Table 4.

Main findings of the included studies.

Study Ref	PWV in Alcohol Users and Non-Users	Main Results Indicating the Association between Alcohol and PWV	Counfunding Factors	HYP n (%)	SBP/DBP/MAP (mmHg)
Gonzalez-Sanchez J, 2020 Spain [13]	Cf-PWV (m/s) Nondrinkers: 6.3 ± 1.9 Drinkers (g/week) ≤30/30–70/>70: 5.8 ± 1.3/6.5 ± 2.1/7.5 ± 2.3 Ba-PWV (m/s) Nondrinkers: 12.8 ± 2.6 Drinkers (g/week) ≤30/30–70/>70: 12.0 ± 2.4/12.8 ± 2.8/13.8 ± 2.5	Cf-PWV (m/s) drinkers >70 g/week vs reference (Nondrinkers) β (CI): 0.42, p = 0.021	Sex, age, smoking status, SBP, diet, physical activity	147/501 (29.3)	SBP/DBP Nondrinkers: 117.5 ± 15.3/74.8 ± 9.3 Drinkers (g/week) ≤30, 30–70, >70 113.2 ± 17.5/72.3 ± 10.5; 123.7 ± 28.6/76.8 ± 11.2; 131.8 ± 32.5/78.8 ± 9.7
Nishiwaki M, 2020 Japan [14]	Baseline (cm/s) heart–brachial–/heart–ankle-/baPWV: 25 mL alcohol free beer: 324 ± 11/606 ± 13/1073 ± 29 25 mL beer: 322 ±11/602 ±18/1082 ± 28 50 mL beer: 326 ± 9/601 ± 12/1062 ± 25 100 mL beer: 327 ± 12/604 ± 15/1074 ± 30 200 mL beer: 325 ± 10/604 ± 17/1094 ± 36	After 30–60 min absolute difference: heart–brachial–/heart–ankle-/baPWV 50 mL beer: −4.5 ± 2.4%/−3.7 ± 0.3%/−0.6 ± 2.0% 100 mL beer: −3.4 ± 1.3%/−3.3 ± 0.9%/−3.3 ± 1.1% 200 mL beer: −8.1 ± 2.6%/−8.1 ± 2.7%/−9.3 ± 3.0% Relationship between alcohol-heart–brachial–/heart–ankle-/baPWV: r = −0.47, p < 0.001/r = −0.45, p < 0.001/r = −0.31, p < 0.01	Not specified	0	Baseline SBP/DBP and 60 min 25 mL alc. free: 124 ± 4/69 ± 2; 124 ± 3/69 ± 2 25 mL: 122 ± 3/70 ± 2; 122 ± 2/73 ± 2 50 mL: 122 ± 4/72 ± 2; 119 ± 3/70 ± 2 100 mL: 124 ± 5/71 ± 2; 122 ± 5/71 ± 3 200 mL: 122 ± 5/68 ± 2; 125 ± 3/69 ± 3
Hwang CL, 2020 USA [15]	Cf-PWV (m/s) Abstainers: 4.58 ± 0.53 Moderate: 5.09 ± 0.45 Binge: 5.19 ± 0.71	Cf-PWV difference among groups: moderate alcohol consumption vs. alcohol abstention +0.5 (p = 0.035) binge drinking vs. alcohol abstention: +0.6 (p < 0.01)	Sex	Not specified	SBP/DBP Abstainers: 110 ± 2/65 ± 2 Moderate alcohol: 112 ± 2/69 ± 2 Binge drinking: 112 ± 2/65 ± 2
Moon J, 2018 South Korea [16]	Ba-PWV (cm/s) Nondrinkers: 1448 ± 284 Casual drinkers: 1340 ± 190 Problematic drinkers: 1447 ± 245	Ba-PWV (cm/s)- alcohol β: Unadjusted/Adjusted Casual drinkers: −0.183 (p < 0.001)/−0.964 (p = 0.335) Problematic drinkers: −0.001 (p < 0.001)/0.928 (p = 0.354)	Sex, age, DM, hyp	254/1004 (25)	SBP/DBP Nondrinkers: 123 ± 14/75 ± 10 Casual drinkers: 120 ± 16/74 ± 11 Problematic drinkers: 125 ± 14/80 ± 10
Sluyter JD, 2017 New Zeland [32]	Not specified	Aortic PWV (m/s) Neverdrinkers β (SE): 9.50 (0.02) β (95% CI): ≤ 1 per month: 9.56 (0.01, 0.12) Weekly/daily/almost daily, β (95% CI): 9.64 (0.04, 0.23); p = 0.0046	Age, sex, ethnicity, antihypertensive use, DM, cardiovascular disease	1878/ 4798 (39)	SBP Abstainers: 139.3 (0.6) ≤1 per month: 141.0 (0.4, 2.9) Weekly, daily or almost daily: 143.5 (1.9, 6.5)
Fu S, 2017 China [33]	Cr-PWV (m/s) Nondrinkers: 9.2(8.3–10.0) Drinkers: 9.8(9.0–10.9) p = 0.008	Cr-PWV (m/s), OR Alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking Unadjusted: 1.892; p < 0.001 Model 1: 1.163; p = 0.177 Model 2: 1.154; p = 0.204	Model 1: age, sex Model 2: age, sex, BMI, waist circumference, PP, fasting blood glucose, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol	Not specified	Not specified
Nishiwaki M, 2017 Japan [34]	Not specified	After 60 min Cf-PWV (m/s); ba-PWV (cm/s): absolute difference 200 mL beer: −0.6 ± 0.2; −53 ± 18 350 mL beer: −0.6 ± 0.2; −57 ± 19 Relationship between alcohol cf-PWV/ba-PWV r = −0.54, p = 0.047/r = −0.083, p = 0.503	Not specified	Not specified	Baseline SBP/DBP and 60 min 200 mL: 124 ± 3/71 ± 2; 122 ± 3/72 ± 2 350 mL: 123 ± 2/71 ± 2; 124 ± 3/70 ± 1
O’Neill D, 2017 UK [35]	Cf-PWV (m/s) mean (SD) Baseline Men/Women Former Drinker: 8.6 (2.1)/8.3 (1.8) Stable Nondrinker: 8.8 (2.0)/8.6 (2.5) Stable Moderate: 8.3 (2.0)/7.9 (1.8) Stable Heavy: 8.7 (2.0)/8.3 (2.2) Unstable Moderate: 8.5 (2.0)/8.4 (2.1) Unstable Heavy: 8.4 (1.9)/7.8 (1.7)	PWV at Baseline; PWV in 4 Years β Men Former Drinker: 0.09; p = 0.558; 0.11, p = 0.009 Stable Nondrinker: 0.30; p = 0.191; 0.05, p = 0.414 Stable Moderate: Reference Stable Heavy: 0.26; p = 0.045; 0.00; p = 0.937 Unstable Moderate: 0.13; p = 0.252; 0.00, p = 0.884 Unstable Heavy: 0.13, p = 0.260; 0.02, p = 0.416 Women Former Drinker: −0.06; p = 0.764; 0.02; p = 0.648 Stable Nondrinkers: −0.06, p = 0.813; 0.08, p = 0.188 Stable Moderate: Reference Stable Heavy: 0.42, p = 0.169; 0.00, p = 0.995; Unstable Moderate: 0.28; p = 0.091; 0.02, p = 0.560 Unstable Heavy: −0.12, p = 0.523; 0.03, p = 0.558	Age, assessment interval, demographics, ethnicity, smoking, exercise, socioeconomic position, BMI, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, DM, high-density lipoprotein and TGs	Not specified	Mean arterial pressure Men/Women Former drinker: 90.4/87.5 Stable Nondrinker: 88.7/87.6 Stable Moderate drinker: 90.7/86.7 Stable Heavy drinker: 91.4/89 Unstable Moderate drinker: 90.4/86.7 Unstable Heavy drinker: 90.5/85.8
Uemura H, 2015 Japan [36]	Means of baPWV (cm/s) ± SE Current alcohol intake No: 1489 ± 26 Yes: 1502 ± 32	Ba-PWV (cm/s) Alcohol consumption (g ethanol/day) means ± SE 0: 1440 ± 16 0.1–22.9: 1404 ± 14 23.0–45.9: 1454 ± 20 ≥46.0: 1468 ± 16 p = 0.021	Age	301/647 (46.5)	SBP/DBP Overall population: 135 ± 16.4/84.5 ± 11.2
Kim MK, 2014 South Korea [37]	Not specified	g/day and ba-PWV (cm/s) mean Men Abstainers: 1506; Former drinkers: 1560; >0.0 to <15.0: 1556; ≥15.0 to <30.0: 1591; ≥30.0 to <90.0: 1672; ≥90.0: 1693; p for difference < 0.0001; p for trend < 0.0001; Women Abstainers: 1489; Former drinkers: 1525; >0.0 to <15.0: 1497; ≥15.0 to <30.0: 1516; ≥30.0: 1549 p for difference = 0.2894: p for trend = 0.0581	Age	Not specified	SBP/DBP, Men and Women Abstainers: 121.7/77.0; 121.9/76.0 Former-drinkers: 122.4/76.8; 122.7/77.4 >0.0 to <15.0 g/day: 125.4/79.2; 122.7/76.8 ≥15.0 to <30.0 g/day: 125.9/80.4; 124.9/78.5 ≥30.0 to <90.0 g/day: 128.0/80.1; 124.9/78.1 ≥90.0 g/day: 128.6/80.5
Sasaki S, 2013 Japan [38]	Ba-PWV (cm/s), mean ± sd Alcohol consumption (g/day): Men Nondrinkers: 1329 ± 179; <20: 1320 ± 168; 20–39: 1345 ± 178; 40–59: 1380 ± 193; ≥60: 1405 ± 215; (p < 0.0001); Women Nondrinkers: 1243 ± 178; <10: 1212 ± 163; 10–19: 1220 ± 164; 20–29: 1271 ± 196; ≥30: 1276 ± 181; (p = 0.022);	Ba-PWV (cm/s) Alcohol consumption (g/day), β: Model 1/Model 2/Model 3, Women: Nondrinkers: 24.24/26.63/26.49; <10: Refs. [9,10,11,12,13,14,17,18,30,31]: 11.22/6.28/4.78; 20–29: 18.09/14.58/11.09; ≥30: 23.56/17.61/13.99; p = 0.129/0.058/0.056; Men: Nondrinkers: 13.71/15.72/15.38; <20: 13.52/13.85/15.45; 20–39: Refs. [39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58]: 15.65/11.24/11.34 ≥60: 23.11/17.65/17.69; p = 0.042/0.030/0.036	Model 1: age, SBP, heart ratio; Model 2: Model 1 + adjusted for menopause, medication for diabetes, medication for hyperlipidemia, BMI, total cholesterol, log Triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar; Model 3: Model 2 + lifestyle factors (education, exercise, smoking)	Not specified	SBP/DBP, mean ± sd Men Nondrinkers: 117.9 ± 13.5/74.1 ± 9.6 <20: 118.3 ± 13.3/74.6 ± 10.0 20–39: 122.5 ± 14.0/77.9 ± 10.2 40–59: 124.8 ± 14.7/79.4 ± 10.2 >60: 126.2 ± 14.8/80.5± 10.8 Women Nondrinkers: 112.4 ± 14.8/67.5 ± 9.2 <10: 112.7 ± 14.4/68.4 ± 10.7 10–19: 112.1 ± 14.2/67.7 ± 9.1 20–29: 118.1 ± 17.7/71.0 ±12.2 ≥30: 118.7 ± 14.9/73.3 ± 10.0
Karatzi K, 2013 Greece [39]	Cf-PWV (m/s), mean (95% CI) Fasting (0 h) Beer 5.7 (5.3, 6.0) Dealc beer 5.8 (5.4, 6.1) Vodka 5.7 (5.3, 6.1)	Cf-PWV (m/s), Δ (1 h–0 h); Δ (2 h–0 h), difference Beer −0.4 (−0.6, −0.3); −0.5 (−0.7, −0.4) Dealc beer −0.2 (−0.4, −0.1); −0.3 (−0.4, −0.1) Vodka −0.4 (−0.6, −0.2); −0.5 (−0.7, −0.3) p < 0.001	MAP	0	SBP/DBP: 115.4 ± 6.2/68.5 ± 5.4 MAP Beer/Vodka Fasting (0 h) 83.2 (79.8, 86.7)/83.9 (80.6, 87.2) Δ (2 h–0 h) 79.9 (73.4, 86.4)/78.9 (72.6, 85.1)
Mitani S, 2012 Japan [40]	Ba-PWV (cm/s), mean ± sd Current drinker: 1308 ± 11 Non drinker/past-drinker: 1304 ± 13, p = 0.82	Ba-PWV and Alcohol β: −33.30; p-value < 0.01	Age, sex	162/528 (31)	Overall population SBP/DBP: 120 ± 16/74 ± 11