[Influence of smoking cessation on the microcirculatory bed in apparently healthy young people]

To study the influence of smoking cessation on the microcirculatory bed (MCB) in 33 healthy young people.

The investigation enrolled 33 healthy young people (male/female (M/F) ratio, 20:13; mean age, 21.6±0.5 years) who had quit smoking 1 month to 10 years (mean age 2.5±0.5 years) before. Comparable groups consisted of 15 smokers (M/F ratio, 5:10; mean age, 21.5±0.8 years) and 18 nonsmokers (M/F ratio, 6:12; mean age, 21±0.3 years). Computer-assisted video-biomicroscopy of the bulbar conjunctiva was carried out. When assessing the

attention was focused on microvessel diameter changes in the patients who had quit smoking compared to the smokers and nonsmokers.

As compared to the smokers, those who had quit smoking showed a significant increase in the mean diameters of arterioles (13.01±0.41 and 18.33±0.65 µm; р<0.001) and capillaries (9.2±0.23 and 9.89±0.19 µm; р<0.05). The number of functioning capillaries per mm2 of the conjunctival surface did not differ from that in the nonsmokers (8.01±0.21 and 8.25±0.44; р>0.05). Thus, the rarefication phenomenon reflecting the influence of smoking on the MCB vessels at a young age undergoes rapidly regression. There are increases in the diameter of arterioles and the number of functioning capillaries just in the first months of smoking cessation (р<0.01).

The considerably increased diameters of arterioles and capillaries and the larger number of functioning capillaries per mm2 of the conjunctival surface suggest that smoking cessation at a young age have a positive impact on MCB vessels.