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P-101: Blunted vasodilatory responses in the cutaneous microcirculation of cigarette smokers

Pellaton, Cyril ; Kubli, Sandrine ; Feihl, Francois ; Waeber, Bernard

In: American Journal of Hypertension, 2001, vol. 14, no. S1, p. 63A-63A

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    Titre
    • P-101: Blunted vasodilatory responses in the cutaneous microcirculation of cigarette smokers
    Auteur
    • Pellaton, Cyril. University Hospital, Division of Pathophysiology, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Kubli, Sandrine. University Hospital, Division of Pathophysiology, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Feihl, Francois. University Hospital, Division of Pathophysiology, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Waeber, Bernard. University Hospital, Division of Pathophysiology, Lausanne, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:298342
    Summary
    Background: To assess the vasodilatory response to acetylcholine (Ach, endothelium-dependent vasodilator) and Na nitroprusside (SNP, endothelium-independent vasodilator) in the skin microcirculation of habitual cigarette smokers. Methods: Male healthy habitual smokers taking no medication acting on the cardiovascular system were included. They were divided in younger (Group 1, n = 10, age: 18 to 35 years; mean = 7 pack-years) and older (Group 2, n = 10, age: 40 to 60 years; mean =30 pack-years). Younger (Group 3, n = 10) and older controls (Group 4, n = 10) consisted of age-matched non-smokers. On the day of the experiment the subjects of Groups 1 and 2 were asked to smoke at least 15 cigarettes starting in the morning. At 4 p.m. they had to smoke within 5 min a filter cigarette containing 1 mg nicotine. Subjects of Groups 3 and 4 had a sham-smoking session at 4 p.m. Ach, 1%, and SNP, 0.1%, were administered transcutaneously for 7 min on the volar face of the right forearm using iontophoresis. This was done 15 min and 40 min after the end of the smoking session for Ach and SNP, respectively. The skin blood flow responses were evaluated using a laser-Doppler flowmeter allowing to scan the surface of Ach and SNP application (circular area, 1 cm diameter). Results: The following Table shows the peak changes induced by Ach and SNP (perfusion units, means±SD): Younger Older Ach SNP Ach SNP Non-smokers 505±65 425±99 473±91 392±71 Smokers 466±102 416±59 302±50** 301±104* *p<0.05; **p<0.01, Smokers versus Non-smokers Conclusion: These data show that the vasodilatory response of the skin microvasculature is impaired in subjects having smoked cigarettes for many years. This abnormality involves both the Ach and the SNP responses, which implies a diminished relaxant capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells, even if an underlying endothelial dysfunction cannot be ruled out