Relation
of Drinking Alcohol to Atherosclerotic Risk in Type 2 Diabetes
Light
drinking, has preventive effects on atherosclerosis in type
2 diabetic subjects.
The
effects of drinking alcohol on atherosclerotic risks were
investigated in 194 type 2 diabetic patients to determine whether
drinking alcohol influences risk of atherosclerosis in
diabetic subjects.
The
subjects were divided by the degree of their average weekly
alcohol consumption into three groups: nondrinkers, light
drinkers (ethanol consumption <210 g/week), and heavy
drinkers (ethanol consumption
210
g/week). The degree of atherosclerotic progression was evaluated
using aortic pulse wave velocity (a-PWV), and possible
atherosclerotic risks were evaluated using known
atherosclerotic risk factors.
The
study showed a-PWV was significantly lower in light drinkers than
in nondrinkers and heavy drinkers, but there was no significant difference
in a-PWV between nondrinkers and heavy drinkers.
Systolic
blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were
significantly higher in heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers and
light drinkers, whereas there was no significant difference in
these levels between nondrinkers and light drinkers.
The
mean levels of BMI and blood HbA1c, uric acid, and
fibrinogen were not different between the three groups.
There were significant positive correlations of a-PWV with
age and systolic blood pressure and weak but significant
negative correlations of a-PWV with alcohol consumption and
HDL cholesterol level.
From
the results it was concluded that light drinking, but not heavy
drinking, has preventive effects on atherosclerosis in type
2 diabetic subjects. The known beneficial effects of
drinking alcohol on blood lipids and fibrinogen may not be
involved in the preventive effect of light drinking on
atherosclerosis in diabetic subjects. Diabetes
Care 2002 25: 1223-1228.
Did
You Know?
Diabetes-associated
coma, stroke, nerve damage, urinary tract infections and hypertension
have all been shown to occur more frequently among women.
