Genetic homozygosity as a marker of smoking dependency

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the morphogenetic variability as a marker of smoking dependency in adult smokers versus controls and to investigate the presence and the degree of morphogenetic variability difference between male and female smokers versus same gender controls. The cross-sectional study evaluated 241 smokers and 185 nonsmoker individuals as controls. We analyzed 17 homozygous recessive characteristics (HRC). There was a significant difference in the individual variations of 17 HRCs between the controls and smokers (??2=61.400, p<0.001; for females ??2=79.440, p<0.001; for males ??2=84.972, p<0.001). The mean values of HRCs significantly differed between smokers and controls (MV?SEM(Controls) -4.79?0.13, MV?SEM(Smokers) -5.70?0.12; p<0.001). For males, presence of 6/17 (35.29% genetic homozygosity) HRCs (OR=6.12) was to the certain degree predictor for smoking dependency. Higher degree of genetic homozygosity, changed variability and male gender, might be some among potential numerous factors that could have impact on smoking development and dependence.