Abstract:
A prospective study conducted during the period June 2006 to April
2007, compared serum levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin, serum and salivary
calcium of 50 apparently healthy cigarette smokers and 50 apparently
healthy individuals (non-smokers) as a comparison group, both controls and
cigarette smokers were chosen randomly from the teaching staff, students
and employees of the University of Medical Sciences and Technology.
There is a significant increase in the levels of serum and salivary
calcium and a significant decrease in the levels of serum α1-antitrypsin in
cigarette smokers compared to the control (P<0.05).
Mean ± SD for controls versus cigarette smokers:
(3.56 ± 1.07) versus (11.54 ± 2.26) mg/dl, for salivary calcium.
(9.02 ± 0.50) versus (10.61 ± 0.97) mg/dl, for serum calcium.
(3.20 ± 0.52) versus (2.46 ± 0.76) g/l, for serum α1-antitrypsin.
In this study, I concluded that cigarette smoking reduces the levels of
serum alpha -1- antitrypsin and there is a negative correlation with both; the
number of cigarettes smoked per day, and the duration of smoking in years.
Moreover, cigarette smoking increases the levels of serum and
salivary calcium and there is a positive correlation with both; the number of
cigarettes smoked per day, and the duration of smoking in years.
