Background: Alcohol consumption has been linked to decreased platelet function. Whether this link is dependent on sex or type of alcoholic beverage consumed (wine/liquor/beer) remains unclear.

Aims: We aimed to assess associations between weekly alcohol consumption, platelet reactivity, and beverage type in men and women in a large-scale population cohort.

Methods: Cross-sectional data was obtained from participants enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study (N&#3f3,427). Alcohol consumption was assessed by standardized medical history questionnaire, including quantity, frequency, and beverage type. White versus red wine consumption was measured using the Harvard semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Five bioassays measured platelet reactivity traits across several agonists in whole-blood and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) samples. Linear mixed effects models adjusted for age, sex, and aspirin use, were used to evaluate associations between platelet reactivity and alcohol consumption.

Results: Total alcohol consumption was associated with decreased platelet reactivity, with stronger associations among wine and liquor compared to beer (Figure 1). Though the majority of reactivity traits (88%, at P < 0.01) had larger effect sizes among women, sex-interaction tests were mostly insignificant. Among individuals who only consumed either red or white wine, decreased platelet reactivity traits (29%, at P < 0.01) were found to be moderately associated with total white wine consumption; however, red wine appeared to have no significant relationship with platelet reactivity.

Conclusion(s): We confirm associations between alcohol consumption and decreased platelet reactivity. Effects may be stronger for liquor and wine drinking, and in women; however, different alcohol preferences between sexes are noted that may contribute to these differences (Table 1), not including non-drinkers (n=809). Our results show that red wine consumption is not strongly associated with lower platelet function, contrasting some prior studies. Since polyphenol and chemical content varies widely among wines, our study suggests wine type cannot simply be generalized in its effects on platelet reactivity.

Image

Associations of alcohol consumption -drinks per week- and significant platelet reactivity traits adjusted for age, sex, and aspirin-use organized by alcoholic beverage type -wine/liquor/beer- among the total sample of participants enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study with a complete standardized medical history questionnaire -N&#3f3,427-.

Table

Average number of drinks consumed per week organized by gender and type of alcoholic beverage among individuals who reported any consumption of alcohol -n=2,624-.

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ISTH Congress Abstracts - https://abstracts.isth.org/abstract/alcohol-intake-including-wine-drinking-is-associated-with-decreased-platelet-reactivity-in-a-large-population-sample/