Key result
Repeated binge drinking in young adults is linked to ~3-point lower flow-mediated dilation.
Why the study?
Although binge drinking rates are highest on college campuses and among 18- to 25-year-olds, macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function in young adults with a history of repeated binge drinking had not been investigated.
Does repeated binge drinking impair macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function in healthy young adults aged 18–25 years compared to alcohol abstainers?
Cross-Sectional (n=36)
No
Does repeated binge drinking impair macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function in healthy young adults aged 18–25 years compared to alcohol abstainers?
Effect estimate: Eta squared 0.25 (95% CI 0.023-0.47)
Absolute Event Rate: 8.4% vs 11%
p-value: p=0.022
Healthy young adults with a history of repeated binge drinking exhibit impaired macrovascular endothelial and smooth muscle function as well as enhanced microvascular vasoconstriction to endothelin-1, which may represent early subclinical manifestations of cardiovascular risk.
Objectives The study aimed to assess whether young binge drinkers have impaired macrovascular and microvascular function and cardiovascular (CV) disease risk factors compared to age-matched alcohol abstainers. Background Binge drinking rates are highest on college campuses and among 18- to 25-year-olds; however, macrovascular and microvascular endothelial function in young adults with a history of repeated binge drinking (≥5 standard drinks in 2 hrs. in men; ≥4 standard drinks in 2 hrs. in women) has not been investigated Methods We evaluated the cardiovascular profile, brachial artery endothelial-dependent flow mediated vasodilation (FMD), and flow independent nitroglycerin (NTG)-mediated dilation and vasoreactivity of resistance arteries (isolated from gluteal fat biopsies) in abstainers and binge drinkers. Results Men and women (18–25 years of age, abstainers [A] n = 17, binge drinkers [BD] n = 19) were enrolled. Among the BD group, past-month average number of binge episodes was 6 ± 1, and average duration of binge drinking behavior was 4 ± 0.6 years. FMD and NTG-mediated dilations were significantly lower in the BD (FMD: 8.4% ± 0.7, P = 0.022; NTG: 19.6% ± 2, P = 0.009) than the A group (FMD: 11 ± 0.7%; NTG: 28.6 ± 2%). ACh- and SNP-induced dilation in resistance arteries was not significantly different between the A and BD groups. However, ET-1-induced constriction was significantly enhanced in the BD group compared to the A group (P = 0.032). No differences between groups were found in blood pressure, lipoproteins, and C-reactive protein. Conclusions Alterations in the macrocirculation and microcirculation may represent early clinical manifestations of CV risk in otherwise healthy young binge drinkers. This study has important clinical implications for screening young adults for a repeated history of binge drinking.
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Goslawski et al. (2013) conducted a cross-sectional in Repeated binge drinking in healthy young adults (n=36). Repeated binge drinking (≥5 standard drinks in 2 hours in men; ≥4 standard drinks in 2 hours in women) vs. Age-matched alcohol abstainers (≤1–5 standard drinks in the last year) was evaluated on Brachial artery endothelial-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) (Eta squared 0.25, 95% CI 0.023-0.47, p=0.022). Repeated binge drinking in young adults was associated with significantly lower brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (8.4% vs. 11.0%, P = 0.022) compared to alcohol abstainers.
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