Korean J Health Promot.  2016 Sep;16(3):153-161. 10.15384/kjhp.2016.16.3.153.

Relationship among Alcohol Consumption, Facial Flushing Response and Dyslipidemia in Male

• Kim KP
• Kim JS
• Kim SS
• Jung JK
• Yoon SJ
• Wei CJ

• KMID: 2354619
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15384/kjhp.2016.16.3.153

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Facial flushing response to drinking is observed in East Asians with deficient activity of the variant aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 genotype. This study examined the role of flushing response in the relationship between alcohol consumption and dyslipidemia.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 1,443 Korean men, including 261 non-drinkers, 470 flushers and 712 non-flushers. Based on a questionnaire, weekly alcohol consumption was assessed and categorized into 4 groups. Dyslipidemia was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. After adjusting for confounding factors, we evaluated the relationship between weekly alcoholic drinks and dyslipidemia in flushers and non-flushers by comparing with non-drinkers, using a multi-variable logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
Non-flushers had a significant relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and alcohol consumption in two groups (4-8 drinks: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.937, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.029-3.644; ≥16 drinks: aOR 2.118, 95% CI 1.272-3.527) in contrast to flushers, who showed no significant relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and alcohol consumption. Non-flushers had a significant relationship to low serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in four groups (<4 drinks: aOR 0.428, 95% CI 0.277-0.662; 4-8 drinks: aOR 0.409, 95% CI 0.216-0.774; 8-16 drinks: aOR 0.285, 95% CI 0.152-0.536; ≥16 drinks: aOR 0.343, 95% CI 0.207-0.568), and flushers had a significant relationship in two groups (8-16 drinks: aOR 0.234, 95% CI 0.102-0.536; ≥16 drinks: aOR 0.342, 95% CI 0.166-0.705).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that drinking alcohol increases the risk of hypertriglyceridemia in non-flushers and the risk of low HDL cholesterol flushers.

Keyword

Alcohol drinking; Flushing; Dyslipidemias; High density lipoprotein cholesterol; Triglycerides

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking*
Alcoholics
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Cross-Sectional Studies
Drinking
Dyslipidemias*
Education
Flushing*
Genotype
Humans
Hypertriglyceridemia
Lipoproteins
Logistic Models
Male*
Odds Ratio
Triglycerides
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Lipoproteins
Triglycerides

Figure

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  Figure 1. Prevalence of high LDL-C according to weekly drinking amount.

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  Figure 2. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia according to weekly drinking amount.

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  Figure 3. Prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia according to weekly drinking amount.

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  Figure 4. Prevalence of low HDL-C according to weekly drinking amount.

Reference

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