👤 Wioleta Zielińska-Danch

Tobacco smoking, counted as one of the alternating external cardiovascular risk factors, can cause disadvantageous changes of concentration of compounds considered to be the new internal risk factors. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of tobacco smoke on concentration levels of homocysteine, dimethylarginine (ADMA), fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) in healthy smoking male's blood plasma. 71 healthy male volunteers, aged 30-59, were chosen for the study. Based on a questionnaire they were divided into non-smoking group (37 individuals) and active smokers group (34 individuals). The results obtained indicate the most significant increasing effect of tobacco smoke on blood plasma homocysteine levels (by 11.9%) and then, successively, on fibrinogen (by 10.1%) and ADMA (by 9.1%). Changes of CRP concentration, although differentiated similarly to other factors, were insignificant. Since the coexistence of elevated risk factors shows a synergistic effect on cardiovascular risk level in general, it is advisable to perform tests of new risk factors among people exposed to tobacco smoke. The tests will appoint the ones at risk of disease and help to cover them with a medical care. Show less

Toxic tobacco smoke exposure to human organism is strictly related to progress of atherosclerosis changes. One of the mechanisms of these effects is a change of blood lipoprotein fraction concentrations. The concentrations of the lipid profile parameters (TCL, HDL, LDL, TG) and the chosen biomarkers (urine cotinine and 1-hydroxypyrene and blood carboxyhaemoglobine) were determined. It was studied whether the procedure of the groups determination (nonsmokers, passive and active smokers) affect the calculated average values of lipid profile parameters. The role of the applied biomarkers for the detection of the effects related to the tobacco smoke exposure is also discussed. It is concluded that there is no difference among the lipid profiles of passive smokers and nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking increases and lowers the TG and HDL concentrations, respectively. Urine cotinine seems to be the best indicator of tobacco smoke exposure among three chosen biomarkers. Study subjects were 300 male and female volunteers. Show less

Toxic effects of tobacco smoke may manifest by the increase of concentration of aterogenic compounds in the human body. One of them is asymmetric dimetyloarginine (ADMA) which is perceived not only as a significant risk factor of endothelium dysfunction and cardiovascular disease but also predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality independently of established and emerging cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this work was to check to what degree ADMA concentration in plasma changes for people exposed to tobacco smoke in various intensity. The study population consisted of 168 healthy males between the age of 18 and 60. The exposure to tobacco smoke in examined groups was determined on the basis of questionnaires and cotinine concentration in plasma. Three groups were selected: non-smokers (53 people), passive smokers (48 people) and active smokers (67 people). Insignificant differences of ADMA concentration between passive and active smokers in relation to non-smokers were determined, 15.4% (0.45 vs. 0.39 mmol/l,) and 7.7% (0.42 vs. 0.39 mmol/l) respectively. There was no significant relationship between concentration of ADMA and cotinine in plasma (r=0.173; p=0.239 for passive smokers and r=0.218; p=0.076 for active smokers). The results obtained indicate that tobacco smoke has small influence on ADMA level in healthy males' plasma. Show less

The following biomarkers: cotinine, 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) were used for the estimation of the tobacco smoke exposure. In our study urine and blood sampled from 98 volunteers were subjected to assessment of the biomarkers concentrations under investigation. According to the self-reports of the volunteers, all of the volunteers were divided into three groups: non-smokers, passive and active smokers. The mean values of the biomarker concentrations were calculated for these groups. In order to verify the tobacco smoke exposure specified by volunteers, we tested the real urinary cotinine amount. Based on obtained values of this biomarker, the another volunteer's partition into the groups of nonsmokers, passive and active smokers were done. The new mean values for all of these groups were calculated. The mean values obtained for both group partitions differed. The latter partition gave opportunity to use 1-OHP for the estimation of the tobacco smoke exposure not only for the active smokers but also for the passive smokers. When HbCO was taken into consideration as the biomarker, the estimation of the tobacco smoke exposure of the passive smokers was not significant different, as compared with the group of nonsmokers. The analysis of the correlation between the concentrations of 1-OHP and cotinine gave opportunity for the estimation to tobacco smoke exposure of the passive and active smokers. The estimation of the correlation, between the HbCO and cotinine concentrations was restricted for this purpose. Show less

In order to estimate the exposure of passive and active smokers to tobacco smoke one can use the questionnaire method or laboratory examination of chemical compounds being widely accepted exposure biomarkers. Substances that make such biomarkers include some of the tobacco smoke components and its metabolites formed in the body. The study discusses two groups of biomarkers. First, includes substances that serve as exposure markers of carcinogenous properties (metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitrosamines, trans,transmuconic acid, S-phenylmercapturic acid). Second group includes substances which role is limited to the evaluation of exposure to tobacco smoke (nicotine, cotinine, anatabine, anabasine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine, thiocyanate, carboxyhemoglobin, carbon monoxide). Sensitivity and specificity of biomakers used were evaluated, their concentration ranges in physiological fluids in non-smokers, passive-, and active smokers. The simplicity of the examination method was evaluated. Articles published during last two decades indicate that the substance that have all features that make it the most appropriate biomarker is cotinine. It can be assessed in plasma and in urine of smokers and persons exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Show less