Smoking state determined by cotinine and arterial stiffness

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Biomarkers of Exposure
• Public Health Research

Background:

• Active and passive smoking are linked to increased arterial stiffness.
• Cotinine serves as an objective biomarker for assessing smoking status.
• Understanding smoking's impact on arterial stiffness in North China is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess smoking conditions in North China using cotinine levels.
• To investigate the association between smoking status and arterial stiffness.
• To explore regional disparities in smoking prevalence and arterial stiffness.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 906 participants, classifying them by cotinine levels into non-smokers, passive smokers, and active smokers.
• Measured brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) using an automated device to assess arterial stiffness.
• Adjusted for covariates in statistical analyses to determine significant associations.

Main Results:

• Active smokers exhibited significantly higher baPWV compared to non-smokers (P=0.023).
• A smoking history exceeding 10 years was associated with higher baPWV (P=0.029).
• Less developed areas showed higher active and passive smoking rates, with active smokers having increased baPWV (P=0.017).

Conclusions:

• Cotinine-confirmed active smoking is associated with significantly worse arterial stiffness.
• Long-term smoking (over 10 years) demonstrably increases arterial stiffness.
• Smoking's detrimental effects on arterial function may be more pronounced in economically disadvantaged regions.