Evaluation of the Effect of Chronic Cigarette Smoking on Total Cerebral Blood Flow Volume by Doppler Ultrasonography in 20-40 years old Healty Volunteers

Evaluation of the Effect of Chronic Cigarette Smoking on Total Cerebral Blood Flow Volume by Doppler Ultrasonography in 20-40 years old Healty VolunteersThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on total cerebral blood flow by Doppler ultrasonography.A total of 100 healthy volunteers (n=45 men and n=55 women) consisting of five to twenty pack-years smokers (n=50) and non-smokers (n=50) were included in this study. Angle corrected peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, time-averaged mean blood flow velocity values, and the resistivity and pulsatility indexes of both carotid and vertebral arteries were measured. The blood flow volume in the extracranial internal carotid artery, vertebral artery and total cerebral blood flow volume were calculated with `spectral Doppler imaging? method. Statistical analysis was performed with ?Student?s t?, ?Mann-Whitney U? and ?Pearson? correlation tests. ?p?? value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.There was no difference between smoker and non-smokers in peak systolic velocity (p > 0.05). In the smoker group, end diastolic velocity and time-averaged mean blood velocity values were significantly lower, while resistivity and pulsatility indexes were significantly higher than the non-smokers (p < 0.001). Although total cerebral blood flow volume was within normal limits in both group, it was approximately 9,2% lower in smokers (661.1 ± 21.2 ml/min) compared to non-smokers (728.1 ± 26.8 ml/min) ( p < 0.001 ). Increase in the number of pack-year smoking was shown to decrease the total cerebral blood flow [(p < 0.001), confidence interval (-7,698) ? (-5,607)].In conclusion, chronic cigarette smoking decreases total cerebral blood flow volume.