ABSTRACT

Objective:

‍Epidemiological data suggest that moderate habitual coffee consumption associates with lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; however scarce data exist regarding the association of coffee with subclinical vascular disease (SVD). We aimed at investigating the above association with habitual instant coffee consumption – a widely consumed coffee in Greece – in high CVD risk but free of established CVD adults.

Research Methods & Procedures:

‍In a cross-sectional design study we measured: (i) two 24hour dietary recalls to assess coffee consumption, (ii) arterial stiffness, by carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity – (PWV) and carotid compliance, arterial remodeling by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), pressure wave reflection by augmentation index (AIx) and atheromatosis by carotid plaques.

Results:

‍In 1041 participants (55.6% females, 53.6±14.0 years), 30% habitually consumed instant coffee (0.53±1.15 cups/day). Consumption of instant coffee was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure (β=-1.19, p=0.007), AIx (β=-0.71, p=0.043), PWV (β=-0.22, p=0.000) and IMT (β=-0.01, p=0.025), but these associations lost their significance after multiple adjustments for confounders. Instant coffee consumption was positively associated with carotid compliance independent from all possible confounders (β=0.005, p=0.003).

Conclusion:

‍Habitual moderate instant coffee consumption is inversely associated with arterial stiffening and potential with arterial remodeling. These favorable vascular associations offer a potential pathophysiological link between habitual coffee consumption and lower incidence of CVD. Future studies are needed to examine the long-term effects of habitual instant coffee consumption on vascular structure and function.