title: Arterial endothelial dysfunction related to passive smoking is potentially reversible in healthy young adults.
abstract: 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.
authors: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The Heart Research Institute, and University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW, Australia.
authors: O T
authors: OT
authors: Raitakari
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Adams
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: McCredie
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Griffiths
authors: D S
authors: DS
authors: Celermajer
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution