Relationship between alcohol habits and hemorheology by a micro channel method in a general population.
BACKGROUND
Hemorheology plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The Micro Channel array Flow Analyzer (MC-FAN) (Hitachi Haramachi Electronics Co., Ltd., Bentencho, Japan) is currently considered a useful new device to analyze hemorheology. However, the relationships between various lifestyle habits and hemorheology, especially using MC-FAN, have still not been thoroughly investigated.


OBJECTIVE
The study was undertaken to determine whether there could be some correlations of lifestyle factors to hemorheology by MC-FAN.


METHODS
A total of 250 asymptomatic Japanese subjects (male:female = 100:150; mean age = 49.7 y) without any medication were enrolled in the present study. Hemorheology was assessed by the whole blood passage time (WBPT) and was corrected by the saline passage time using MC-FAN. Subjects' lifestyle factors, such as smoking habits, alcohol habits, and physical activity, were self-reported.


RESULTS
Partial correlation analysis for WBPT, after controlling for age, gender, hematocrit, white blood cell count, body mass index, blood pressure, blood biochemical measures, and all lifestyle habits, revealed a significant and inverse correlation between alcohol habits of 1-3 go (amount of alcohol intake) and WBPT (r = - 0.191, p = 0.003), in addition to a significant positive correlation between serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and WBPT.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that alcohol habits may beneficially affect hemorheology by MC-FAN, expanding the protective effect of light-to-moderate alcohol consumption against cardiovascular disease.
Department of Social Medicine, Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Yonago, Japan. kakotani@grape.med.torttori-u.ac.jp
Kazuhiko
K
Kotani
Seiji
S
Adachi
Yoneatsu
Y
Osaki
Youichi
Y
Kurozawa
Shigeru
S
Araga
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL