gut Microbiota in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Epidemiological studies confirmed that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of adverse cardiovascular events. It is increasingly recognized that the composition of gut microbiota and metabolites is involved in modulating the cardiovascular health of the host. However, the association of moderate alcohol consumption with serum metabolites and gut microbiome and its impact on coronary artery disease (CAD) is not fully investigated.Method: Serum untargeted metabolomics analysis and fecal 16S rRNA sequencing were performed on 72 male patients with CAD having various alcohol consumption (36 non-drinkers, 18 moderate drinkers, and 18 heavy drinkers) and 17 matched healthy controls. MetaboAnalyst and PICRUSt2 were utilized to analyze the possible involved metabolic pathways. Multi-omics analysis was achieved by Spearman correlation to reveal the interactions of alcohol consumption with gut microbiome and serum metabolites in patients with CAD.Results: We noted distinct differences between patients with CAD, with varying levels of alcohol consumption and healthy controls in aspects of serum metabolome and the gut microbiome. Moderate alcohol consumption significantly changed the lipidomic profiles, including reductions of sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids in moderate drinkers with CAD when compared with non and heavy drinkers with CAD. Moreover, we also found the reduction of microbial-derived metabolites in moderate drinkers with CAD, such as 2-phenylacetamide and mevalonic acid. To be noted, the gut microbiota of moderate drinkers with CAD tended to resemble that of healthy controls. Compared with non-drinkers, the relative abundance of genus Paraprevotella, Lysinibacillus was significantly elevated in moderate drinkers with CAD, while the genus Bifidobacterium, Megasphaera, and Streptococcus were significantly reduced in moderate drinkers with CAD. Multi-omics analysis revealed that specific metabolites and microbes associated with moderate alcohol consumption were correlated with the severity of CAD.Conclusions: Our study revealed that the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on serum metabolites and gut microbiota in patients with CAD seemed to be separated from that of heavy and non-alcohol consumption. Moderate drinking tended to have more positive effects on metabolic profiles and commensal flora, which may explain its beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Overall, our study provides a novel insight into the effects of moderate alcohol consumption in patients with CAD.

Alcohol and the cognitive functions of the aging brain

Old age is a factor in the onset of degenerative brain diseases among which dementia, associated with severe cognitive impairment. The study analyzes the literature data, accumulated over the years, concerning the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive processes in the elderly. Recent reports reveal that light-to-moderate consumption of alcohol does not reduce the risk of cognitive decline in old age. Moderate alcohol consumption does not improve cognitive function and is associated with lower cognitive performance in a dose-dependent manner.

Effect of alcohol consumption on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to be 26.3% among the US population. A subset of this population exhibits an aggressive histological phenotype, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with ≥ stage 2 fibrosis, which may progress to cirrhosis. The definition of NAFLD excludes excessive alcohol intake, which is well known to cause alcoholic liver disease and will not be discussed here. Most NAFLD clinical trials use ~14 drinks per week as the cutoff for excessive alcohol intake. Alcohol consumption below this threshold, which we define as moderate alcohol consumption, is common in the US. According to the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 56% of the US adult population consume alcohol, but only 8.2% report drinking heavily and 18.3% report binge drinking. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Practice Guidance of 2018 states that there are insufficient data to make a recommendation with regard to moderate alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD, citing a lack of longitudinal studies that examine the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on disease progression and its extrahepatic harms versus benefits, specifically in individuals with established NAFLD. NAFLD prevalence studies have generally noted a negative correlation between modest alcohol consumption and NAFLD. However, prevalence studies have limited application to patients with established NAFLD who present to the clinic. There can also be many confounding factors, because modest alcohol consumption is also negatively associated with some NAFLD risk factors, and those risk factors may not be adequately adjusted for in analyses. The prevalence of NASH with significant fibrosis (≥ F2) is more important because this is the group that is believed to have progressive disease. Thus, cohort studies of disease progression are more important from the patient's standpoint. Because these patients have already developed NAFLD or NASH, their interest lies in their odds of disease progression if they have moderate alcohol consumption compared to abstinence. It is also noteworthy that cardiovascular disease is the most important cause of death among patients with NAFLD. Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a reduction in overall mortality, but mostly in cardiovascular mortality. However, this protective effect has not been demonstrated specifically in patients with NAFLD.

Moderate, excessive or heavy alcohol consumption: each is significantly associated with increased mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis C

The impact of moderate alcohol consumption on long-term outcomes of chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) infected patients remains controversial. To assess the impact of moderate alcohol consumption on long-term outcomes of CH-C patients using population-based data. Data were obtained from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)-mortality linked files. Alcohol consumption was estimated as grams/day. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to assess the effects of CH-C and alcohol consumption on mortality (all causes, cardiovascular disease, and liver disease). A total of 8985 participants were included as the study cohort. Of these, 218 had CH-C. The follow-up time was 162.95months for CH-C and 178.27months for controls. CH-C patients had increased risk for both overall mortality and liver-related mortality. CH-C patients with excessive alcohol consumption had even higher risks for overall mortality and liver-related mortality. The risk of overall mortality associated with CH-C increased with moderate alcohol consumption of 1-19g/day and heavy alcohol consumption ≥30g/day. Although chronic hepatitis C is associated with increased risks for overall and liver-related mortality, these risks are even higher for patients consuming moderate and excessive amounts of alcohol.

Moderate wine consumption is associated with better cognitive test results: a 7 year follow up of 5033 subjects in the Tromsø Study

The impact of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive function and dementia is unclear. We examined the relationship between consumption of different alcoholic beverages and cognitive function in a large population-based study. Subjects were 5033 stroke-free men and women who participated in a longitudinal population-based study in Tromsø, Norway. Alcohol consumption and other cardiovascular risk factors were measured at baseline and cognitive function was assessed after 7 years follow up with verbal memory test, digit-symbol coding test and tapping test. Moderate wine consumption was independently associated with better performance on all cognitive tests in both men and women. There was no consistent association between consumption of beer and spirits and cognitive test results. Alcohol abstention was associated with lower cognitive performance in women. Light-to-moderate wine consumption was associated with better performance on cognitive tests after 7 years follow up.

Alcohol consumption, abstaining, health utility, and quality of life – a general population survey in finland

To examine the associations between alcohol consumption and utility-based health-related quality of life (HRQoL), subjective quality of life (QoL), self-rated health (SRH), and mental distress. Representative general population survey in Finland, with 5871 persons aged 30-64 years. HRQoL was measured with two health utility instruments (15D and EQ-5D), QoL and SRH were measured with RATING scales, and mental distress with a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Past alcohol problems were diagnosed with a structured psychiatric interview known as the composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI). Alcohol consumption was examined with a self-report questionnaire. Negative associations between alcohol and well-being were observed on several measures for women consuming more than 173 g and men more than 229 g per week. Former drinkers scored worst on most measures, even in comparison to the highest drinking decile. For men, all statistically significant associations between moderate drinking and well-being disappeared when sociodemographic factors and former drinkers were controlled for. For women, moderate alcohol use associated with better SRH and EQ-5D as compared to abstainers. However, the possible health utility benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption were of clinically insignificant magnitude. Failure to separate former drinkers and other abstainers produces a significant bias favoring moderate drinkers. As the possible health utility benefits of moderate alcohol use were clinically insignificant, it suffices to investigate mortality, when estimating the public health impact of moderate alcohol consumption using quality-adjusted life years.

Cognitive Functioning in Late Life: The Impact of Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Sex differences in the association between moderate alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning were examined during 4 years. Participants were 2716 US older adults 70 years and older (mean age, = 76.02 years) who were free of cognitive impairment from the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (1994 to 2000). Multiple logistic regression models were used to predict cognitive functioning (adapted Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status) from average daily alcohol intake (no drink, one drink or less daily, and more than one drink daily) during 4 years after controlling for covariates. Sex differences in the association between alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning were found (p < 0.01). Older adults with alcohol consumption of one drink or less per day had a lower odds of low cognitive functioning compared with abstainers for women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.83), but not men (AOR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.69-1.34). For older adults with a level of cognitive functioning within normal ranges, moderate amounts of alcohol, an average of one drink or less daily, was protective for women, but not men. Caution should be used in suggesting moderate alcohol consumption to maintain cognitive functioning because of the risks of consuming alcohol.

Impact of moderate alcohol consumption on arterial blood pressure

In recent years, strong epidemiological evidence has associated light to moderate alcohol consumption with significant cardiovascular benefit, pointing out its influence on the levels of HDL. However, up to date, very few studies have correlated alcohol consumption with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). 1. To classify a population of high cardiovascular risk according to the degree of alcohol consumption. 2. To correlate this consumption with the levels of blood pressure (BP). 3. To study its influence on oxidative stress. Study population: N=200 patients of which we excluded 3 due to excessive alcohol consumption and 66 due to sporadic consumption. The remaining N=131 were classified in two groups: Group A (daily consumption): n=31, 58+-11 years old, 24 males. Group B (no consumption): n=100, 60+-13 years old, 27 males. Anthropometric parameters: BMI (kg/m2), waist circumference (cm). Biochemical parameters: Glycaemia, Triglycerides, Cholesterol, LDLc (HITACHI), Insulinaemia (uU/mL)-Immunometric assay. Immulite. DPC, Insulin resistance (HOMA). Oxidative stress: oxidized-LDL (LDLox) (U/L): MERCODIA ELISA. ABPM: Spacelabs 90207: Average 24h systolic BP (aSBP), diastolic BP (aDBP), and BP mean (BPM: SBP-DBP + DBP/3); pulse pressure and hemodynamic load (HL) = Heart Rate x BPM/100. Statistical analysis: t-Student and Chi-square. 1. There were no significant statistical differences between the two groups in terms of BMI (A:27.33+-0.74 vs B:27.96+-0.46), waist circumference (A:297.6+-17.6 vs B:333.82+-9.44) and insulin resistance (2.67+-0.29 vs 2.73+-0.21). 2. Patients in group A have higher DBP levels (77.48+-1.85 vs 70.26+-1.06;p <0.05), BPM (95.34+-1.84 vs 89.94+-1.12;p <0.05) and hemodynamic load (73.25+-2.77 vs 66.12+-1.48;p <0.05) than patients in group B. 3. Male drinkers were found to have a significantly greater increase in SBP levels (129.88+-2.38 vs 121.78+-2.47;p <0.05) and pulse pressure (52.3+-2.24 vs 46.52+-1.63;p <0.05) than male non drinkers. 4. With similar levels of glycaemia, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDLc in both groups, patients in group A have higher LDLox levels (111.57+-10.6 vs 92.85+-4;p <0.05). Male drinkers showed higher HDL levels (58.18+-5.9 vs 47.84+-2.35;p <0.05) then male non-drinkers.

Moderate alcohol intake and renal function decline in women: a prospective study.

The impact of moderate alcohol consumption on renal function has important public health implications given the high prevalence of alcohol use. Experimentally, alcohol may adversely affect renal function, but clinical data are limited and no large, prospective studies have examined this issue. In a prospective study of 1658 nurses enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study, we sought to determine if there was an association between moderate alcohol consumption and rate of decline in renal function. Daily alcohol intake was measured in 1990, 1994 and 1998 using a detailed questionnaire. Maximum daily alcohol intake was measured in 1988. Creatinine, measured from blood samples provided in 1989 and 2000, was used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and creatinine clearance (CCr). Compared to individuals with no alcohol intake, the odds ratios (ORs) for developing a >or=25% estimated GFR decline were: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.72-1.32) for 0.1-4.9 g/day, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.56-1.21) for 5-14.9 g/day and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.50-1.31) for 15-59.9 g/day. For women with hypertension (n = 726), the ORs for a >or=25% estimated GFR decline were: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.53-1.21) for 0.1-4.9 g/day, 0.62 (95% CI: 0.34-1.12) for 5-14.9 g/day and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.25-1.12) for 15-59.9 g/day. Moderate alcohol consumption had no substantial adverse effect on renal function in women over an 11 year follow-up period.

Impact of moderate alcohol consumption on histological activity and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and specific influence of steatosis: a prospective study.

To evaluate the effects of minimal to moderate alcohol consumption on the severity of histological lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Daily alcohol intake (none, 1-20, 21-30, 31-50 g/day) and histological activity and fibrosis were recorded in 260 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The proportion of patients with moderate (A2) or marked (A3) activity increased gradually from 53.8% in abstinent patients to 86.5% for an intake between 31 and 50 g/day (P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, age > 40 years, alcohol intake between 31 and 50 g/day and moderate or severe steatosis were independently related to histological activity. The proportion of patients with moderate (F2) or marked (F3) fibrosis or cirrhosis (F4) gradually increased from 29.0% in abstinent patients to 67.6% for an intake between 31 and 50 g/day (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis also showed that alcohol intake between 31 and 50 g/day, moderate or severe steatosis and histological activity were independently related to fibrosis. The deleterious effect of alcohol intake on histological lesions differed according to gender. This study demonstrates that both activity and fibrosis gradually increase according to the amount of alcohol ingested, and that even moderate alcohol consumption, as low as 31-50 g/day in men and 21-50 g/day in women, may aggravate histological lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Wine drinking and risks of cardiovascular complications after recent acute myocardial infarction.

Scientific data on the clinical impact of moderate alcohol consumption after a recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are limited, and the specific effect of wine ethanol has not been studied. In survivors of a recent AMI, we analyzed the association between ethanol intake and the risk of recurrence. The patients were classified according to the amount of ethanol that they consumed regularly during follow-up. Major prognostic factors, including the severity of the prior AMI and drug treatment, were recorded and included in the analyses. Only patients with at least 2 reliable assessments of drinking (and dietary) habits were included (n=437). The average ethanol intake was 7.6% of the total energy intake, wherein wine ethanol represented 92% of the total. Among these patients, 104 cardiovascular complications occurred during a mean follow-up period of 4 years. In comparison with abstainers, the adjusted risk of complications was reduced by 59% (95% confidence interval: 17 to 80) in patients whose average ethanol intake was 7.7% of the total energy intake (about 2 drinks/day), and by 52% (95% confidence interval: 4 to 76) in those whose average ethanol intake was of 16% of energy (about 4 drinks/day). Whereas moderate wine drinking was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of complications in this homogenous population of coronary heart disease patients, further studies are required to confirm the data, define the clinical and biological profile of the patients who would most benefit from wine drinking after recent AMI, and examine whether the relations found are due to ethanol or other wine ingredients.

Impact of moderate alcohol consumption on business decision making

Impact of moderate alcohol consumption on business decision making