Abstract
We have in the present experimental study investigated the influence of cigarette smoking on some nutritional parameters of the porcine intervertebral disc. The results from the acute smoking tests show a significant reduction in solute transport. Diffusion of sulphate, oxygen and methyl glucose was reduced by 30-40 per cent. This effect was obtained after exposure to smoke for 20-30 minutes. A smoking period of three hours reduced the transport efficiency to about 50 per cent. The effect of smoking decreased when the exposure ceased. The concentration gradients were close to normal after 2 hours "recovery". These findings suggest that cigarette smoking not only significantly affects the circulatory system outside the intervertebral disc, where the most pronounced effect is the reduction in solute exchange capacity, but also significantly deteriorates the cellular uptake rate and metabolite production within the disc.
Highlights
In a large avascular structure such as the intervertebral disc, solute transport occurs predominantly via diffusion ( 6, I l )
The concentrationgradients were closeto normal after 2 hours "recovery". These findings suggest thatcigarette smoking notonlysigni ficantly affects the circulatory system outside the intervertebral d i s c, where t h e most pronounced effectisthe reduction insolute exchange capacity, but a l s o significantly deteriorates the cellul a r uptake rate and metabolite production within the disc
When the animals were exposed to smoke the blood vessels reduced their efficiency and there was a considerable constriction of thecapillaries (Fig.2)
Summary
In a large avascular structure such as the intervertebral disc, solute transport occurs predominantly via diffusion ( 6 , I l ). Severalfactors may be of potentialriskconsidering blockage of capillariesorviadirectaction on thecapillarywall inducing constriction and affectingthe blood flow ( 2 , 4 ). Such ariskfactoriscigarette smoke ( 9 , 1 2 ). Smoking hasalso been regarded t o be apotentialriskfactorforinitiating low back p a i n ( 3 , l O ). These epidemiological studiesevaluatedunfortunatelyonlythesubjective symptoms o f low back pain and not any structural changes; thereforethe conclusions of such studies can be controversial ( 8 )
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