Alcohol Consumption and Functional Outcome After Stroke in Men

Abstract

Background and Purpose-Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with reduced risk of total and ischemic stroke. However, data on the relationship between alcohol consumption and functional outcomes from stroke are sparse. Methods-Prospective cohort study among 21 860 men enrolled in the Physicians' Health Study who provided information on alcohol consumption at baseline and had no prior history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Alcohol consumption was divided into 5 categories: Ͻ1 drink/wk, 1 drink/wk, 2 to 4 drinks/wk, 5 to 6 drinks/wk, and Ն1 drink/d. Possible functional outcomes included TIA, modified Rankin Scale (mRS)ϭ0 to 1, mRSϭ2 to 3, and mRSϭ4 to 6. We used multinomial logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between levels of alcohol consumption and functional outcomes from stroke. Results-During a mean of 21.6 years of follow-up, 766 TIAs and 1393 strokes (1157 ischemic, 222 hemorrhagic, and 14 unknown type) occurred. Men who consumed 1 drink/wk had lowest associated odds for any outcome. Compared with men who did not experience a TIA or stroke and who consumed Ͻ1 drink/wk, men who consumed 1 drink/wk had odds ratio (95% CI) for total stroke of 0.85 (0.60 to 1.21) for mRSϭ0 to 1, 0.84 (0.64 to 1.10) for mRSϭ2 to 3, and 0.60 (0.37 to 0.97) for mRSϭ4 to 6. The odds ratio for TIA was 0.95 (0.73 to 1.23). The pattern of association did not substantially differ for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Higher alcohol consumption showed no association with functional outcome after stroke. Conclusions-Our data do not show strong associations between alcohol consumption and functional outcome after stroke.Modest beneficial associations exist with low alcohol consumption. (Stroke. 2010;41:141-146.)

Wine and Health: A Paradigm for Alcohol and Antioxidants

“…In the decade that has passed since the earlier work described above, the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption upon health, especially in reducing the risk for CHD and IH, as well as the major mechanisms responsible for these benefits, have been repeatedly confirmed (44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50). Interest in the biological actions and potential health benefits of resveratrol have accelerated, and reports have claimed to reproduce several of these in whole animal or human investigations.…”

Prestroke Alcohol Consumption and Smoking Are Not Associated with Stroke Severity, Disability at Discharge, and Case Fatality

“…Higher alcohol consumption showed no association with functional outcome after stroke among 21,860 men enrolled in the Physicians' Health Study. 2 No statistically significant association was found between short-term functional outcomes and most of the alcohol categories. 2 In a long-term follow-up of young stroke patients, both smoking and heavy alcohol consumption were associated with decreased survival in the long run.…”

“…2 No statistically significant association was found between short-term functional outcomes and most of the alcohol categories. 2 In a long-term follow-up of young stroke patients, both smoking and heavy alcohol consumption were associated with decreased survival in the long run. 30 We found no difference between alcohol consumers and nonconsumers in 30-day and 1-year case fatality in all stroke patients and in ischemic stroke patients.…”

“…1 Stroke is expected to become a more prevalent cause of disability in the future because of the aging of the population. 2 High stroke mortality rates in the Central-Eastern European region has been consistently reported. 3,4 Smoking is an independent risk factor of stroke, 5 and the rate of smokers is higher in Central European than in the Western countries.…”

Low-Dose Ethanol Preconditioning Protects Against Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation/Reoxygenation-Induced Neuronal Injury By Activating Large Conductance, Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels In Vitro

“…For example, a meta-analysis indicated that light (\12 g/day) or moderate (12-24 g/day) ethanol consumption reduces the relative risk of ischemic stroke [16]. A prospective cohort study has also reported that low ethanol consumption has a modest beneficial association with functional outcome following stroke [17]. In a gerbil model, our previous study showed that moderate ethanol intake triggers a significant neuroprotective effect against I/R-induced injury [6].…”