Complementary effects of Mediterranean diet and moderate red wine intake on haemostatic cardiovascular risk factors

Objectives: To compare the effect of alcohol-free Mediterranean-type diet ( MDI and high-far diet (HFD) on plasma concentration of emergent haemostatic cardiovascular risk factors (HCVRF). Also, to test if red wine supplementa tion modifies HCVRF, independent of diet. Design, subjects and intervention: Controlled prospective intervention stud y. Two groups, each of 21 healthy male university students (22 +/-3.4 y), r eceived either MD or HFD for 90 days. Between days 30 and 60, both diets we re supplemented with 240 ml/day of red wine. Baseline and T30, T60 and T90- day samples were drawn. No drop out from the study was observed. Setting: University campus and outpatient nutrition clinic. Results: Volunteers on HFD at T30 had increases in pro-coagulants fibrinoge n (22%), factor VIIc (9%), and factor VIIIc (4%), and decreases in natural anticoagulants antithrombin III (3%), protein C (11%)and protein S (6%) and of 20% in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. At the same time, individuals on MD had increases in fibrinogen (4%), antithrombin III (5%), protein C ( 3%), protein S (2.7%), and decreases in factor VIIIc (9%), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (21%). After adjusting by baseline values, MD was ass ociated with lower plasma fibrinogen (P = 0.03), factor VIIc (P = 0.034) an d factor VIIIc (P = 0.0057) and with higher levels of protein S (P = 0.013) . Red wine supplementation, in both diets, resulted in decreased plasma fib rinogen (P = 0.001) and factor VIIc (P = 0.05), and increased tissue plasmi nogen activator antigen (P=0.01) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 anti gen (P = 0.0003). Wine consumption was also associated with significantly ( P = 0.01) divergent effects on antithrombin III: it decreased by 10% in ind ividuals on HFD but increased slightly in those on MD. No effects of diet o r wine were detected in plasma protein C and C-reactive protein. Conclusion: MD and moderate consumption of red wine have complementary, mos tly beneficial effects on HCVRF. Sponsorship: P Catholic University of Chile.