Abstract

ECHAGUE, G et al. Haemoglobin levels in smoking men. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2005, vol.3, n.1, pp.19-22. ISSN 1812-9528.

Due to the important role haemoglobin plays as nutritional marker and in tissue oxygenation, this study was carried out to determine if there are alterations in haemoglobin levels of smoking blood donors. In this way, these alterations caused by cigarettes should be considered when the health status of smoking men is evaluated, as well as in the diagnosis of associated pathologies. One hundred and twenty one male individuals were selected for this study. They were apparently healthy, smoking and non-smoking men, between 20 and 60 years old, blood donors from five blood banks in Asunción, Paraguay. The mean haemoglobin level in smokers was 150 ± 8 g/L and in non-smokers 148 ± 9 g/L. The difference was not significant (p>0.05) but the difference was statistically greater in individuals smoking 11 to 20 cigarettes /day (152 ± 9 g/L) than in those who smoked 1 to 10 cigarettes /day (148 ± 7 g/L) (p<0.05). Thus, the mean value of haemoglobin increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The correlation coefficient was 0.38 with a confidence interval of 95%. Further studies about the influence of cigarettes, the haematological parameters and the effect produced by alterations on the health status of smokers are necessary in this population.

Keywords : Hemoglobina; Policitemia; Donantes de sangre; Bancos de sangre; Tabaquismo; Haemoglobin; Polycythemia; Blood donors; Blood banks; Smoking.

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