Arterial endothelial dysfunction related to passive smoking is potentially reversible in healthy young adults.
BACKGROUND
Passive smoking is associated with early arterial damage, but the potential for reversibility of this damage is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the reversibility of arterial endothelial dysfunction, a key marker of early atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
60 healthy persons 15 to 39 years of age: 20 with no exposure to active or passive smoking, 20 nonsmoking passive smokers (exposure to environmental tobacco smoke for > or = 1 hour per day for > or = 2 years), and 20 former passive smokers.


METHODS
Arterial endothelial function measured by noninvasive ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Endothelium-dependent dilatation was significantly better in former passive smokers (5.1% +/- 4.1% [range, -1.2% to 15.6%]) than in current passive smokers (2.3% +/- 2.1% [range, -0.2% to 6.7%]) (P = 0.01), although both groups were significantly impaired compared with nonsmoking controls (8.9% +/- 3.2% [range, 2.1% to 16.7%]) (P < or = 0.01 for both comparisons).


CONCLUSIONS
In healthy young adults, arterial endothelial dysfunction related to passive smoking seems to be partially reversible.
Raitakari
O T
OT
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The Heart Research Institute, and University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW, Australia.
Adams
M R
MR
McCredie
R J
RJ
Griffiths
K A
KA
Celermajer
D S
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014664:Vasodilation
D015415:Biomarkers; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution