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Author's comments: Could exposure to passive smoke vary with wine consumption?
- Alberto Ruano-Ravina, Adolfo Figueiras, Juan M Barros-Dios (13 January 2005)
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Could exposure to passive smoke vary with wine consumption?
- Wendy J A Anderson, Graeme P Currie (4 January 2005)
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Alberto Ruano-Ravina, Professor of Epidemiology Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. University of Santiago de Compostela. Spain, Adolfo Figueiras, Juan M Barros-Dios
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mralbert{at}usc.es Alberto Ruano-Ravina, et al.
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Dear Editor We agree with Dr Anderson in that patterns of alcohol consumption may vary amongst social class. Nevertheless, in our investigation, most of the people were of low-middle social class. In Spain it is possible that, independently of the economic position, people can have the same access to alcohol since it can be obtained at various prices (from 1€ per bottle to 20€ or more for red wine). The same is true for white wine. It should be kept in mind that although the price is different, the composition is essentially the same. Based on these assumptions we think that in our particular case, the pattern of wine consumption is not altered by the social class. |
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Wendy J A Anderson, Consultant Chest Physician Queen's University Belfast, Graeme P Currie
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wendy.anderson{at}uh.n-i.nhs.uk Wendy J A Anderson, et al.
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Dear Editor I read with interest the article by Ruano-Ravina et al. Several studies have suggested a relationship between alcohol intake and lung cancer prevalence but existing literature is contradictory. This paper offers an explanation, suggesting that the type of wine, and more specifically whether it is red or white, determines whether the effect is protective or detrimental. There is evidence that the drinking habits of a population and exposure to environmental carcinogens, such as those in passive smoke, vary with social class.[1,2] The relationship between social class and alcohol consumption is different in men and women also varies across Europe.[3] Have the authors considered that the apparent protection from red wine and the deleterious effect of white wine may simply be due to confounding by different patterns of alcohol consumption across social class in Spain? References 1 Marques-Vidal P, Arveiler D, Evans A et al. Patterns of alcohol consumption in middle-aged men from France and Northern Ireland. The PRIME study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000; 54: 321-8. 2 Gonzalez CA, Navarro C, Martinez C et al. The European prospective investigation about cancer and nutrition (EPIC). Revista Espanola de Salud Publica 2004; 78: 167-76. 3 Nielsen NR, Schnohr P, Jensen G et al. Is the relationship between type of alcohol and mortality influenced by socio-economic status? Journal of Internal Medicine. 2004; 255.: 280-8,. |
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