The effect of smoking on mean platelet volume and lipid profile in young male subjects

OBJECTIVE: Smoking and cholesterol levels are two significant causes of atherosclerosis. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an index of platelet activation. Only limited numbers of studies showing the effect of smoking on platelet function are published. Even less studies exists regarding the effect of smoking on platelet function in young healthy population. The current study investigated the effects of smoking on the MPV of the young healthy male population. METHODS: A total of 102 (smoking 56, nonsmoking 46, medium ages: 22.8) healthy young male individuals were included into this cross-sectional study. The subjects with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, coroner arterial diseases, lipid metabolism disorders, other chronic diseases were excluded. Subjects' waist circumference, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) serum lipid profile and mean platelet volume were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed with student t test and Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: High density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol levels were lower in smoking group (44.1+/-8.7 mg/dl) compared with nonsmoking group (49.7+/-7.6 mg/dl) (p=0.013). Triglyceride levels were higher in smoking group (98.6+/-53.0 mg/dl) compared with nonsmoking group (71.5+/-43.0 mg/dl) (p=0.041). Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels were also found to be higher in smoking group (smoking group: 19.7+/-10.8 mg/dl; nonsmoking group: 14.2+/-8.6 mg/dl; p=0.038). However, no significant difference was found for MPV between the groups (smoking: 8.57+/-0.8 fl; nonsmoking: 8.67+/-0.8 fl; p=0.66) CONCLUSION: The results of the current study revealed higher VLDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lower HDL-cholesterol levels in smoking group and no significant difference was observed for MPV between the smoking and nonsmoking young aged healthy male subjects possibly in the early period of atherosclerosis.