Changes of plasma adiponectin levels after smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVE

Cigarette smoking is associated with a variety of health problems including cardiovascular, pulmonary, neoplasms, endocrinopathies including diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived plasma protein that is closely associated with insulin sensitivity and the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of plasma adiponectin levels after smoking cessation.

METHODS

Thirty seven smokers that wanted to stop smoking without any nicotine replacement therapy or medication were recruited for this study. Fifteen smokers succeeded in stopping smoking (validated by urine cotinine levels ≤50 ng/mL) and 22 smokers failed. Therefore, only the 15 that succeeded were included in the analysis. The plasma adiponectin levels were determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The mean age of the successful 15 was 35±9.3 years old. They were all males. The daily smoking habit was a mean of 13.5±5.4 cigarettes per day. The mean Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS) and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scores were 55.6±9.6 and 2.9±1.9. During the study period of three months, the mean body mass index (BMI), body fat mass (BFM), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body weight increased by 1.1 kg/m(2), 3.0%, 0.02%, and 2.9 kg, respectively. The baseline mean adiponectin level in the subjects was 11.9±5.2 mg/L. The mean adiponectin levels measured at one and three months were 16.0±5.1 mg/L and 14.7±4.5 mg/L respectively. The mean plasma adiponectin levels of the successful group was significantly increased after four weeks when compared to the baseline (z=-2.401, p=0.016). However, the decrease in plasma adiponectin levels at one and three months was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Even though the decrease over the next two months was not significant, these findings, the increase of plasma level of adiponectin after smoking cessation, provide preliminary data for future research on the possible mechanisms associated with smoking cessation and changes in body metabolism.