[Cardiovascular effects of coffee consumption in the aged: the CASTEL epidemiologic study]

The data obtained from 2240 subjects aged 65 years or more from the general population of Castelfranco Veneto (Italy) included in the CASTEL (CArdiovascular STudy in the ELderly) epidemiological Italian project were analyzed in relation to coffee consumption. Subjects were divided into 3 classes: class 1 (N = 109): non coffee drinkers; class 2 (N = 1554): 1 to 2 cups of coffee per day; class 3 (N = 577): 3 or more cups per day. The results were described by ANOVA, Tukey post hoc test and Pearson correlation coefficient with Bonferroni's conservative correction. In classes 2 and 3 total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B100 and calculated LDL-cholesterol were higher than in class 1. The number of cups of coffee per day directly correlated to both the number of cigarettes per day and the number of drinks per week. Although these data seem to indicate a convergence of risk factors (cholesterol, smoking, alcohol) in coffee drinkers, no increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular events was found in coffee drinkers in comparison with non drinkers. This could be attributed to the fact that prevalence of hypertension and diabetes did not increase with increasing coffee consumption; on the contrary, they were lower in classes 2 and 3 than in class 1.