Risk of Pulmonary-Reproductive Dysfunctions, Inflammation and Oxidative DNA Damage in Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon in Cigarette Smokers.

Exposure to cigarette smoke has been associated with pulmonary and reproductive dysfunctions; inflammatory response, oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in cigarette smoke have been implicated in the pathogenesis of these disorders. The peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), a biomarker of inflammation and oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)), reproductive hormones (testosterone (TST), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)) cotinine and urinary PAH metabolite (1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP)) were estimated in male active smokers. One hundred men aged 20-47 years, comprising 50 active male smokers and 50 non-smokers, were randomly recruited into this comparative cross-sectional study.