REGULAR LIGHT-TO-MODERATE INTAKE OF ALCOHOL AND THE RISK OF ISCHEMIC STROKE - IS THERE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT

Background and Purpose: To evaluate the association between different patterns of alcohol consumption and the risk of ischemic stroke in you ng or middle-aged men. Methods: One hundred fifty-six patients and 153 control subjects were included in this case-control study. The patter n and the estimated average weekly intake of alcohol were assessed usi ng a structured questionnaire. The pattern of drinking was defined as regular (daily or almost daily) or irregular (up to three times per we ek), and the weekly amount of consumption was defined as nondrinking, light-to-moderate drinking (up to 150 g/wk), moderate drinking (> 150 to 300 g/wk), and heavy drinking (>300 g/wk). Multiple stepwise logist ic regression models were used, and adjustments were carried out for p otential confounders. Results: Heavy alcohol intake associated with an increased risk of stroke (odds ratio, 4.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 18.1), whereas the risk tended to be reduced in light-to-moder ate drinkers (odds ratio, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 1.05) . Accounting for the pattern of alcohol intake in addition to the aver age weekly amount in grams, regular light-to-moderate drinking showed a significant inverse association with stroke (odds ratio, 0.12; 95% c onfidence interval, 0.02 to 0.65), and an irregular pattern of consump tion attenuated this association. Based on the same multivariate analy ses, other significant independent risk factors for stroke were arteri al hypertension, coronary heart disease, and history of snoring, where as the contributions of age, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and body mass index proved to be nonsignificant. Conclusions: Light-to-moderate alc ohol intake appears to have an inverse association with the risk of is chemic stroke. The beneficial effect appears to be most prominent if t he consumption of alcohol is regular and evenly distributed throughout the week, whereas a sporadic or an occasional pattern of drinking see ms to weaken the association. This study also supports the role of hea vy drinking as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke.