Echocardiographic consequences of smoking status in middle-aged subjects.
BACKGROUND
Smoking is known to have many short- and long-term cardiovascular effects. Cardiac index (CI), which is cardiac output indexed to body surface area, is considered to be a valid measure of cardiac performance. We investigated whether there were any differences in CI or other echocardiographic variables between never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers in a cardiopulmonary healthy population.


METHODS
Subjects (n=355) from a previous population-based respiratory questionnaire survey (never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers without significant chronic obstructive lung disease) were examined with echocardiography, and CI (L/min/m2) was calculated.


RESULTS
Current smokers had a higher CI than never smokers 2.61±0.52 L/min/m2vs. 2.42±0.49 L/min/m2(P<.01). Ex-smokers had a nonsignificant, numerically higher value for CI than never smokers 2.54±0.54 L/min/m2vs. 2.42±0.49 L/min/m2(P>.05). Smoking status had no significant effect on other echocardiographic variables.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that currents smokers without known cardiac disease or significant chronic obstructive lung disease show signs of slightly altered hemodynamics.
Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Morten
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9289-4766
M
Kraen
Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Sophia
S
Frantz
Respiratory Medicine and Allergology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Ulf
U
Nihlén
Department of Clinical Science, Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Group, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Gunnar
G
Engström
Respiratory Medicine and Allergology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Claes-Göran
CG
Löfdahl
Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Per
P
Wollmer
Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Magnus
M
Dencker
D000368:Aged; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
cardiac index; echocardiography; smoking