The Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Fasting Lipid Profile: A Single Center Study

Author(s): Nath MC, Rahman AKMS, Nath MC, Dutta A, Khan ZH, Ghosh E, Akhter S, Islam MS, Sultana S, Begum R, Rahman MM

Background: Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death globally. Smoking causes dyslipidemia prone to atherosclerosis that is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cigarette smoking on lipid profile in healthy adult male smokers.

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at the Department of Physiology, Rajshahi Medical College, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, from July 2017 to June 2018. A total of 160 healthy male subjects aged above 30 years were selected; among them 80 were smokers and 80 were age matched apparently healthy non smokers for comparison. The smokers were regularly smoking for at least 1 year. Fasting blood samples from all study subjects were collected and analyzed for lipid profile [Total cholesterol (TC), High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL- C), Low Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL- C), and Triglyceride (TG)] using enzymatic-colorimetric method.

Results: The smokers had significantly increased levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL- C and decreased HDL- C level in comparison to non-smokers (<0.05). It was observed that total cholesterol, serum triglycerides and LDL- C levels were highest in heavy smokers, less in moderate smokers and least in mild smokers, but HDL- C levels were highest in mild smokers less in moderate smokers and least in heavy smokers.

Conclusion: Continuous cigarette smoking is associated with dyslipidemia. Smoking increases levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL- C and decrease HDL- C level. All components of lipid profile are affected by the heaviness of smoking.