Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on hypertriglyceridemia - A study in the fasting state

Background: Patients with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) are generally advised to avoid alcohol, even though moderate alcohol consumption is cardioprotect ive. Alcohol increases plasma triglyceride concentration transiently in nor molipidemic subjects, but whether alcohol consumption per se increases trig lyceride concentrations in patients with HTG is unclear. Objective: To assess whether baseline fasting triglyceride concentration de termines plasma triglyceride concentration after acute oral alcohol intake. Methods: Twelve persons with fasting triglyceride concentrations of 2.3 to 8.5 mmol/L (200-750 mg/dL) and 12 persons as a non-HTG group were enrolled. Obesity, current smoking, and history of hypertension, diabetes, or excess ive alcohol use were exclusionary. Fasted subjects consumed 38 mt of ethano l in water (equivalent, 2 alcoholic drinks); blood samples were collected a t baseline and at intervals thereafter for 10 hours. No less than 1 week la ter, the subjects consumed water alone in a control test. Results: Mean triglyceride values were 4.04 +/- 0.41 mmol/L (358 +/- 36.9 m g/dL) and 1.00 +/- 0.11 mmol/L (89 +/- 10.2 mg/dL) for the HTG and non-HTG groups, respectively. Despite similar changes with alcohol feeding in plasm a ethanol, nonesterified fatty acid, and acetate concentrations, the groups differed in triglyceride response. At 6 hours (peak) compared with baselin e, triglyceride concentration increased only 3% in the HTG group but 53% in the non-HTG group. The former change was not significantly different from the effect with water alone (-9.2% from baseline; P =.43), whereas the latt er was (-8.0% P =.003). Conclusions: Acute alcohol intake alone is not an important determinant of plasma triglyceride concentration in individuals with HTG. Other factors, s uch as the contemporaneous consumption of fat and alcohol known to increase triglyceride concentrations synergistically in non-HTG individuals, may be more important.