RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PLASMA-LEVELS OF BETA-CAROTENE AND LUNG FUNCTIONS IN CIGARETTE SMOKERS

Relationships between the plasma levels of beta-carotene (BC) and spir ometry were studied in 30 asymptomatic male cigarette smokers and 34 a ge-matched non-smoking control subjects. plasma BC-levels, determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were decreased on av erage by 18% (p 0.1251) in the smokers relative to the non-smokers and by 28% (p 0.015) following correction for blood cholesterol. The spir ometric values, FEV(1) and FEF(25-75), determined from the flow-volume loops of each subject, were decreased by 5% (p 0.095) and 12% (p 0.00 72) respectively in the smokers relative to the non-smokers. In the sm okers, but not in the non-smokers, the plasma levels of BC correlated significantly and positively with the spirometric values, FEV(1) (r 0. 48, p 0.01) and FEF(25-75) (r 0.58, p 0.0008). The results suggest tha t BC-status may determine susceptibility to oxidant-mediated pulmonary dysfunction in cigarette smokers.