SINGLE EXPOSURE TO PASSIVE SMOKING DOES N OT INDUCE DETECTABLE OXIDATION OF LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS

Oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is well known to increase the atherogenic risk. Active smoking has been claimed to be associated with a significant oxidant stress determined by enhanced LDL oxidatio n and isoprostane formation. We assessed the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in 9 healthy non-smokers and 7 smokers before and after thre e and five hours' exposure to passive smoking. Baseline values for the lag time, diene formation, malondialdehyde and isoprostanes differed in part significantly. In contrast to the data on active smoking, pass ive exposure to cigarette smoke did not significantly affect any of th ese parameters, nor diene formation and electrophoretic mobility in sm okers and non-smokers alike. These results indicate that a single expo sure to passive smoking does not induce relevant oxidation of LDL in m en.