An 18-month follow-up study on the influence of smoking on blood antioxidant status of teenage girls in comparison with adult male smokers in Korea

Abstract

Objectives: The influence of cigarette smoking on blood antioxidant status in teenage girls with a history of short-term smoking was followed over 18 mo.

Methods: Data obtained from female senior high school students (ages 14 to 18 y) in Korea were compared with data obtained from adult male smokers (ages 36 to 51 y) with a long history of smoking and living in the same geographic areas as the teenage subjects. A smoker was a person who had smoked at least three cigarettes a day for at least 1 y for teenagers (n = 35) or at least 10 cigarettes a day for at least 13 y for adults (n = 20). Serum, urine, and anthropometric data were obtained from teenagers every 6 mo over an 18-mo period. Samples were collected once from adults. Data were analyzed by Student's t test and Fisher's protected least significant difference test for comparing smokers and non-smokers and for analyzing period effects in each group.

Results: Serum nicotine and cotinine concentrations were higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Blood pressures were higher in teenage (at 0 and 12 mo) and adult smokers than in non-smokers. Extracellular superoxide dismutase activities and concentrations of serum vitamin C and folate were lower in smokers in the teenage (at 0, 12, or 18 mo) and adult groups. Serum ceruloplasmin activities and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance production were not influenced by smoking. In adults, serum copper concentrations were higher in smokers than in non-smokers. This parameter for teenagers did not change consistently throughout the study.

Conclusions: Similar to adults, cigarette smoking by teenagers has a negative effect on oxidant defense systems.