Nerve Conduction Velocity in Smokers and Gutka Chewers: A Case-control Study

Abstract

Introduction: Chemicals that are present in cigarette/bidi smoke and gutka have been known to cause subclinical changes in myelin sheaths of peripheral nerves. Despite the antiquity and popularity of smoking and gutka chewing, its effect has not been investigated systematically in young adults. Aim: To investigate the chronic effects of smoking and gutka chewing on Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV). Materials and Methods: The case-control study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, from November 2018 to December 2020. A 40 male smokers (age group 20-60 years), 40 gutka chewers (age group 20-60 years) along with 40 age matched healthy male controls. The nerve conduction study was performed by using fully computerised Electromyography (EMG) and NCV machine. Sensory Nerve Conduction Velocity (SNCV) and Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity (MNCV) test of median and ulnar nerves was performed on subjects. Data was analysed by using unpaired t-test. Results: In this study of comparative analysis of total 120 subjects, [40 controls and 80 cases (40 cases of smokers and tobacco chewers each)], statistically significant changes (p-value <0.05) were found in the sensory NCV of both the nerves and motor NCV of median nerve in smokers whereas no such changes were found in motor NCV of both nerves in gutka chewers. Conclusion: It can be concluded that smoking causes more reduction in NCV than gutka chewing.