Blood Lipid Alterations in 6-to 10-Year-Old Passive Smoking Children

Authors: Benal BÜYÜKGEBİZ, Yasemin EROĞLU, Halil RESMİ, Alp ŞEN, Ergun KARAAĞAOĞLU

Abstract: The effects of smoking on blood lipid levels have been well documented. Considerable attention is now being focused on involuntary smokers. Cotinine is used as a reliable indicator for estimating individual levels of exposure to tobacco. Individuals with cotinine levels above 2.5 ng/ml are considered passive smokers. In this study, the prevalence of passive smoking was 34.4 % among 6-to 10-year-old primary school children from the low-income community. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density cholesterol levels as well as total cholesterol/low-density cholesterol ratios and high-density cholesterol levels of 19 passive smoker children were compared with those of 11 nonsmokers. A slight elevation in the first four parameters and a reduction in high-density cholesterol levels were observed in the passive smoker group. Although these results were insignificant, the effects of duration and severity of exposure to smoking as well as the dietary habits and economic status of the family need to be studied as contributing factors in causing blood lipid alterations related to atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Passive smoking, cotinine, lipid alterations, primary school children.