Smoking is associated with reduced serum levels of the antioxidant enzyme, paraoxonase, in Type 2 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the association of smoking with paraoxonase (PON1) in Type 2 diabetic patients.


METHODS
Type 2 diabetic patients were recruited independently in two centres (Ancona, Italy and Geneva, Switzerland) and serum PON1 mass and activities were assayed. Current smoking status was established and its association with serum PON1 analysed.


RESULTS
Type 2 diabetic patients who smoked had significantly lower serum PON1 mass and activity. This was evident in both groups of patients, even though Swiss patients were composed of coronary patients. Multivariate analyses established that smoking was an independent determinant of serum PON1 status.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking is associated with reduced serum levels of the antioxidant enzyme, PON1, even against an already unfavourable background of diabetes and coronary disease. It suggests that a combination of smoking and diabetes may be particularly deleterious for PON1 and consequently for the anti-oxidant capacity of high-density lipoproteins.
Boemi
M
M
Diabetology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura per Anziani (INRCA), Ancona, Italy.
Sirolla
C
C
Testa
R
R
Cenerelli
S
S
Fumelli
P
P
James
R W
RW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000201:enzymology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase