Acute and Chronic Effects of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness

Abstract

Background:The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) are used to evaluate arterial distensibility. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the acute and chronic effects of smoking on arterial stiffness as measured by baPWV and CAVI. Methods and Results:Ten male smokers were studied to evaluate the acute effect of smoking on arterial stiffness. To elucidate the chronic effect of smoking on arterial stiffness, 160 male active smokers were analyzed. CAVI and baPWV were calculated by measuring the pulse volume record, blood pressure (BP), and vascular length from heart to ankle. CAVI and baPWV were measured using a VaSera VS-1000. In the acute study, baPWV and CAVI increased immediately after smoking 1 cigarette. In the chronic study, baPWV and CAVI significantly correlated with mean BP (MBP) and the Brinkman index. In multiple regression analysis, baPWV independently correlated with MBP, and CAVI independently correlated with the Brinkman index, but not with MBP. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curves of baPWV and CAVI to predict Brinkman index ≥500 demonstrated that the area under the ROC curve of CAVI was higher than that of baPWV. Conclusions:Smoking causes a significant increase in arterial stiffness as measured by baPWV and CAVI. CAVI correlated with the Brinkman index, which suggests that CAVI is a useful index of the degree of arterial stiffness caused by smoking. (Circ J 2011; 75: 698 - 702)

Serum Osteoprotegerin is Associated with Arterial Stiffness Assessed According to the Cardio-ankle Vascular Index in Hypertensive Patients

“…Smoking has been found to be a risk factor for increasing arterial stiffness 17) . One study noted that smoking causes a significant increase in arterial stiffness as measured by the CAVI and that the CAVI correlates with the Brinkman index, which suggests that the CAVI is a useful index of the degree of arterial stiffness caused by smoking 18) . Another study found that complete smoking cessation improves the CAVI value 19) .…”

Improvement in blood pressure after short-term inorganic nitrate supplementation is attenuated in cigarette smokers compared to non-smoking controls

“…Similarly, since we instructed smokers to abstain from cigarette smoking for 3 hours prior to reporting to the laboratory, the potential for NO 3 -supplementation to offset the transient increase in blood pressure [80] and lowering of plasma [NO 2 -] [58] was not explored in this study and could represent a positive effect of dietary NO 3 -supplementation in cigarette smokers. It is also important to stress that, although the findings of this study suggest that cigarette smokers might not improve blood pressure if they increase dietary NO 3 -intake, increased NO 3 --rich vegetable consumption will provide other nutrients that can benefit human health [2,3].…”

The Relationship Between Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Cardiovascular Injury: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

“…9 Acute exposure to cigarette smoking may be associated with inflammation, thrombosis, endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffness, and coronary microvascular dysfunction. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Cohort studies have traditionally been used to examine the chronic effects of smoking, but have rarely been used to evaluate immediate inhalational smoking exposure. 18 Long-term exposure is commonly assessed using smoking duration (years), or cumulative exposure (pack-years).…”