Cigarette Smoking Increases Thromboxane A2 Formation without Affecting Platelet Survival in Young Healthy Females

SummarySmoking is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in men as well as in women. An increased urinary excretion of the thromboxane metabolite 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B2 (Tx-M) has been observed in smokers of both genders, suggesting that cigarette smoking may facilitate cardiovascular disease via an action on the platelets. The present study addressed the hypothesis that the increased Tx-M excretion in female smokers reflects a true facilitation of platelet reactivity in vivo, rather than an increased destruction of the platelets. In healthy female volunteers (aged 20–46 years, 18 smokers and 17 non-smokers) platelet life-span and indices of platelet activity were determined, together with plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), fibrinogen, peripheral blood cell counts and hematocrit. The urinary excretion of Tx-M was higher in smokers than in non-smokers (361 vs. 204 pg/mg creatinine, respectively, p