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Alcohol consumption and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: a case control study
C J McKenna1, M B Codd, H A McCann
1Department of Clinical Cardiology, National Cardiac Centre, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
American Heart Journal
|May 20, 1998
Summary
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This study found significantly higher alcohol intake and abuse rates in DCM patients compared to controls, confirming a causal association.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Toxicology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart condition where the heart muscle becomes enlarged and weakened.
- Alcohol consumption has been suspected as a risk factor for DCM, but a direct causal link remained unproven.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between alcohol consumption patterns and the risk of developing DCM.
- To establish a potential causal relationship between alcohol intake and DCM.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study comparing patients with DCM to a population-based control group.
- Data collected via questionnaires on average weekly alcohol intake, total lifetime consumption, and alcohol abuse (CAGE questionnaire).
Main Results:
- DCM patients showed significantly higher rates of exceeding recommended weekly alcohol intake (40% vs. 24%) and alcohol abuse (27% vs. 16%) compared to controls.
- Average total lifetime alcohol consumption was substantially greater in DCM patients (31,200 units) than in the control group (7,904 units).
- No significant difference in alcohol consumption or abuse was found between familial and non-familial DCM cases.
Conclusions:
- The study provides evidence supporting a causal association between excessive alcohol consumption and DCM.
- Higher alcohol intake and abuse are significantly linked to DCM, reinforcing previous suspicions.