👤 Bartosz Koszowski

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

The first paper concerning hair nicotine determination was published in 1983 by Ishiyama et al. Since then, examining hair nicotine content has become a valuable tool facilitating assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke in various groups of people (active and passive smokers or even neonates and fetus). The present article describes briefly recent research studies on the use of hair nicotine as a biomarker. Furthermore, the paper describes various determination techniques related to nicotine in hair, as well as advantages and disadvantages of hair nicotine as a biomarker. Show less