Effect of cigarette smoking on serum alpha-tocopherol and the lipid profile in a Portuguese population.
BACKGROUND
The present study was conducted to determine the effects of cigarette smoking on the levels of serum alpha-tocopherol and on the lipid profile in humans from the Lisbon population.


METHODS
Serum alpha-tocopherol was evaluated by a reverse-phase HPLC method with UV detection. Enzymatic tests were used for the evaluation of the lipid profile.


RESULTS
Smokers in general and female smokers in particular had decreased alpha-tocopherol levels when compared with nonsmokers. Smokers had also lower HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) contents, but this difference was statistically significant only for females. Regardless of sex, in smokers, there was a positive correlation between alpha-tocopherol and triglyceride (TG) levels. Cluster analysis showed a sex-independent separation between smokers and nonsmokers.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a different interaction of these blood parameters in smokers versus nonsmokers that should be further investigated.
Lopes
Paula A
PA
Centro de Biologia Ambiental and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, 3 piso, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
Santos
Maria C
MC
Vicente
Luís
L
Viegas-Crespo
Ana M
AM
D000328:Adult; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol