Abstract

Background: Cigarette smoking is one of the major lifestyle factors which influence the health of human beings. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a certain biomarker of inflammation. It was a significant predictor of heart failure. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to find the effect of cigarette smoking on ESR and total leukocyte count (TLC).
Materials and Methods: A total of 120 healthy male smokers and 120 healthy male non-smokers among hospital employees and people from surrounding areas of Navodaya Medical College, Raichur (India), were studied. The TLC was done using Beckman Coulter Automatic Analyzer; ESR estimation was done by Westergren’s method.
Results: The mean 3 ESR for smokers is 11.74 mm/h and for non-smokers 7.38 mm/h. The mean TLC for smokers is 8050 per mm and for 3 non-smokers 6858 per mm . The difference between mean ESR and TLC of smokers and non-smokers was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: We concluded that, in smokers, ESR and TLC increased significantly. Regular monitoring of these two parameters in smokers is advised.