The New England journal of medicine
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It has been hypothesized that the pathogenesis of diseases induced by cigarette smoking involves oxidative damage by free radicals. However, definitive evidence that smoking causes the oxidative modification of target molecules in vivo is lacking. We conducted a study to determine whether the production of F2-isoprostanes, which are novel products of lipid peroxidation, is enhanced in persons who smoke. ⋯ The increased levels of F2-isoprostanes in the circulation of persons who smoke support the hypothesis that smoking can cause the oxidative modification of important biologic molecules in vivo.