Type of alcoholic beverage and first acute myocardial infarction: a case-control study in a Mediterranean country

Although international comparisons have consistently found an inverse association between wine and coronary heart disease, few epidemiologic studies are available in Southern Europe. We assessed the association of wine, red wine, and the pattern of drinking wine during meals with the risk of myocardial infarction.

We specifically evaluated three hypotheses: (1) Is the protection against incidence of nonfatal myocardial infarction stronger for wine than for other alcoholic beverages? (2) Does the wine consumed during meals represent a more beneficial pattern of alcohol consumption? (3) Is red wine more advantageous than other types of wine?

A case-control study (171 cases, 171 matched controls) was conducted in Spain. Multiple dietary and nondietary potential confounders were assessed.

Exposure to wine, red wine, and wine during meals was associated with risk reductions similar to those of other alcoholic beverages (point estimates of the odds ratio for low and high intake were 0.48 and 0.38 for wine; 0.42 and 0.55 for other beverages). However, after controlling for total alcohol intake, wine consumption (g/day) improved the prediction of a myocardial infarction.

Our data showed that red wine or drinking wine during meals was similar to alcohol from other sources for reducing coronary risk. However, an additional benefit of wine, keeping constant overall alcohol intake, deserves further research.