👤 Izabela Szołtysek-Bołdys

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 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

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

Passive smoking results from involuntary smoke inhalation in the environment where tobacco and other tobacco products are smoked. This is a common situation in numerous public objects, as restaurants, offices, dormitories and students' clubs. Non-smokers are exposed to very high concentrations of tobacco smoke in these places. Environmental exposure to tobacco smoke of the inhabitants of the Pharmacy School dormitory in Sosnowiec was studied. The evaluation was based on urine cotinine concentration measured with the HPLC method. Additionally, a Fagerström test was conducted among declared smokers in order to evaluate the degree of their pharmacologic addiction to nicotine. The obtained results indicate that non-smoking dormitory inhabitants are strongly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, but active smokers did not presented with pharmacological addiction to nicotine. Show less