Serum Glutathione Peroxidase and Superoxide Dismutase Levels in Young Adult Active Smokers and Non-Smokers in a Southwest Based Tertiary Institution

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is still a major public health issue, as it is the primary cause of various preventable diseases and premature deaths around the world. Previous studies have shown that tobacco components aggravate respiratory burst thus increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This case-control study is to examine glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels among young adult active and non-active cigarette smokers at a tertiary institution in South West, Nigeria. This descriptive comparative study was carried out to compare the levels of serum glutathione peroxidase by Paglia and Valentine method and Nebot method of superoxide dismutase estimation in young adult active smokers and non-smokers in Ogun state based tertiary institution, between February and June, 2021. There was a significantly higher level (p = 0.000) of glutathione peroxidase in the case (55.39 ± 2.87) compared to the control (42.59 ± 2.41). There was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different categories of years of smoking among the group of smokers. There was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different quantities of cigarettes smoked by the participants. This study revealed that there was no significant difference in the level of the measured antioxidants at different categories of years amd quantity of cigarette smoked among the group of smakers. Prolonged exposure and quantity of cigarette smooke by smokers did not cause depletion of antioxidants among active smokers. However, smoking was associated with a higher level of oxidative stress marker.