The impact of heavy passive smoking on arterial endothelial function in modernized Chinese

摘要: Abstract OBJECTIVES The study evaluated whether heavy exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (passive smoking) might damage arterial function in modernized Chinese. BACKGROUND Heavy passive smoking is associated with endothelial dysfunction Caucasian, but not rural Chinese, subjects. METHODS We studied 20 young (mean age 36.6 ± 7.0 years) nonsmoking asymptomatic casino workers (9 men) Macau who were exposed for over 8 h/day at least two years and normal subjects (control subjects). These groups carefully matched age, gender, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, vessel diameter, cholesterol glucose levels. Brachial artery diameter was measured by high-resolution B-mode ultrasound rest, after flow increase (causing flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation) sublingual nitroglycerin (an endothelium-independent dilator). RESULTS Flow-mediated dilation SD% of changes) significantly lower smokers (6.6 3.4%) compared the controls (10.6 2.3%) (p CONCLUSIONS In as Caucasians, causes dysfunction, a key early event atherosclerosis. This may have serious implications cardiovascular health China, currently process rapid modernization.