PLASMA NITRIC-OXIDE BEFORE AND AFTER SMOKING CESSATION WITH NICOTINE NASAL SPRAY

Nicotine may affect cardiovascular function through release of neurotr ansmitters from autonomic nerves or release of vasoactive substances f rom the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide is a neurotransmitter and e ndothelium-derived factor that reduces tone of vascular smooth muscle. Experiments were designed to determine whether or not use of nicotine nasal spray for smoking cessation affects plasma levels of nitric oxi de. Forty smokers self-administered nicotine by nasal spray (one 0.5 m g spray to each nostril). Blood samples were taken before the use of t ile nasal spray and at treatment day 7 for the measurement of cotinine by high pressure liquid chromatography and nitric oxide (NOx) by chem iluminescence. Age-comparable controls were never-smokers nonnicotine users recruited from laboratory personnel. Mean plasma concentrations of NOx from smokers before treatment were significantly greater compar ed with nonsmokers (23 +/- 10, n = 40 and 15 +/- 6, n = 13 nmoles/mL [ mean +/- SD], respectively P < 0.01). Plasma NOx in smokers was not si gnificantly correlated with the average daily number of cigarettes smo ked (r(2) = 0.02, P > 0.05) but was positively and linearly correlated with plasma cotinine (r(2) = 0.13, P < 0.02). In 32 self-reported abs tinent smokers (confirmed by expired carbon monoxide < 9 ppm) using ni cotine nasal spray, cotinine decreased by 64% from pretreatment levels of 284 +/- 103 to posttreatment levels of 90 +/- 58 ng/mL. Plasma NOx was unchanged and went from 23.0 +/- 10.1 at pretreatment to 21 +/- 1 2 nmoles/mL with nicotine treatment. These results suggest that nicoti ne-use, independent of cigarette smoking, affects plasma No-x.