Alcohol consumption and hemostatic factors: analysis of the Framingham Offspring cohort.
BACKGROUND
Moderate alcohol consumers have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than abstainers. One proposed mechanism is a beneficial effect on hemostatic parameters, but previous studies have provided conflicting results.


RESULTS
We measured levels of fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, von Willebrand factor, factor VII, plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen-1, and tissue plasminogen activator antigen in a cross-sectional analysis of 3223 adults free of cardiovascular disease enrolled in the Framingham Offspring Study. We assessed their alcohol consumption with a standardized questionnaire. Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with lower levels of fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, von Willebrand factor, and factor VII. This association was most pronounced for consumers of 3 to 7 drinks weekly for viscosity and 7 to 21 drinks weekly for the other hemostatic measures. Alcohol intake of 7 to 21 drinks weekly or more was associated with impaired fibrinolytic potential, reflected by higher levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen-1 and tissue plasminogen activator antigen. Wine drinkers had lower plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen-1 levels than other drinkers, particularly at 3 to 21 drinks weekly, but beverage type did not otherwise consistently affect the results.


CONCLUSIONS
Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower levels of coagulatory factors, but higher intake is associated with impaired fibrinolytic potential. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a balance between hemostatic and fibrinolytic activity may contribute to the complex relation of alcohol use with coronary heart disease.
Mukamal
K J
KJ
Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. kmukamal@caregroup.harvard.edu
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D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000145:classification; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005167:Factor VII / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005167:Factor VII; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator