Arterial stiffening and systemic endothelial activation induced by smoking: The role of COX-1 and COX-2.
BACKGROUND
Arterial stiffness is an established predictor of cardiovascular risk. We explored the effects of acute smoking on arterial stiffness, systemic inflammation and endothelial activation in chronic smokers and the contribution of cyclooxygenases-1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2).


RESULTS
In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study, we investigated in 28 young smokers the vascular and systemic effects of smoking one cigarette, 3h after receiving 1000 mg of aspirin (a non-selective COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor) or placebo (aspirin substudy), or 200 mg of celecoxib (a selective COX-2 inhibitor) or placebo (celecoxib substudy). Smoking increased carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV, a marker of aortic stiffness), indicating an adverse effect on arterial elastic properties. Similarly, circulating levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were increased after smoking. Aspirin fully prevented the smoking-induced increase of PWV after smoking. In contrast, celecoxib only partially prevented the smoking-induced increase of PWV. Both aspirin and celecoxib prevented to a similar extent the increase of ADMA levels after smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking one cigarette is associated with a deterioration of arterial stiffness and with systemic endothelial activation in chronic smokers. Both COX-1 and COX-2, but primarily COX-1, mediate these unfavorable effects of smoking.
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: cvlachop@otenet.gr.
Charalambos
C
Vlachopoulos
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Aznaouridis
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Athanassios
A
Bratsas
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Nikolaos
N
Ioakeimidis
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Ioanna
I
Dima
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Panagiotis
P
Xaplanteris
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Christodoulos
C
Stefanadis
Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Dimitris
D
Tousoulis
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000068579:Celecoxib / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects*
D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D000068579:Celecoxib; D001241:Aspirin
Arterial elasticity; Arterial stiffness; Cyclooxygenase; Smoking