Effects of active/passive smoking exposure in patients with COPD

INTRODUCTION: Smoke exposure of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients increases the frequency of exacerbations and affects the quality of life. However, most patients still continue to active/passive smoking exposure after being diagnosed with COPD. In this study, the effects of active/passive smoking exposure on symptoms exacerbation/pulmonary functions in COPD patients were investigated.
METHODS: Totally 151 COPD patients were included in the study. Patient data on active/passive smoking exposure and exacerbation frequency, and COPD Assessment Test(CAT), modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale(m-MRC), and pulmonary function tests(PFT) were recorded. As well as active smoking exposure, these parameters were especially evaluated in ex-smoker COPD patients according to passive smoking exposure. The data were evaluated in SPSS 22.0 program; X2 and student t-tests were applied.
RESULTS: Active/passive exposure was determined (26.49% and 43.05%, respectively). Total cigarette consumption was 1.5 times higher in men, and passive smoking exposure (69.56%) was higher in women. In addition, it was determined that the m-MRC score increased statistically significantly as exposure to passive cigarettes increased. It was observed that the number of exacerbations increased in ex-smoker COPD patients with passive exposure. Another finding in the study; was determined that the increase in each standard deviation in cigarette consumption caused a 19% decrease in pulmonary function capacity and an increase in m-MRC, CAT scores.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Active/passive smoking exposure was detected in most COPD patients. It was determined that continuous smoking exposure in patients caused an increase in the number of exacerbations and a deterioration in the quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness of passive smoking exposure in the management of COPD patients.