Nicotine Withdrawal Woes Shown To Be Similar To Inflammatory Response

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Nicotine Withdrawal Woes Shown To Be Similar To Inflammatory Response

University Park, Pa. --- In a small study conducted at Penn State,

researchers have shown, for the first time, that heavy or moderate

smokers who stop smoking have symptoms similar to those experienced by

patients undergoing an inflammatory response - suggesting that

anti-inflammatory medication might ease some nicotine withdrawal woes.

Dr. Corwin, assistant professor in the school of nursing and

the Intercollege Physiology Program, says, " Our research shows that

nicotine withdrawal is a significant physical as well as psychological

stressor that impacts multiple systems of the body, including the immune

system. If we can relieve some negative symptoms - including depression

- by reducing the inflammatory response, we may be able to increase the

likelihood that heavy or moderate smokers can successfully quit. "

The study, which was conducted by Corwin and Dr. Klein, assistant

professor of biobehavioral health, was presented (today) Feb. 21, by

Klein in a poster at the meeting of the Society for Research in Nicotine

and Tobacco in Savannah, Georgia. The poster is titled, " Sickness

Behavior and Cytokine Responses in Subjects During Withdrawal from

Nicotine. "

Klein explains that smokers often fail multiple attempts to quit, in

part, because of the unpleasant symptoms that accompany nicotine

withdrawal, including depression, fatigue, muscle aches and appetite

changes. Similar unpleasant symptoms accompany acute and chronic illness

and these symptoms are known to result from elevated levels of

cytokines, which are produced by white blood cells in response to

inflammation. The two Penn State researchers decided to see if cytokines

could also be linked to the same symptoms in smokers who stop smoking.

Blood samples from 20 heavy or moderate smokers, ages 18 to 35, were

taken while they were smoking freely and after they had stopped smoking

for 24 hours. Blood samples were also taken from 22 non-smokers for

comparison. The same groups of smokers and non-smokers also completed

questionnaires to gauge their fatigue, depression, muscle aches and

appetite.

Analysis of the symptom self-reports showed that depression, muscle

aches and appetite all increased in smokers during nicotine withdrawal.

Although fatigue did not increase significantly with nicotine

withdrawal, smoker's fatigue scores were already higher at the start of

the study when compared to non-smokers.

Analysis of the blood samples showed that the levels of two cytokines,

interleukin-1 beta (IL-1b) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), along with fatigue,

in smokers predicted depression on nicotine withdrawal. Changes in the

production of IL-6 were associated with muscle aches and increased

appetite when smoking was stopped. There were no differences in men's

and women's responses.

Corwin says, " The results support the hypothesis that smokers who stop

smoking may experience depression, fatigue, muscle aches and appetite

changes for similar biochemical reasons that individuals who have acute

or chronic disease do. The same therapies - anti-inflammatory

medications - may therefore help alleviate these symptoms. "

Further studies are needed to find out which particular

anti-inflammatory drugs or specific pro-inflammatory blocking agents

might best reduce the unpleasant symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and

support smokers while they quit. Corwin and Klein are planning such

studies.

The current study was supported by a grant from a Penn State

interdisciplinary seed grant awarded by the University's Life Science

Consortium.