Trends of Lipophilic, Antioxidant and Hematological Parameters Associated with Conventional and Electronic Smoking Habits in Middle-Age Romanians

Abstract

It is known that cigarette smoking is correlated with medical associated inquires. New electronic cigarettes are intensively advertised as an alternative to conventional smoking, but only a few studies demonstrate their harmful potential. A cross-sectional study was designed using 150 subjects from Brasov (Romania), divided into three groups: non-smokers (NS = 58), conventional cigarettes smokers (CS = 58) and electronic cigarettes users (ECS = 34). The aim of this study was to determine levels of some plasma lipophilic and hematological components, and the total antioxidant status that could be associated with the smoking status of the subjects. Serum low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol increased significantly for ECS participants versus NS group (18.9% difference) (p < 0.05). Also, the CS group is characterized by an increase of serum LDL cholesterol (7.9% difference vs. NS), but with no significant statistical difference. The variation of median values of serum very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) was in order NS < ECS < CS, with statistical difference between NS and CS groups (34.6% difference; p = 0.023). When comparing the antioxidant status of the three groups, significant differences (p < 0.05) were obtained between NS vs. CS and NS vs. ECS. Similar behavior was identified for CS and ECS. Statistically significant changes (p < 0.0001) for both vitamin A and vitamin E were identified in the blood of NS vs. CS and NS vs. ECS, and also when comparing vitamin A in the blood of the CS group versus the ECS group (p < 0.05). When all groups were compared, the difference in the white blood cell (WBC) was (p = 0.008). A slight increase in the red blood cell (RBC) count was observed, but with no statistical difference between groups. These results indicated that conventional cigarette and e-cigarette usage promotes the production of excess reactive oxygen species, involving different pathways, different antioxidants and bioactive molecules.

Association of electronic cigarette exposure with serum uric acid level and hyperuricemia: 2016-2017 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey

“…Similar findings were observed in unweighted analysis. This result is consistent with that of a recent cross-sectional study from middle-aged healthy Romanian adults in which the serum UA level was significantly higher in current EC users than that in never smokers (mean level: 5.24 vs. 4.36 mg/dL respectively, P <0.01) [21] and the UA level increased with the number of EC heets per day. Another in vivo study in mice [28] demonstrated a dose-dependent association between serum UA levels and nicotine concentration of EC liquid, a finding also in line with those of our study.…”

“…However, compared to the volume of research on the effects of CCs on UA levels, few studies have evaluated the association between ECs and UA. Although a small study conducted in Romania showed the association between EC use and increased UA level [ 21 ], there remains a knowledge gap regarding the association between EC exposure and HUA at the population level. Nevertheless, objective measurement of the impact of ECs on HUA is challenging because many cigarette smokers use EC and CC concurrently [ 22 ].…”

Electronic Cigarette Use and Metabolic Syndrome Development: A Critical Review

“…Also, research conducted by Badea et al [ 62 ] confirms the fact that e-cigarettes influence the lipid profile. A comparison between nonsmokers, people smoking traditional cigarettes, and those using e-cigarettes demonstrated that the LDL fraction concentration was significantly higher in the group smoking e-cigarettes than in the control group, as opposed to those smoking traditional cigarettes, in whose case a negligible increase was reported.…”

“…Taking into account all the reviewed data, there are very few studies on the influence of e-cigarettes use on the development of MetS and its components. Among 23 studies, 1 was combined in vitro and in vivo study [ 33 ], 6 experimental studies used animal models (Wistar rats, Apoe-/- mice, BALB/cJ mice, C57BL6/J mice) [ 44 , 46 , 55 , 83 , 84 , 85 ], and 16 studies concern the impact of e-cigarettes on their users (mostly adult participants aged 18–96 years) [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 58 , 62 , 86 , 88 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 101 ].…”

“…In both groups also a slight decrease in the HDL fraction cholesterol was reported in comparison with the nonsmoking group, yet this decrease was greater in the group of people smoking e-cigarettes. In turn, in the case of VLDL, the group of e-cigarettes users demonstrated a smaller increase in its concentration in blood serum [ 62 ] ( Table 4 ).…”