Moderate wine consumption is associated with lower hemostatic and inflammatory risk factors over 8 years: The study of women's health across the nation (SWAN)

Elevated C-Reactive Protein in Alzheimer's Disease without Depression in Older Adults: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study

We examined the association between differential diagnoses of major stroke and probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mixed AD on c-reactive protein (CRP) in older adults with and without depression. Secondary data analyses examined associations between blood-based measures of probable peripheral inflammation using CRP collected from dried blood spots in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 50 and older. A validated pattern recognition algorithm was utilized to identify cognitive decline indicative of probable AD, Mixed AD, and major stroke. Negative binomial regressions were utilized to model concentrations of serologic CRP. On average, participants (N=4,601) were 70 years old, female, and non-Hispanic white. Mixed AD participants had 0.26 mg/dL increase in CRP compared to unimpaired participants, controlling for demographics, health behaviors and comorbidities. Those with Mixed AD had 2.14 times increased odds of having high CRP (OR=2.14; [1.19-3.85]). In analyses stratified by depression, adults with Mixed AD and without depression had an additional 0.37 mg/dL increase in CRP (SE=0.06; p<0.001) compared to unimpaired adults. Those with AD without depression had an 0.20 mg/dL increase in CRP (SE=0.07; p<0.01). Age was not associated with increased CRP in non-depressed older adults. Depressed adults with major stroke had a -0.26 mg/dL decrease in CRP (SE=0.11; p=0.02), controlling for hypertension, alcoholic drinks/beverages per week and smoking status. Concentration modeling revealed that participants with major stroke, probable AD and probable mixed AD without depression had significantly higher CRP concentrations when compared to unimpaired older adults.

Deciphering the Riddles in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death in Western countries, and its development is largely associated with unhealthy dietary patterns. A large body of scientific evidence has reported that nutrition might be the most preventive factor of cardiovascular disease death and could even reverse heart disease. Processes of chronic inflammation and oxidative distress share triggers that are modifiable by nutrition. This review aimed to identify potential targets (food patterns, single foods or individual nutrients) for cardiovascular disease prevention, and analyse the mechanisms implicated in their cardioprotective effects.

Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Western countries, representing almost 30% of all deaths worldwide. Evidence shows the effectiveness of healthy dietary patterns and lifestyles for the prevention of CVD. Furthermore, the rising incidence of CVD over the last 25 years has become a public health priority, especially the prevention of CVD (or cardiovascular events) through lifestyle interventions. Current scientific evidence shows that Western dietary patterns compared to healthier dietary patterns, such as the ‘Mediterranean diet’ (MeDiet), leads to an excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines associated with a reduced synthesis of anti-inflammatory cytokines. In fact, dietary intervention allows better combination of multiple foods and nutrients. Therefore, a healthy dietary pattern shows a greater magnitude of beneficial effects than the potential effects of a single nutrient supplementation. This review aims to identify potential targets (food patterns, single foods, or individual nutrients) for preventing CVD and quantifies the magnitude of the beneficial effects observed. On the other hand, we analyze the possible mechanisms implicated in this cardioprotective effect.

The antioxidant effect of mulberry and jamun fruit wines by ameliorating oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

Polyphenols act by scavenging reactive oxygen species during oxidative stress and hence are useful in the treatment of metabolic disorders including diabetes. This study describes the effect of polyphenol rich mulberry and jamun wines fed to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. To male adult Wistar rats, divided into groups (n = 10 per group) intraperitoneal injection was administered with streptozotocin at 38 mg per kg body weight for inducing diabetes. After confirmation of diabetes, rats divided into groups were fed each day with 5.7 milliliter per kg body weight of mulberry, jamun, white and red grape wines for 6 weeks. One group of animals received resveratrol at 20 mg per kg body weight. After six weeks of treatment, blood glucose, urinary profile, lipid profile, plasma, liver, kidney, brain and eye antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and hepatic glutathione (GSH) content were determined. Though wine and resveratrol feeding did not improve the glycemic status of diabetic rats, increases in antioxidant enzymes and GSH content accompanied by reduced NEFA and lipid peroxidation were observed. The kidneys and brains of resveratrol fed rats showed significant reduction in malondialdehyde equivalents, exhibited an improved antioxidant status of tissues and an increased glutathione content. The findings suggested that the wines can ameliorate the consequences of diabetes due to their antioxidants.

Ten-year alcohol consumption typologies and trajectories of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist over the following 12 years: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Moderate alcohol consumption is thought to confer cardiometabolic protective effects. Inflammatory pathways are hypothesized to partly underlie this association.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the association between typologies of alcohol consumption and markers of inflammation, and their rate of change over time.

METHODS

Data were collected from 8209 participants [69% men; mean age, 50 years (SD 6.1)] of the British Whitehall II study. Alcohol consumption typologies were defined using up to three measures during an approximately 10-year period spanning from 1985 to 1994 as (i) stable nondrinkers, (ii) stable moderate drinkers (referent), (iii) stable heavy drinkers, (iv) nonstable drinkers and (v) former drinkers. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 RA) were measured up to three times in the following 12 years.

RESULTS

Stable moderate drinkers had lower levels of CRP than stable nondrinkers, stable heavy drinkers, former drinkers and nonstable drinkers, but there were no differences in the rate of change in CRP over time between groups. Stable nondrinkers had higher levels of IL-6 as did stable heavy drinkers; rates of change in IL-6 over time were also increased in the latter group. Stable nondrinkers also had higher levels of IL-1 RA. These associations were robust to adjustment for confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

Our novel investigation of 10-year drinking typologies shows that stable moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a long-term inflammatory marker profile that is consistent with conferring a reduced risk of developing coronary heart disease.