Early effect of alcohol on endothelial function according to the kinds and the amounts of alcohol in healthy subjects

Kim, Jung Kyu; Koo, Hoon Sup; Bae, Jang Ho; Kim, Ki Young

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is not clear how much amount is favourable to coronary heart disease, although cardioprotective effects of red wine were reported. Furthermore, there is no report showing the effects of soju, the popular liqour in Korea on endothelial function. We performed this study to know early effects of alcohol on endothelial function in healthy subjects according to the kinds and the amounts of alcohol.
METHODS
Endothelial function was measured by using high-resolution ultrasound in 20 healthy subjects. Ten subjects were crossover studied according to the types of alcohol (120 cc of red wine and 45 cc of soju) and the other ten subjects were studied using the half dosage of the same alcohol.
RESULTS
The endothelial function can be impaired during 1 to 2 hours after alcohol ingestion (Soju 45 cc and red wine 120 cc, p<0.05), then recovered to baseline level. However, these impaired endothelial functions were associated with an increased brachial artery diameter. The endothelial function was recovered to baseline level more earlier in case of red wine than that of soju 2 hours vs 3 hours. Red wine 60cc and Soju 22.5 cc can improve the endothelial function in healthy subjects 2 and 3 hours after ingestion, respectively. These effects were not related with vasodilatory effects of alcohol.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that small amounts of alcohol can improve the endothelial function in healthy subjects independently with the vasodilatory effects of alcohol.The amounts of alcohol showing beneficial effects on endothelial function were lower than our expectation (a half cup).