Effects of Alcohol on Pulmonary Function in a Healthy Population

The lung can be the target of the harmful effects of alcohol, and to date, data on this matter are insufficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on airway resistance in healthy individuals. This was a cross sectional study conducted with 24 cases and 26 controls. The cases were alcohol consumers of more than 4 years with no comorbidity or disease. Pulmonary function tests and body plethysmography were performed to determine FEV1, FVC, TLC, RV and FEV1/FVC and participant’s response to bronchodilators. The amount of alcohol consumption and its duration were measured by visual scales and portion size album. The mean values of FVC, FEV1, TLC, and RV did not differ significantly between the two groups. In the case group, FEV1 and age were significantly correlated (r=-0.460, p=0.049). There was an insignificant correlation value of -0.06 (p=0.752) between FEV1 and age in the control group. Also, there was no significant correlation between age and FVC, TLC or RV in both groups. Overall, there was a strong, negative correlation between FEV1 and age in the case group of this study, and it appears that alcohol slightly enhanced the effect of age on pulmonary function tests.