The effect of chronic Carbon Monoxide exposure on the kebap experts who work with barbecue

We aimed to study the uninvestigated relationship between the chronic carbon monoxide exposure and the atherosclerosis via the carotis intima media thickness and high sensitive C-reactive protein measurements and the effect of the chronic carbon monoxide exposure on N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide levels and whether the existance of airway obstruction.Apparently healthy 40 male non-smoker indoor barbecue workers working in restaurants for at least three years and 48 age matched healthy men were enrolled into the study. We measured the body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, trigliserid, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, carotis intima media thickness, carboxyhemoglobin, high sensitive C-reactive protein, N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide, peak expiratory flow velocity and analysed these values by SPSS 13.0.Both groups were found to be similar by age, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, trigliserid, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, carboxyhemoglobin (6.5%±1.5/2.0%±1.1), high sensitive C-reactive protein (2.7±2.0/1.1±0.8 mg/L) and carotis intima media thickness (1.10±0.31/0.91±0.11 mm) levels were found to be higher in the study group. Statistical significant correlations were found among carboxyhemoglobin and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels (p<0.001), carboxyhemoglobin and carotis intima media thickness (p=0.014), high sensitive C-reactive protein levels and carotis intima media thickness (p=0.025), high sensitive C-reactive protein levels and exposure year (p<0.001), carotis intima media thickness and exposure year (p=0.035) in the study group and between carboxyhemoglobin and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels (p=0.002) in the control group. N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide levels were found in normal ranges (<60 µg/L) in both groups and the comparison was not significant (p>0.05). The decrease of peak expiratory flow velocity found to be more in the study group (mean; 65.1/7.1 L/min).With this study, we come to the conclusion that chronic carbon monoxide exposure increases hs-CRP and carotis intima media thickness in the course of time and lay the groundwork for atherosclerosis and also decreases the expiratory peak flow velocity probably via obstructing the airways.Keywords: Carotis intima media thickness, High sensitive C-reactive protein, Atherosclerosis, Peak expiratory flow velocity