Research project By analysing the alcohol biomarker Phosphatidylethanol - PEth, in stored blood samples from the Västerbotten Health Surveys and VIPVIZA, we aim to better understand how alcohol consumption relates to cardiovascular health over time. We link the blood samples to data on lifestyle, healthfactors and examinations of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries.
The relationship between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease remains debated. The project examines what an objective alcohol biomarker can add compared with people's self-reported alcohol consumption. We investigate associations with early vascular changes and other health measures, how drinking habits change over time, and the potential influence of preventive health information. The aim is to provide a more reliable evidence base for research and guidance on cardiovascular health.
Systembolagets forskningsfond
Norrländska hjärtfonden
Strokeforskning i Norrland - Insamlingsstiftelse
Some previous research have described a lower risk of certain cardiovascular diseases associated with moderate alcohol consumption, while other findings suggest that risks increase even at low levels. An important source of uncertainty in previous research is that drinking habits are generally assessed through self-reported questionnaires, making actual consumption difficult to estimate accurately. PEth is formed in the body following alcohol consumption and can therefore indicate alcohol exposure over the preceding weeks. This allows us to investigate associations using an objective and considerably more precise measure.
In the Västerbotten Health Surveys, blood samples and information about lifestyle habits have been collected at ages 40, 50 and 60. In VIPVIZA, the carotid arteries have been examined using ultrasound to detect early signs of atherosclerosis, with participants followed up at subsequent examinations. We measure PEth in biobanked samples and link the results to health data collected at different points in time. This allows us to investigate associations spanning several decades as well as changes over shorter periods.
We compare PEth with participants' self-reported drinking habits and investigate whether PEth is associated with atherosclerosis, blood lipid levels and other health factors. We examine how PEth levels change between repeated blood samples and whether the personalised feedback on vascular health provided through VIPVIZA can influence alcohol consumption. We also investigate associations between alcohol exposure and adherence to lipid-lowering treatment, among other questions.
A key advantage is the opportunity to study the same individuals at several points in time. A single PEth test cannot reliably indicate what a person's alcohol consumption might have been like many years earlier or later. However, samples collected repeatedly over decades can help answer questions about associations that have previously been difficult or not possible to investigate. The findings may contribute to more reliable research and better-informed decisions in preventive healthcare and health guidance. PEth analyses are conducted exclusively for research purposes, results are reported at group level, and individual values are not shared with healthcare providers or other organisations.
