Elevated Alcohol Consumption and Chronic Inflammation Predict Cardiovascular Risk Among Black Americans: Examination of a Dual-Risk Model Using Epigenetic Risk Markers.

Abstract

Background: Heart disease may take a greater toll on Black Americans than White Americans despite similar levels of traditional risk factors. Elevated alcohol consumption (EAC) and chronic inflammation are two potentially important additional risk factors to consider. Both are relevant to understanding health disparities in cardiovascular health.

Methods: Couples with a Black preadolescent or early adolescent child living in the home were recruited and followed. In waves 5 and 6 of data collection, biological samples were also collected allowing the characterization of elevated alcohol consumption, chronic inflammation, and cardiac risk using DNA methylation indices. 383 individual partners comprising 221 couples were examined across the two waves of data, yielding 661 person-wave observations from 383 individuals.

Results: EAC at wave 5 forecast increased cardiac risk at W6 (R² change = 0.276), β = -0.193, p = 0.001. However, chronic inflammation at wave 5 did not add significantly to the baseline model, β = -0.042, p = 0.549. Conversely, the slope of change for chronic inflammation was associated with slope of change in cardiac risk (R² change = 0.111), b = -0.014, p = <0.001, but EAC change was not significantly associated with change in cardiac risk, b = -0.001, p = 0.185.

Conclusions: Elevated alcohol consumption may be an important risk factor for increased cardiac risk over time in middle age. If so, it could be an important avenue for preventative intervention to decrease cardiac risk. Future research should examine whether similar associations are observed for other racial or minoritized groups and for non-minoritized groups.