(P-BC-14) Assessment of Cotinine, Nicotine, Carboxyhaemoglobn and Some Haematological Parameters of Red Blood Cells Donated by Smokers  

A cross sectional study design was adopted for this study. A total of 60 males subjects were enrolled in the study out of this 30 were smokers who were blood donors and while the other 30 were control subjects who were non-smokers. Full blood count test was performed using Mindray BC -5000 auto differential machine that relies on impedance technology, Cotinine and Nicotin were done using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique, Carboxyhaemoglobin  was analyzed using  spectrophotometric method while Percentage Hemolysis was calculated using the formula (100-Hct) x plasma Hemoglobin (g/dl) /Total Hemoglobin (g/dl)

Results/Findings: Mean value of Cotinine (52.2929.37ng/dl),  Nicotine (32.3017.05ng/dl) and carboxyhemoglobin (5.27± 1.95 ng/dl) were  significantly higher (p > 0.001)  in smokers compared to control subjects who had 0.660.34ng/dl, 1.60 ±  0.54 and 0.66± 0.31 respectively.  Heavy smokers were  found to have  significantly ( p > 0.001) higher levels of these substances cotinine (63.96 ± 23.13 ng/dl) nicotine(36.90 ± 12.30 ng/dl), carboxyhemoglobin (6.10  ± 1.76 ng/dl) and percentage hemolysis (1.93 ± 0.12%) than in light smokers who had cotinine (27.10 ± 23.52 ng/dl), nicotine (15.20  ±  6.46 ng/dl), carboxyhemoglobin (3.5  ± 1.55 ng/dl) and percentage hemolysis (1.67 ± 0.94 %). Cotinine (71.50 ± 20.64ng/dl) and nicotine (34.35 ± 12.44ng/dl) were further found to be  significantly (p > 0.001 ; 0.02)  higher in first time donor smokers than in second time donor smokers cotinine(26.99 ± 17.39ng/dl), nicotine(22.92 ± 15.82ng/dl). Red blood cell count, Hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, MCHC, MCH and Total White Cell were significantly (p >0.02) higher in donors who were smokers than none smokers.  Percentage Haemoloysis of  smokers (1.80± 0.17 %) was found to be  significantly (p > 0.001) higher when compared with that of the none smokers (0.8± 0.53 %). There was also  a significant decrease in post-transfusion packed cell volume  in the  patients who received blood donated by smokers (Patient’s PCV before transfusion 23.50±2.74%; PCV after transfusion 25.00±2.63 %)   when compared to packed cell volume of patients who were transfused with blood donated by none smokers (Patient’s PCV before transfusion 23.25±3.911  %; PCV after transfusion 28.49± 4.29  %).

Conclusions:

This study  has shown that blood donated by Smokers has increased level of Cotinine, Nicotine and Carboxyhaemoglobin which have   effect on stored  red blood cells and the quality of blood transfused to the recipient. The  study also revealed a high percentage of Haemolysis of red blood cells in whole blood donated by smokers.