Skeletal muscle properties and fatigue resistance in relation to smoking history

• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-008-0792-9
• Publication Date: 2008-06-16T10:10:03Z
• Authors: Rob C. I. Wüst; Christopher I. Morse; Arnold de Haan; Jörn Rittweger; David A. Jones; Hans Degens
• Keywords: Muscle Fatigue

Although smoking-related diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are often accompanied by increased peripheral muscle fatigability, the extent to which this is a feature of or direct effect smoking per se not known. Skeletal function was investigated in terms maximal voluntary isometric torque, activation, contractile properties and using electrically evoked contractions quadriceps 40 smokers [19 men 21 women; mean (SD) cigarette pack years: 9.9 (10.7)] age- physical activity level matched non-smokers (22 23 women). Maximal strength speed did differ significantly between non-smokers. Muscle fatigue (measured torque decline during series repetitive contractions) greater (P = 0.014), but correlate with years (r 0.094, P 0.615), cigarettes smoked day 10.092, 0.628), respiratory (%FEV(1pred)) -0.187, 0.416), -0.029, 0.877). While mass similar non-smokers, do suffer from fatigue. The observation that history fatigability suggests either acute and/or reaches ceiling, rather than being cumulative. An reversible could be caused carbon monoxide other substances smoke hampering oxygen delivery mitochondrial function.