NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate drinking can now be added to the list of known risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Drinking alcohol at moderate levels - two or more drinks per day -- appears to be an AAA risk factor in men, researchers report in the April issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Dr. Daniel R. Wong of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston and colleagues note that despite the protective association observed between moderate alcohol consumption and ischemic heart disease, little is known about the effects of alcohol on AAA.

To investigate further, the researchers analyzed prospective, biennially updated data for a cohort of more than 39,000 men covering 1986 to 2002. In over 576,000 person-years of follow-up, there were 376 newly diagnosed cases of AAA.

After adjustment for other risk factors including smoking and hypertension, alcohol consumption at baseline was independently associated with AAA diagnosis. Compared with non-drinkers, those who consumed about two standard alcoholic drinks (30 g) per day had a maximum hazard ratio of 1.21.

This association was stronger when the updated alcohol consumption data were assessed. The hazard ratio for drinking more than 30 g of alcohol per day was 1.65. Small numbers limited analyses by beverage type, but compared to wine and beer, liquor appeared to have the strongest positive association with AAA, the researchers note.

"Low alcohol consumption," they point out, "did not appear to be harmful or beneficial regarding aneurysms."

Dr. Wong told Reuters Health that "these results must be viewed in the context of the benefits of moderate alcohol intake on cardiovascular risk, and further corroborating evidence is needed." "Nevertheless," he added, "these findings do raise a red flag and caution against higher levels of alcohol intake in men who may have or be at risk for aortic aneurysms."