Effect of smoking cessation on serum apolipoprotein A-I and A-II concentrations

This study investigated the effects of 6 weeks' smoking cessation on serum levels of total-cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoproteins A-I and A-II (apo A-I and apo A-II) in 64 subjects of both sexes. Smoking cessation was associated with an increase in levels of apo A-II. Concurrent changes in weight and alcohol consumption during attempted smoking cessation, together with change in thiocyanate level, were entered as predictor variables into a multiple regression analysis. The change in apo A-II was found to be best accounted for by change in plasma thiocyanate level, and, in women, change in HDL-C and apo A-I by change in weight. The changes induced by smoking cessation may be due, at least in part, to associated changes in alcohol consumption and/or dietary intake, but in the case of apo A-II there is evidence of a more direct effect.