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.
OBJECTIVE
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.
Kim
Sun H
SH
Department of Food Service Management and Nutrition, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea. shkim@kongju.ac.kr
Ensunsa
Jodi L
JL
Zhu
Qin Yan
QY
Kim
Jung S
JS
Shin
Ho S
HS
Keen
Carl L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000097:blood; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D009538:Nicotine; D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003367:Cotinine; D001205:Ascorbic Acid