Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Total and Salivary Cortisol Levels

Aim: Although there are some studies regarding the effects of cigarette smoking on serum total cortisol (TC) and salivary cortisol (SaC) levels, the results are still not conclusive. For this purpose, we aimed to determine the effects of cigarette smoking on TC and SaC levels in a small sample of healthy volunteers. Study design: Twenty-five (12 females and 13 males) smokers with a mean age of 42.6± 15 years and 25 (12 females and 13 males) age- and gender-matched healthy non-smokers (mean age:40.8± 14.5 years) were enrolled in the study. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis was evaluated by baseline TC and SaC levels, and TC and SaC responses to standard dose (250 µg) ACTH stimulation test. TC and SaC levels were obtained under baseline and stimulated conditions. Results: Although mean TC and SaC levels were higher in smokers versus non-smokers, a statistically significant difference was not found between the two groups. Conclusion: TC and SaC levels were not statistically different between smokers and non-smokers. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to draw definitive conclusions.