Abstract

EFFECT OF SMOKING ON C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS: COMPARISON BETWEEN MALE SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS IN THE NATIONAL RIBAT UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES, KHARTOUM, SUDAN.

Mohamed Mahmoud Khidr*, Rasha Elbushra Abdulhameed, Fatima Ahmed, Salma Hassan3 and Tahra Murtada

Abstract

Objective: The effects of both cigarettes and hookah (shisha) smoke on human health are serious and in many cases, deadly. The aim of the present study was to assess the extent of adverse effects of smoking on C-reactive protein levels in male students who attend The National Ribat University, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khartoum, Sudan. Subjects and Methods: Sixty eight male students participated in this study, 48 were smoker males students and the remaining 20 were non smokers (controls). CRP levels were measured by latex card and positives samples which showed visible agglutination were further investigated by latex semi quantitative method. Results: Out of the 48 smoker males, 11(22.9%) showed visible agglutination by latex card (positive results) while only one (5%) non smoker student showed positive result. There was no significant correlation between the CRP titer levels and the duration of smoking and/ or number of cigarettes smoked/day. The mean WBC count among smokers and controls were 5.7x103 1.67 and 6.43x103 1.77, respectively and this results indicate normal levels of both. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of the study showed that continuous tobacco smoking could have severe adverse effects on serum CRP level and these alterations might be associated with a greater risk for developing inflammatory disease and/or cardiovascular diseases. The small number of samples collected in the study was due to lack of the financial support therefore further study and larger samples would be of value.

Keywords: Cigarettes smoking, hookah (shisha), C-reactive protein (CRP), latex card, inflammation.