Cigarette smoking is associated with dose-dependent adverse effects on paraoxonase activity and fibrinogen in young women

Abstract

Context: Smoking is associated with increased fibrinogen and decreased paraoxonase (PON) activity, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, in patients with coronary artery disease. Objective: We tested the hypothesis that the adverse effect of smoking on these biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress would be detectable in otherwise healthy young female habitual smokers. Materials and methods: Thirty-eight young women participated in the study (n=20 habitual smokers, n=18 non-smokers). Fibrinogen, PON-1 activity and HDL oxidant index (HOI) were measured. Results: Mean values of fibrinogen, PON-1 activity and log HOI were not different between the groups. Importantly, however, decreased PON-1 activity (rs=-0.51, p=0.03) and increased fibrinogen (rs=0.49, p=0.04) were significantly correlated with increasing number of cigarettes smoked per day in habitual smokers. Discussion and conclusion: Cigarette smoking is associated with a dose-dependent adverse effect on PON-1 activity and fibrinogen in young women, which may have implications for future cardiovascular risk.