Investigation of the effect of smoking on serum immunglobulin levels

Aim: The high amount of toxic substances in cigarette smoke causes many systems and pathologies to be affected in smokers and those exposed to cigarette smoke. The aim of this study is to examine serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE levels in smokers. Material and Method: This research, which was designed as a case-control study, was conducted between 01.11.2020-31.01.2021. The case group consisted of individuals who applied to the Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Family Medicine Smoking Cessation Polyclinic to quit smoking and met the inclusion criteria in the study. Non-smokers who applied to the Family Medicine Polyclinic for periodic health examination and met the inclusion criteria of the study were also included in the control group. Addiction levels were recorded according to the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FNBT). IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE levels of both groups were studied in the laboratory of Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology. Data were evaluated in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 statistical package program. Result: The mean age of the participants in the study, which was completed with a total of 300 people aged 18-65, was found to be 34.28±11.10 (18-65) years. According to gender, 30.3% (n=91) were female and 41.5% (n=83) were male. There were 66.7% (n=200) people who were married. 19.7% (n=59) of the participants had a chronic disease. The rate of smokers was 51.0% (n=153). There were 27 women (17.6%) and 126 men (82.4%) who smoked, and the rate of smoking was significantly higher in men (p<0.001). Immunoglobulin M levels were significantly higher in women (p=0.001). Immunoglobulin G levels were higher in those who had never smoked (p=0.002). Immunoglobulin M, Immunoglobulin A, Immunoglobulin E levels were not significantly different between never-smokers and smokers (p=0.080). Conclusion: It was observed that the IgG level was lower in smokers than in nonsmokers. There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers in viii IgA, IgM, IgE levels. With the study, it can be concluded that smoking affects the IgG level negatively, but additional studies on this subject are needed. Key Words: Smoking, Immunoglobulin, Immune system, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE