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Elevated Alcohol Consumption and Chronic Inflammation Predict Cardiovascular Risk Among Black Americans: Examination
Steven R H Beach1,2, Robert A Philibert3, Mei-Ling Ong1
1Center for Family Research, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Insights
Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) is a significant predictor of increased cardiac risk over time in middle-aged adults. This finding highlights a potential target for preventative interventions to reduce heart disease disparities.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Health Disparities
- Biomarkers of Health
Background:
- Heart disease disproportionately affects Black Americans compared to White Americans, even with similar traditional risk factors.
- Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) and chronic inflammation are potential contributing factors to cardiovascular health disparities.
- Understanding these additional risk factors is crucial for addressing racial inequities in heart disease outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between elevated alcohol consumption (EAC), chronic inflammation, and cardiac risk in a cohort of Black American couples.
- To determine if EAC and chronic inflammation predict future cardiac risk.
- To explore the longitudinal relationship between changes in EAC, inflammation, and cardiac risk over time.
Main Methods:
- Recruited couples with a Black preadolescent or early adolescent child.
- Collected biological samples to measure EAC, chronic inflammation, and cardiac risk using DNA methylation indices.
- Analyzed data from 661 person-wave observations across two waves of data collection.
Main Results:
- Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) at wave 5 predicted increased cardiac risk at wave 6 (R² change = 0.276, p = 0.001).
- Chronic inflammation did not significantly predict baseline cardiac risk, but the change in inflammation over time was associated with the change in cardiac risk (R² change = 0.111, p < 0.001).
- Changes in EAC were not significantly associated with changes in cardiac risk over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) may be an important risk factor for developing increased cardiac risk in middle age.
- EAC represents a potential target for preventative interventions aimed at reducing cardiac risk and addressing health disparities.
- Further research is needed to confirm these associations in diverse racial and ethnic groups.
Background:
Heart disease may take a greater toll on Black Americans than White Americans despite similar levels of traditional risk factors. Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) and chronic inflammation are two potentially important additional risk factors to consider. Both are relevant to understanding health disparities in cardiovascular health.
Methods:
Couples with a Black preadolescent or early adolescent child living in the home were recruited and followed. In waves 5 and 6 of data collection, biological samples were also collected allowing the characterization of elevated alcohol consumption, chronic inflammation, and cardiac risk using DNA methylation indices. 383 individual partners comprising 221 couples were examined across the two waves of data, yielding 661 person-wave observations from 383 individuals.
Results:
EAC at wave 5 forecast increased cardiac risk at W6 (R2 change = 0.276), β = -0.193, p = 0.001. However, chronic inflammation at wave 5 did not add significantly to the baseline model, β = -0.042, p = 0.549. Conversely, the slope of change for chronic inflammation was associated with slope of change in cardiac risk (R2 change = 0.111), b = -0.014, p = <0.001, but EAC change was not significantly associated with change in cardiac risk, b = -0.001, p = 0.185.
Conclusions:
Elevated alcohol consumption may be an important risk factor for increased cardiac risk over time in middle age. If so, it could be an important avenue for preventative intervention to decrease cardiac risk. Future research should examine whether similar associations are observed for other racial or minoritized groups and for non-minoritized groups.
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