Alcohol and High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

GORDON, TAVIA
ERNST, NANCY M.S. R.D.
FISHER, MARIAN PH.D.
RIFKIND, BASIL M. M.D.

Lipid Metabolism Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.

Address for correspondence: Basil M. Rifkind, M.D., Lipid Metabolism Branch, Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20205.

Supported by NHLBI contracts N01-HVI-2156-L, NOI-HVI- 2160-L, N01-HV2-2914-L, Y01-HV3-0010-L, N01-HV2-2913-L, N01-HVI-2158-L, N01-HVI-2161-L; N01-HV2-2915-L, NOIHV2- 2932-L, NOI-HV2-2917-L, N01-HVI-2157-L, NOI-HV 1- 2243-L, NOI-HVI-2159-L, N01-HV3-2961-L and N01-NV6-2941-L.

Circulation 64:p III-67, September 1981.

SUMMARY

Associations between alcohol intake and levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were examined in 2473 men and 1530 women seen as part of the random sample at visit 2 of the Lipid Research Clinics Prevalence Study. More men than women reported alcohol intake. The alcoholic beverage preference differed by age and sex. The levels of HDL cholesterol were higher in drinkers than in nondrinkers. The statistically significant associations varied somewhat by age; however, the average correlation coefficient was 0.21 for men and 0.25 for women. HDL cholesterol levels were lower in those who reported never drinking alcohol than in occasional drinkers.