Acute and Chronic Effects of Smoking on Inflammation Markers in Exhaled Breath Condensate in Current Smokers

Background: Long-term cigarette smoking is associated with
pulmonary inflammation, but the acute effects of smoking have been
less well studied. Analysis of the exhaled breath condensate (EBC)
can provide noninvasive markers that might be indicative of
inflammation. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine
whether the pH, electrical conductivity and the levels of ammonium
and interleukin 8 (IL-8) of EBC were altered in smokers and whether
they changed after smoking a single cigarette. Methods: We included
19 healthy nonsmokers (controls), 29 asymptomatic smokers, 10
patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
{[}Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages
(GOLD) stages II-III], and 10 patients with exacerbated COPD. In 13
smokers, EBC was also analyzed before and after smoking. EBC was
obtained during 10 min tidal breathing with a cooled RTube (TM). pH
was determined after deaeration with argon. Results: Acute smoking
did not alter the pH or ammonium and IL-8 levels, but raised
conductivity. As in COPD patients, the pH was significantly
decreased in chronic smokers with a history of at least 10
pack-years compared to controls. Conclusions: EBC can be used to
detect the acute and chronic effects of smoking. The increased
conductivity of EBC after smoking suggests acute inflammatory
effects. The reduced pH in chronic smokers shows cigarette-induced
inflammation. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel