Moderate alcohol consumption and fibrinolytic factors of pre- and postmenopausal women

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Earlier studies in men have shown that moderate alcohol cons umption affects lipoprotein metabolism and haemostasis. In this diet-contro lled, randomized, cross-over trial we investigated the effect of moderate c onsumption of red wine or red grape juice with evening dinner for 3 weeks o n fibrinolytic factors in premenopausal women using oral contraceptives and in postmenopausal women. After 3 weeks blood samples were collected from b oth pre- and postmenopausals between 1 hour before dinner up to 15 hours af ter starting dinner, at 2 or 4 hour intervals. In premenopausal women using oral contraceptives moderate alcohol consumption had little effect on the fibrinolytic factors. In postmenopausals fibrinolytic activity decreased di rectly after alcohol consumption, as plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity increased to 23.1 IU/mL (or 339%, p = 0.0004) and plasma ti ssue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) activity decreased to 0.90 IU/mol (or 62%, p = 0.0009). As a result of this decreased fibrinolytic activity plas ma plasmin antiplasmin (PAP) complex level was decreased to 148 mug/L (or 3 4%, p = 0,04). The following morning the fibrinolytic activity was increase d, as plasma tPA activity increased to 0.44 IU/mol (or 69%, p = 0.04). Prob ably alcohol transcriptionally upregulated tPA gene expression, but effects on clearance cannot be ruled out. The response of fibrinolytic activity in postmenopausal women after moderate alcohol consumption appears similar to the response described earlier for middle-aged men. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Inc. All rights reserved.