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Cigarette smoking and ethane exhalation in humans

M P Habib1, N C Clements, H S Garewal

  • 1Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona 85723, USA.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|May 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Smokers exhale significantly more ethane gas than non-smokers, with levels returning to normal within 3 hours. Antioxidant trials may reduce this exhaled ethane.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Cigarette smoking introduces various compounds into the body.
  • Ethane, a byproduct of lipid peroxidation, can be measured in exhaled breath.
  • Elevated exhaled ethane may indicate increased oxidative stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the time course of exhaled ethane in smokers and non-smokers after smoking.
  • To compare baseline ethane levels between smokers, ex-smokers, and non-smokers.
  • To investigate the effect of beta-carotene supplementation on exhaled ethane in smokers.

Main Methods:

  • Gas chromatography was used to measure alveolar ethane in breath samples.
  • Breath samples were collected immediately after smoking and hourly thereafter.
  • Baseline ethane levels were compared across different smoking status groups and after beta-carotene treatment.

Main Results:

  • Exhaled ethane peaked immediately after smoking, reflecting cigarette smoke content, and declined exponentially.
  • Smokers exhibited higher baseline ethane levels (2.90 pmol/min/kg) compared to ex-smokers (1.55 pmol/min/kg) and non-smokers (1.11 pmol/min/kg).
  • Beta-carotene supplementation reduced exhaled ethane by 80% and 35% in two smokers.

Conclusions:

  • Cigarette smokers have significantly elevated baseline levels of exhaled ethane.
  • Exhaled ethane levels in smokers return to baseline within 3 hours post-smoking.
  • Antioxidant interventions, such as beta-carotene, show potential in reducing exhaled ethane, suggesting a role in mitigating smoking-induced oxidative stress.

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