Gender dependent accumulation of dioxins in smokers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the contribution of tobacco smoking to dioxin accumulation.


METHODS
Dioxin (17 PCDD/F) concentrations in fasting blood from 251 subjects (161 never smokers, 54 past smokers, and 36 current smokers) were quantified.


RESULTS
Whereas serum dioxin concentrations of male smokers were on average 40% higher than those of non-smokers, in women, smoking was associated with significantly lower serum dioxin levels. A synergistic potentiation of dioxin metabolism by tobacco smoke in women is postulated to explain these paradoxical findings.


CONCLUSIONS
Current smoking is associated with gender dependent effects on dioxin body burden and is a potential source of confounding in human studies using blood dioxins as indicators of exposure.
Fierens
S
S
Unit of Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health, Université catholique de Louvain, 30.54 Clos-Chapelle-aux-Champs, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
Eppe
G
G
De Pauw
E
E
Bernard
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001822:Body Burden; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
D004147:Dioxins