Assessment of the Levels of Serum Iron and Magnesium in Sudanese Cigarette Smokers

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the effect of cigarette smoking on serum iron and magnesium levels. During the period of 5-30 April 2011. Seventy volunteers were smoker males (aged 18-35 years old), and thirty non smoker males (aged 18-35 years old, as control group) were enrolled in this study, they were from Khartoum (n=34), Khartoum-north (n=19) and Omdurman (n=47). Three ml of fasting venous blood were collected from each volunteer, the serum obtained and analyzed colorimetrically. Statistical analysis of the obtained results revealed that; serum iron was significantly higher in smokers (140±52) μg/dl when compared to non smokers (90±22) μg/dl, (p value = 0.000), serum iron did not change due to age difference (p value = 0.2). Tribal origin had an effect on serum iron; it was significantly altered (p value = 0.04). There was insignificant difference between the mean of serum iron in smokers who smoked ≤15 cigarettes per day (138±50) μg/dl compared to those who smoked ≥15 cigarettes per day (145± 55) μg/dl, (p value 0.6), there was no correlation between serum iron and the number of cigarettes per day, also there was no correlation between serum iron and the duration of smoking. Also the analysis showed that; serum magnesium was significantly lower in smokers (1.4±0.40) mg/dl when compared to non smokers (2.2±0.39) mg/dl, (p value 0.000), serum magnesium did not change due to age difference (p value 0.4). Tribal variation did not affect serum magnesium (p value 0.2), there was significant difference between the mean of serum magnesium in smokers who smoked ≤15 cigarettes per day (1.5±0.36) mg/dl compared to those who smoked ≥15 cigarettes per day (1.3±0.35) mg/dl, (p value 0.03), there was a weak negative correlation between serum magnesium and the number of cigarettes per day (correlation coefficient r = -0.2), and there was a weak negative correlation between serum magnesium and the duration of smoking (correlation coefficient r = -0.3).