A Study on Serum Lipid Profile and Uric Acid Changes due to Passive Smoking in Healthy Women

SUMMARY: 1. The mean serum Total Cholesterol value among the nonsmokers was 166.08 ± 26.45 while in the passive smokers it was 181.64 ± 30.42. The value was significantly higher in passive smokers. 2. The mean LDL cholesterol level was 96.44 ± 28.42mg/dl in non-smoking women while the LDL Cholesterol in passive smokers was 113.27± 34.54 mg/d. 3. The mean HDL cholesterol in non-smokers was higher (46±9.3 mg/dl) than in passive smoking women (43.98±7.2 mg/dl). 4. The mean triglycerides in non-smoking women were 119.76±29.56 mg/dl whereas in passive smoking women it was 126.1±28.46mg/dl. 5. Mean VLDL Cholesterol is also higher in passive smokers (25.96±5.7mg/dl) than non-smokers (23.58±5.96mg/dl). 6. The mean serum uric acid in non-smokers was 4.52±1.47 mg/dl whereas in those exposed to ETS it was 5.75±mg/dl. CONCLUSION: Passive smoking like active smoking is unfavorably associated with lipoprotein metabolism and it predisposes the individual to premature atherosclerosis and its consequences like myocardial infarction, stroke, etc., Passive smoking also increases serum uric acid and this may serve as a crude marker to the amount of oxidative stress imparted to the body by the process of passive smoking. To conclude the present study provides further evidence that environmental tobacco smoke including smoke at workplace is likely to cause adverse health effects in non-smoking women. Despite the efforts to control smoking most women are still exposed to tobacco smoke at home and at work. They are also unaware of the hazards of passive smoking and are in a disadvantaged position to protect themselves from ETS. Urgent public health measures are required to reduce smoking in India so as not only to protect women and children from environmental tobacco smoke but also men from the hazards of active smoking