Assesment of Serum Lipid Profile in Sudanese Cigarette Smokers in Khartoum State

Abstract

A cross-sectional study conducted in Khartoum state during the period from February to August 2011, compared the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C and HDL-C, of 45 apparently healthy cigarette smokers as a test group, and 45 apparently healthy non smokers as a control group. Serum lipid profile was determined using spectrophotometer and kits from Biosystem Company. The means of the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C were all significantly raised (p< 0.05) in the test group (smokers) when compared with the control group (non smokers) where as there was no significant difference between the means of the serum levels of HDL-C. There is a positive correlation between the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C with both, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and duration of smoking in years. In this study, it is concluded that cigarette smoking is associated with raised serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C and hence with increase risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.