Elevations in serum copper, erythrocytic copper, and ceruloplasmin concentrations in smokers

Previous investigators have reported significant elevations of serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in lymphoma patients and subjects using estrogen, but have not taken into account the smoking habits of these populations. In order to determine whether smoking had any effect on these variables, the authors examined five groups for serum and erythrocytic copper and ceruloplasmin levels: 40 healthy subjects, 14 users of oral contraceptives, 25 smokers, 14 nonsmoking pretreatment lymphoma patients, and eight treated lymphoma patients. Significant elevations of serum copper and ceruloplasmin in pretreatment lymphoma patients, treated patients, and estrogen users were found, confirming previous reports. In addition, all groups had elevations of erythrocytic copper compared with the healthy subjects. Also, significant elevations of serum copper (P less than .0053) and ceruloplasmin (P less than .0001) were found in smoking relative to nonsmoking subjects. No correlation between duration of smoking and these elevations was found.