Light or regular cigarette smoking: effect on brachial artery flow mediated dilation

AIM: Many smokers use light cigarettes in the belief that this may reduce the risk for health. In this study we investigated whether the effect of cigarette smoking on brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD%) is related to the cigarettes\u2019 content of tar, nicotine or carbon-monoxide. METHODS: 206 subjects (59% men, age 52\ub113 yr) participated in the study. FMD% was measured by B-mode ultrasound. Smoking habits were recorded on the basis of a face-to-face interview. Cigarettes\u2019 were defined as \u201clight\u201d or \u201cregular\u201d on the basis of a content of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide above or below their respective medians. The chronic effect was assessed in 53 consumers of light cigarettes, 85 consumers of regular cigarettes and 68 never smokers. The acute effect was assessed in 51 and 29 smokers, who smoked a single light or regular cigarette smokers, respectively. In these subjects, FMD% was measured before and 10 min after smoking. RESULTS: FMD% of both light (5.66\ub13.18%) and regular cigarettes (6.15\ub13.33%) consumers were lower than that of never smokers (8.86\ub13.41%, p0.05). Both types of cigarettes induced an acute reduction of FMD% (Both p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of light cigarettes does not reduce the detrimental effect of smoking on FMD% observed in consumers of regular cigarettes