[High levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and impaired autonomic activity in smokers].
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) activity and autonomic nervous activity using heart rate variability in smokers.


METHODS
The study consisted of 136 healthy subjects, including 66 smokers (35 women, 31 men; mean age 36 years) and 70 nonsmokers (43 women, 27 men; mean age 34 years). Serum samples were collected from all the subjects. Three-channel, 24-hr Holter monitoring was performed to derive the mean heart rate, standard deviation of normal NN intervals (SDNN), standard deviation of 5-minute mean NN intervals (SDANN), root mean square differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD), high- (HF) and low- (LF) frequency power components, and the LF/HF ratio.


RESULTS
In smokers, the mean duration of smoking was 13.6+/-8.2 years (range 3 to 45 years), and the mean number of cigarettes consumed per day was 16.3+/-7.1 (range 5 to 40). Smokers exhibited significantly higher mean heart rate, hs-CRP and fibrinogen levels, mean platelet volume, white blood cell count, LF, and LF/HF ratio, with significantly lower SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, and HF values. In smokers, hs-CRP was correlated with the number of cigarettes consumed per day, duration of smoking, fibrinogen level, mean platelet volume, white blood cell count, LF, and LF/HF ratio, and inversely correlated with HF, SDNN, and SDANN. Even smoking a single cigarette resulted in an acute, 0.07-fold increase in the hs-CRP level (p<0.0001). In linear regression analysis, both the number of cigarettes consumed per day (beta=0.52, p=0.011) and duration of smoking (beta=0.073, p<0.0001) had an independent effect on the hs-CRP level.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking both impairs the sympathovagal balance and increases the hs-CRP activity in otherwise healthy smokers, the combination of which would probably contribute to a higher rate of cardiovascular events.
Alyan
Omer
O
Department of Cardiology, Medicine Faculty of Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey. droalyan@yahoo.com
Kaçmaz
Fehmi
F
Ozdemir
Ozcan
O
Karahan
Zülküf
Z
Taşkesen
Tuncay
T
Iyem
Hikmet
H
Alan
Sait
S
Karadede
Aziz
A
Ilkay
Erdoğan
E
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein