Gender differences in the association between smoking and dyslipidemia: 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background: Smoking has been reported to be associated with abnormal lipid metabolism. However, it remains uncertain whether adverse metabolic effects of smoking on dyslipidemia differ with gender. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between smoking and dyslipidemia in men and women.

Methods: We analyzed data from 2166 men and 3003 women aged ≥20 years assessed in the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005). Dyslipidemia was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III.

Results: The prevalence of dyslipidemia was higher in men than in women. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of dyslipidemia associated with current smoking were 1.35 (0.98-1.85) in men and 1.92 (1.19-3.10) in women (p for interaction with gender <0.001). After stratification by components of dyslipidemia, women smokers showed higher odds ratios of having high triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than men smokers. The association between current heavy-smoking (≥20 pack-years) and dyslipidemia was stronger in women than in men.

Conclusions: The association between smoking and dyslipidemia was significantly different between men and women. Women smokers might be more susceptible to develop dyslipidemia than men smokers.