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Alcohol intake and long-term mortality risk after myocardial infarction in the Alpha Omega Cohort
Population-based studies generally show J-shaped associations between alcohol intake and mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Little is known about alcohol and long-term mortality risk after myocardial infarction (MI).
A study examined alcohol intake in relation to all-cause, CVD and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in Dutch post-MI patients of the Alpha Omega Cohort.
The analysis included 4,365 patients (60-80 y, 79% male) with an myocardial infarction less than 10 years before study enrolment. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess alcohol (total ethanol) and dietary intakes over the past month. Patients were classified as non-drinkers (0 g/d, n = 956) or very light (>0-2 g/d), light (M: >2-10, F: >2-5 g/d), moderate (M: >10-30, F: >5-15 g/d) or heavy drinkers (M: >30, F: >15 g/d). Hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality for alcohol intake were obtained from Cox models, adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, BMI, physical activity and dietary factors.
Alcohol was consumed by 83% of males and 61% of females. During 12 years of follow-up, 2,035 deaths occurred of which 903 from CVD and 558 from ischemic heart disease. Compared to the (combined) reference group of non-drinkers and very light drinkers, HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 0.87 (0.78, 0.98), 0.85 (0.75, 0.96) and 0.91 (0.79, 1.04) in consecutive drinking categories. For CVD mortality, corresponding HRs were 0.80 (0.67, 0.96), 0.82 (0.69, 0.98) and 0.87 (0.70, 1.08). Findings for ischemic heart disease mortality were similar. HRs did not materially change when non-drinkers or very light drinkers were taken as the reference, or after exclusion of former drinkers or patients with diabetes or poor/moderate self-rated health.
Light and moderate alcohol intake were inversely associated with mortality risk in stable post-myocardial infarction patients. These observational findings should be cautiously interpreted in light of the total evidence on alcohol and health, the researchers comment.
Source: Esther Cruijsen, Anne J de Ruiter, Leanne K Küpers, Maria C Busstra, Johanna M Geleijnse, Alcohol intake and long-term mortality risk after myocardial infarction in the Alpha Omega Cohort, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021;, nqab366, doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab366
A study examined alcohol intake in relation to all-cause, CVD and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in Dutch post-MI patients of the Alpha Omega Cohort.
The analysis included 4,365 patients (60-80 y, 79% male) with an myocardial infarction less than 10 years before study enrolment. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess alcohol (total ethanol) and dietary intakes over the past month. Patients were classified as non-drinkers (0 g/d, n = 956) or very light (>0-2 g/d), light (M: >2-10, F: >2-5 g/d), moderate (M: >10-30, F: >5-15 g/d) or heavy drinkers (M: >30, F: >15 g/d). Hazard ratios (HRs) of mortality for alcohol intake were obtained from Cox models, adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, BMI, physical activity and dietary factors.
Alcohol was consumed by 83% of males and 61% of females. During 12 years of follow-up, 2,035 deaths occurred of which 903 from CVD and 558 from ischemic heart disease. Compared to the (combined) reference group of non-drinkers and very light drinkers, HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 0.87 (0.78, 0.98), 0.85 (0.75, 0.96) and 0.91 (0.79, 1.04) in consecutive drinking categories. For CVD mortality, corresponding HRs were 0.80 (0.67, 0.96), 0.82 (0.69, 0.98) and 0.87 (0.70, 1.08). Findings for ischemic heart disease mortality were similar. HRs did not materially change when non-drinkers or very light drinkers were taken as the reference, or after exclusion of former drinkers or patients with diabetes or poor/moderate self-rated health.
Light and moderate alcohol intake were inversely associated with mortality risk in stable post-myocardial infarction patients. These observational findings should be cautiously interpreted in light of the total evidence on alcohol and health, the researchers comment.
Source: Esther Cruijsen, Anne J de Ruiter, Leanne K Küpers, Maria C Busstra, Johanna M Geleijnse, Alcohol intake and long-term mortality risk after myocardial infarction in the Alpha Omega Cohort, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021;, nqab366, doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab366
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