IJCS | Volume 31, Nº3, May/ June 2018

DOI: 10.5935/2359-4802.20180019 Introduction Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of morbidity andmortality worldwide. 1,2 In Brazil, that scenario is not different, because cardiovascular diseases account for more than one third of the deaths annualy. 3 Thus, one of the most frequent challenges in daily cardiology practice is the early assessment of CAD. Such investigation implies a substantial and growing burden to health systems, especially considering the characteristics of the Brazilian population, of which approximately two thirds use the Brazilian Unified 235 ORIGINAL ARTICLE International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences. 2018;31(3)235-243 Mailing Address: Maria Júlia Silveira Souto Avenida Marechal Rondon, s/n. CEP: 49100-000, Bairro Jardim Rosa Elze, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, SE - Brazil. E-mail: souto.mjulia@gmail.com, souto.mjulia@gmail.com Low to Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Myocardial Ischemia on Exercise Stress Echocardiography Vítor Joaquim Barreto Fontes, 1 Maria Júlia Silveira Souto, 1 Antônio Carlos Sobral Sousa, 1,2 Enaldo Vieira de Melo, 1 Flávio Mateus do Sacramento Conceição, 1 Caio José Coutinho Leal Telino, 1 Mirella Sobral Silveira, 1 Jéssica Aparecida de Santana Dória, 1 Carlos José Oliveira de Matos, 1 Joselina Luzia Menezes Oliveira 1,2 Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), 1 São Cristóvão, SE- Brazil Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa e Laboratório de Ecocardiografia (ECOLAB) do Hospital e Fundação São Lucas, 2 Aracaju, SE - Brazil Manuscript received 04/04/2017; reviewed 07/31/2017; accepted 09/22/2017. Abstract Background: The impact of alcohol consumption on the development of myocardial ischemia remains uncertain. Studies diverge whether low to moderate alcohol consumption provides cardioprotection or whether it is a risk factor for myocardial ischemia. Objective: To study the relationship between low to moderate alcohol consumption and myocardial ischemia on exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). Methods: Cross-sectional study with 6,632 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease undergoing ESE between January/2000 and December/2015. The patients were divided into two groups: G1, composed of 2,130 (32.1%) patients whose report showed maximal consumption of 1 drink per day on average for women or of 2 drinks per day for men; G2, composed of individuals denying any alcohol consumption. For comparing between the groups, Student t test was used for quantitative variables, and chi-square test or Fisher exact test, for categorical variables. The significance level adopted was p < 0.05. Logistic regression was also used to evaluate independent risk factors for myocardial ischemia. Results: G1 had a higher number of men (77.1%; p < 0.001), lower mean age (54.8 ± 10.3 years old; p < 0.001) and higher frequency of myocardial ischemia on ESE (p = 0.014). Age, male sex, dyslipidemia, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and family history were independently associated with myocardial ischemia on ESE. Independent association between low to moderate alcohol consumption and myocardial ischemia on ESE (OR 0.96; 95%CI: 0.83 to 1.11) was not observed. However, age, male sex, smoking and dyslipidemia were associated with alcohol consumption. Conclusion: Low to moderate alcohol consumption was not an independent predictor of myocardial ischemia on ESE. Nevertheless, we observed a predominance of the male sex, dyslipidemia and smoking habit, important predictors of myocardial ischemia, in the group of alcohol consumers. (International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences. 2018;31(3)235-243) Keywords: Alcoholic Beverages; Alcohol Drinking; Risk Factors; Coronary Artery Disease; Echocardiography, Stress.