Assessment of the effect of cigarette smoking on some coagulation parameters in sokoto north western Nigeria

Objectives: Cigarette smoking is a global public health problem. Worldwide, cigarette smoking has serious health, economic and social implications. There are about 1300 million smokers globally and about 75 of these are in the developing countries. The aim of this present study was to determine the effect of cigarette smoking on some coagulation parameters of smokers in Sokoto, Nigeria. Method: This present study was a case‐control study conducted among 100 smokers (subjects) and 100 non‐smokers (controls) aged 18‐60 years with mean age of 26 ± 6.23 years. Manual method was used for the determination of Prothrombin Time (PT) and Partial Thromboplastin Time with Kaolin (PTTK). Results: The mean PTTK and PT was significantly lower among cigarette smokers compared to non-smokers (P = 0.001). We observed a negative and significant correlation between PT and PTTK and increased duration of cigarette smoking (r=- 0.58 and - 0.62 respectively, p=0.003). The PTTK of light, moderate and heavy smokers were 34.6, 29.0 and 28.0 seconds respectively while the PT results were 14.8, 11.0 and 8.8 seconds respectively. There was no significant difference in PT and PTTK based on age groups of the subject (P = 0.06 and 0.10 respectively). The effect of duration of smoking on the PT and PTTK indicated that smokers who have smoked for 1-10, 11-20 and ≥ 21 years had PT and PTTK values of 12.3 ± 2.9, 10.3 ± 1.9 and 8.9 ± 0.9 versus 31.7 ± 7.9, 29.3 ± 6.5 and 26.2 ± 6.2 respectively. Conclusion: Our findings indicates that PT and PTTK of cigarette smokers is significantly higher than those of non-smokers. We observed a negative and significant correlation between PT and PTTK and duration of cigarette smoking. Chronic cigarette smoking was associated with a reduction in the PT and PTTK and may predispose smokers to increased risk of thrombosis. There is need for increased awareness of the negative effects of cigarette smoking on health. We advocate for a tighter tobacco legislation which should also force companies to print graphic health warnings on their cigarette packs to obviate the detrimental consequences of associated atherothrombotic disease, cardiovascular pathology and other smoking-related diseases.