Effects of cigarette smoking on hemorheologic parameters, plasma osmolality and lung function

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ergun, Dilek Duzgun^a | Karis, Denizhan^a | Alkan, Fatma Ates^a | Cakmak, Gulfidan^b | Yenigun, Mustafa^c | Ercan, Meltem^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Biophysics, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey | [b] Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haseki Education & Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey | [c] Department of Internal Medicine, Haseki Education & Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Meltem Ercan, Prof. Dr., Department of Biophysics, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90 212 414 30 69; E-mail: meltem@istanbul.edu.tr.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking deteriorates human health via vascular disorders, cancer and especially respiratory diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate effects of cigarette smoking on hemorheologic parameters, plasma osmolality and lung function in individuals without diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Patients diagnosed without COPD utilizing respiratory function test were enrolled in the study with three groups, ex-smokers (n = 21), current-smokers (n = 35) and never-smokers (n = 43). Hemorheologic parameters and plasma osmolality were measured in hemorheology laboratory. SPSS 17.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Blood and plasma viscosity, fibrinogen and hematocrit levels, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were significantly elevated in ex-smokers and current-smokers compared to never-smokers. The standardized red blood cell deformability and oxygen delivery index and lung function were statistically lower in current-smokers than never-smokers. Pulmonary blood flow rate was statistically lower in current-smokers and ex-smokers than never-smokers. Plasma osmolality was statistically significantly higher in ex-smokers and current-smokers than never-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings clearly show that cigarette smoking has severe effects on hemorheologic parameters, plasma osmolality and lung function even in individuals without COPD. Blood and plasma viscosity with plasma osmolality might be useful markers to detect early hemorheologic-hemodynamic alterations in cigarette smokers.

Keywords: Cigarette smoking, blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, oxygen delivery index, red blood cell deformability, red blood cell aggregation, plasma osmolality, lung function

DOI: 10.3233/CH-152018

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 313-324, 2016