title: Acute effects of low doses of ethanol on left and right ventricular function in young healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Moderate-to-high blood concentrations of ethanol acutely impair conventional echocardiographic measures of left ventricular (LV) performance, but the effects of low concentrations are unclear. This study explored the acute effects of low blood concentrations of ethanol on sensitive and load-independent indices of LV and right ventricular (RV) function.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a crossover experimental study conducted in 64 young healthy volunteers. Participants were asked to drink a light dose of Italian red wine equivalent to 0.5 mg/kg of ethanol, and an equal volume of fruit juice in separate experiments. The following measurements were taken at baseline and 60 minutes after the challenges: tissue Doppler mitral annulus systolic velocity (S') and excursion (MAPSE), early diastolic velocity (E'), its ratio to late diastolic velocity (E'/A'), and the ratio of mitral-to-myocardial early diastolic velocities (E/E'); and tricuspid annulus systolic velocity (tricuspid S') and amplitude (TAPSE), early diastolic velocity (tricuspid E'), and its ratio to late diastolic velocity (tricuspid E'/A').
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood ethanol concentration after wine intake was 0.48 ± 0.06 g/l. Compared with the control challenge, ethanol yielded a decrease in all measures of LV function (S', -9.7%; E', -11.2%; E'/A', -13.4%; MAPSE, -8.8%; p < 0.05 for all). Among indices of RV function, increases in tricuspid E'/A' ratio and TAPSE were observed (+24.5% and +9.0%, respectively; p < 0.05 for both).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low blood concentrations of ethanol acutely impair LV function and increase some indices of RV function in young healthy individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. cameli@cheapnet.it
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cameli
authors.forename: Piercarlo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ballo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garzia
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lisi
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bocelli
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mondillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole; D013997:Time Factors; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000473:pathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol