EVALUATION OF CLINICAL PERIODONTAL CONDITIONS IN SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

PubMed Central

Luzzi, Lucinara Ignez Tavares; Greghi, Sebastião Luiz Aguiar; Passanezi, Euloir; Sant'ana, Adriana Campos Passanezi; Lauris, José Roberto Pereira; Cestari, Tânia Mary

2007-01-01

Given that tobacco smoking habit is a risk factor for periodontal diseases, the aim of this study was to compare clinical periodontal aspects between smokers and non-smokers. The clinical status were assessed in 55 patients, 29 smokers and 26 non-smokers, aged 30 to 50 years, with mean age of 40. The clinical parameters used were: probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession (GR) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) for arches (upper and lower) and teeth (anterior and posterior). Tooth loss was also evaluated in both groups. Multiple regression analysis showed: tendency of greater probing depth and clinical attachment level means for smokers; greater amount of plaque in smokers in all regions; greater gingival index means for non-smokers with clinical significance (p<0.05) in all regions. Although, without statistical significance, the analysis showed greater gingival bleeding index means almost always for non-smokers; similar gingival recession means in both groups and tendency of upper tooth loss in smokers and lower tooth loss in non-smokers. The findings of this study showed that clinical periodontal parameters may be different in smokers when compared to non-smokers and that masking of some periodontal signs can be a result of nicotine's vasoconstrictor effect. PMID:19089190

Isolated and Skeptical: Social Engagement and Trust in Information Sources Among Smokers

PubMed Central

Blake, Kelly; Hesse, Bradford W.; Ackerson, Leland K.

2014-01-01

Our study compared indicators of social engagement and trust among current, former, and never smokers. Multinomial regression analyses of data from the 2005 U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (n=5586) were conducted to identify independent associations between social engagement, trust in health information sources, and smoking status. Never smokers (odds ratio (OR)=2.08) and former smokers (OR=2.48) were significantly more likely to belong to community organizations than current smokers. Never (OR=4.59) and former smokers (OR=1.96) were more likely than current smokers to attend religious services. Never smokers (OR=1.38) were significantly more likely than current smokers to use the Internet. Former smokers (OR=1.41) were more likely than current smokers to be married. Compared to current smokers, never smokers were significantly more likely to trust health care professionals (OR=1.52) and less likely to trust the Internet (OR=0.59) for health information. Current smokers are less socially engaged and less trusting of information resources than non-smokers. PMID:21340632

Smoking abstinence and reinstatement effects in adolescent cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Colby, Suzanne M; Leventhal, Adam M; Brazil, Linda; Lewis-Esquerre, Johanna; Stein, L A R; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Monti, Peter M; Niaura, Raymond S

2010-01-01

The study objectives were to examine smoking abstinence and reinstatement effects on subjective experience and cognitive performance among adolescent smokers. Adolescents (aged 14-17 years, 60 daily smokers and 32 nonsmokers) participated. Participants completed baseline assessments (Session 1) and returned to the laboratory 1-3 days later to repeat assessments (Session 2); half of the smokers were randomly assigned to 15-17 hr tobacco abstinence preceding Session 2. During Session 2, abstaining smokers reported significantly greater increases in withdrawal symptoms, smoking urges, and negative affect compared with smokers who did not abstain and compared with nonsmokers. Smoking reinstatement reversed abstinence effects, returning to baseline levels for smoking urges and negative affect. Abstaining smokers showed significantly enhanced cognitive performance on two of six tasks (two-letter search compared with nonabstaining smokers; serial reaction time compared with nonsmokers); smoking reinstatement resulted in significant decrements on these two tasks relative to nonabstaining smokers. Effects of smoking abstinence and reinstatement on self-report measures are consistent with earlier research with adolescent as well as adult smokers and may help to elucidate the motivational underpinnings of smoking maintenance among adolescent smokers. Effects found on cognitive performance were contrary to hypotheses; further research is needed to understand better the role of cognitive performance effects in smoking maintenance among adolescents.

Smoking abstinence and reinstatement effects in adolescent cigarette smokers

PubMed Central

Leventhal, Adam M.; Brazil, Linda; Lewis-Esquerre, Johanna; Stein, L. A. R.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Monti, Peter M.; Niaura, Raymond S.

2010-01-01

Introduction The study objectives were to examine smoking abstinence and reinstatement effects on subjective experience and cognitive performance among adolescent smokers. Methods Adolescents (aged 14–17 years, 60 daily smokers and 32 nonsmokers) participated. Participants completed baseline assessments (Session 1) and returned to the laboratory 1–3 days later to repeat assessments (Session 2); half of the smokers were randomly assigned to 15–17 hr tobacco abstinence preceding Session 2. Results During Session 2, abstaining smokers reported significantly greater increases in withdrawal symptoms, smoking urges, and negative affect compared with smokers who did not abstain and compared with nonsmokers. Smoking reinstatement reversed abstinence effects, returning to baseline levels for smoking urges and negative affect. Abstaining smokers showed significantly enhanced cognitive performance on two of six tasks (two-letter search compared with nonabstaining smokers; serial reaction time compared with nonsmokers); smoking reinstatement resulted in significant decrements on these two tasks relative to nonabstaining smokers. Discussion Effects of smoking abstinence and reinstatement on self-report measures are consistent with earlier research with adolescent as well as adult smokers and may help to elucidate the motivational underpinnings of smoking maintenance among adolescent smokers. Effects found on cognitive performance were contrary to hypotheses; further research is needed to understand better the role of cognitive performance effects in smoking maintenance among adolescents. PMID:19933776

Comparison of responses of salivary antioxidant markers to exhaustive aerobic exercise in smoker and non-smoker young girls.

PubMed

Arazi, Hamid; Simaei, Esmat; Taati, Behzad

2016-10-01

Smoking is known as a serious global public health problem, and is also an important risk factor for oral diseases and cause of oxidative stress and cellular damage. Saliva is the first biological medium encountered during inhalation of cigarette smoke. Additionally, previous studies demonstrated that exhaustive aerobic exercise could increase oxidative stress and cellular damage. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to compare the response of salivary antioxidants (peroxides (POX), uric acid (UA), 1-1dipheny l-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) of exhaustive aerobic exercise between healthy smoker and non-smoker young girls. Ten smokers and 10 non-smokers were enrolled for this study. Subjects performed a progressive cycle ergometer with an initial load of 50 W that was increased 50Wevery 3 minutes at the speed of 60rpm, until exhaustion. Un-stimulated saliva samples were collected before, immediately and 1 hour after exercise. The results showed that POX activity and UA concentration significantly increased immediately after exercise in both groups when compared to the pre exercise values (P<0.01). The level of salivary POX of non-smokers were greater than smokers immediately after exercise (P<0.01). Aerobic exercise caused a decrease in salivary DPPH activity immediately and 1 h after exercise in both groups (P<0.01). When the DPPH values were compared between smoker and non-smoker subjects, a significant decrease was observed in smokers immediately and 1 h after exercise (P<0.01). In conclusion, aerobic exercise was induced oxidative stress in both groups but oxidative stress in smoking females was greater.

ECG Changes in Young Healthy Smokers: A Simple and Cost-Effective Method to Assess Cardiovascular Risk According to Pack-Years of Smoking.

PubMed

Sharma, Nirmal Kumar; Jaiswal, Kapil Kumar; Meena, S R; Chandel, Rahul; Chittora, Saurabh; Goga, Prem Singh; Harish, H B; Sagar, Rajesh

2017-06-01

To document the prevalence of ECG abnormalities in young healthy smokers and compare ECG changes in smokers, young healthy non-smokers and amongst smokers with different pack years. This was a prospective case-control study consisting of 200 young healthy male and female individuals, 150 smokers and 50 non-smokers between ages 25-40 years, further categorized and compared according to age, sex and pack years of smoking. The ECG recordings were analyzed for different ECG parameters like heart rate, P-wave duration, P-wave amplitude, PR interval, QRS duration, RR-interval, ST-segment duration, QT interval and QTc interval. The results were compared using statistical tools. In present study abnormalities in ECG parameters were significantly more prevalent in smokers as compared to non-smokers (56.66 % Vs 6.00 %) (p <.0001). Heart rate and QTc-interval increased with increase in the number of pack-years. This increase was reflected more in female with a similar number of pack years. P-wave amplitude tended to increase with increase in the number of pack years more so in males. P-wave duration, PR-interval, QRS-duration and RR-interval tended to decrease with increase in the number of pack years more so in females with similar number of pack years. QT-interval and ST-segment duration tended to decrease with increase in the number of pack years more so in males. ECG abnormalities in this study indicate cardiovascular risk in term of cardiac arrhythmia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, heart blocks etc in such subjects. As this procedure is non-invasive and cost effective it is potentially an effective and yet a simple method for cardiovascular risk evaluation in smokers. Furthermore, such ECG abnormalities may guide the clinician for risk evaluation in smokers and may be used to convince the smokers to quit smoking.

Personal Motivation, Exercise, and Smoking Behaviors among Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scioli, Erica Rose; Biller, Henry; Rossi, Joseph; Riebe, Deborah

2009-01-01

This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have…

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in hookah smokers, cigarette smokers and non-smokers.

PubMed

Sajid, Khan Mohammad; Parveen, Riffat; Durr-e-Sabih; Chaouachi, Kamal; Naeem, Ayisha; Mahmood, Rubaida; Shamim, Rahat

2007-12-01

To find CEA levels in smokers of different categories (hookah smokers, cigarette smokers smoking different brands of cigarettes and different number of cigarettes per day) and to correlate CEA levels with type and rate of smoking. A total of 122 cigarette smokers (115 men and 7 women) and 14 hookah smokers (all men) with age ranging from 16-80 years were studied. CEA levels were also measured in 36 non-smokers who served as controls. Enhanced chemilumiscent immunometeric technique was applied to measure CEA levels in our subjects. The mean CEA levels of cigarette smokers were compared with the mean CEA levels observed in hookah smokers (7.16 +/- 10.4 ng/ml) and non-smokers (2.15 +/- 0.68 ng/ml). The mean value of CEA level observed in cigarette smokers, 9.19 +/- 14.9 ng/ml (n=122) was significantly higher than the levels in non-smokers and hookah smokers (p < 0.0067). It was also observed that CEA levels increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The highest levels were observed in smokers who smoke more than 31 cigarettes per day. The smokers that use relatively cheaper brands of cigarettes had higher levels of CEA compared to those who use high quality brands. It was concluded that the brands of cigarettes (which were ranked on the basis of price) and the rate of smoking both play an important role in raising the CEA levels. Further the common belief that hookah also called narghile or shisha is a relatively safe mode of smoking is not completely correct; a significant proportion of hookah smokers have high levels of CEA although mean levels of hookah smokers were low compared to cigarette smokers.

Cognitive test scores in male adolescent cigarette smokers compared to non-smokers: a population-based study.

PubMed

Weiser, Mark; Zarka, Salman; Werbeloff, Nomi; Kravitz, Efrat; Lubin, Gad

2010-02-01

Although previous studies indicate that people with lower intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are more likely to become cigarette smokers, IQ scores of siblings discordant for smoking and of adolescents who began smoking between ages 18-21 years have not been studied systematically. Each year a random sample of Israeli military recruits complete a smoking questionnaire. Cognitive functioning is assessed by the military using standardized tests equivalent to IQ. Of 20 221 18-year-old males, 28.5% reported smoking at least one cigarette a day (smokers). An unadjusted comparison found that smokers scored 0.41 effect sizes (ES, P < 0.001) lower than non-smokers; adjusted analyses remained significant (adjusted ES = 0.27, P < 0.001). Adolescents smoking one to five, six to 10, 11-20 and 21+ cigarettes/day had cognitive test scores 0.14, 0.22, 0.33 and 0.5 adjusted ES poorer than those of non-smokers (P < 0.001). Adolescents who did not smoke by age 18, and then began to smoke between ages 18-21 had lower cognitive test scores compared to never-smokers (adjusted ES = 0.14, P < 0.001). An analysis of brothers discordant for smoking found that smoking brothers had lower cognitive scores than non-smoking brothers (adjusted ES = 0.27; P = 0.014). Controlled analyses from this large population-based cohort of male adolescents indicate that IQ scores are lower in male adolescents who smoke compared to non-smokers and in brothers who smoke compared to their non-smoking brothers. The IQs of adolescents who began smoking between ages 18-21 are lower than those of non-smokers. Adolescents with poorer IQ scores might be targeted for programmes designed to prevent smoking.

Serum telomerase levels in smokers and smokeless tobacco users as Maras powder.

PubMed

Bozkuş, Fulsen; Atilla, Nurhan; Şimşek, Seçil; Kurutaş, Ergül; Samur, Anıl; Arpağ, Hüseyin; Kahraman, Hasan

2017-09-01

To the best of our knowledge, no previous study regarding the serum telomerase levels in Maras powder users (MPUs) has been founded. The aim of the current study was to investigate serum telomerase levels in smokers and MPUs. The study was carried out with 98 patients (36 MPUs, 32 smokers and 30 non-smokers). Blood samples were collected, and after having measured the serum telomerase and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of the patients, comparison were made between the groups. It has been observed that the serum telomerase and MDA levels of smokers (p< 0.001) and MPUs (p< 0.001) were significantly higher compared to those of the non-smoker control subjects. In addition, the levels of serum telomerase and MDA were observed to be higher in the MPU group compared to those of the smoker group (p< 0.001). The levels of serum telomerase and MDA were observed to be higher among MPUs and smokers. In this context, it may be useful to further measure and assess telomerase activity in such patients in order to better determine the harmful effects associated with these habits.

Sub-epithelial connective tissue graft for root coverage in nonsmokers and smokers: A pilot comparative clinical study

PubMed Central

Dwarakanath, Chini Doraswamy; Divya, Bheemavarapu; Sruthima, Gottumukkala Naga Venkata Satya; Penmetsa, Gautami Subadra

2016-01-01

Background: Gingival recession is a common condition and is more prevalent in smokers. It is widely believed that root coverage procedures in smokers result in less desirable outcome compared to nonsmokers', and there are few controlled studies in literature to support this finding. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcome of root coverage with sub-epithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) in nonsmokers and smokers. Materials and Methods: A sample of twenty subjects, 10 nonsmokers and 10 smokers were selected each with at least 1 Miller's Class I or II recession on a single rooted tooth. Clinical measurements of probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession total surface area (GRTSA), depth of recession (RD), width of recession (RW), and width of keratinized tissue were determined at baseline, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Results: The treatment of gingival recession with SCTG and coronally advanced flap showed a decrease in the GRTSA, RD, RW, and an increase in CAL and width of keratinized gingiva in both the groups. However, the intergroup comparison of the clinical parameters showed no statistical significance. About 6 out of 10 nonsmokers (60%) and 3 smokers (30%) showed complete root coverage. The mean percentage of root coverage of 71.2% in nonsmokers and 38% in smokers was observed. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that smoking may negatively influence gingival recession reduction and CAL gain. In addition, smokers may exhibit fewer chances of complete root coverage. Overall, nonsmokers showed better improvements in all the parameters compared to smokers at the end of 6 months. PMID:28298827

The association between self-reported versus nicotine metabolite-confirmed smoking status and coronary artery calcification.

PubMed

Kim, Byung Jin; Han, Ji Min; Kang, Jung Gyu; Kim, Bum Soo; Kang, Jin Ho

2018-05-01

There are no data comparing the relationship between coronary artery calcification and self-reported and cotinine-verified smoking. This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and urinary cotinine or self-reported smoking status in Korean adults. Study participants included 22 797 individuals (19 181 men; mean age±SD 39.2±7.1 years) who were enrolled in the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study and Kangbuk Samsung Cohort Study between 2011 and 2013, and who had urinary cotinine and CAC measurements. Cotinine-verified current smokers were defined as having a urinary cotinine level of above 50 ng/ml. The prevalence of never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers according to the self-reported questionnaires was 44.6, 24.2, and 31.2%, respectively, and that of cotinine-verified current smokers was 30.2%. The prevalence of the presence of CAC in self-reported current smokers was higher than that in self-reported never/former smokers (13.7 vs. 10.2%, P<0.001), and that in cotinine-verified current smokers was higher than that in cotinine-verified never smokers (14.0 vs. 10.2%, P<0.001). A multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for the variables with univariate relationships showed that self-reported former smokers and current smokers had significantly increased odds ratio (OR) for the presence of CAC compared with self-reported never smokers [OR (95% confidence interval): 1.20 (1.03-1.40) in former smokers and 1.29 (1.11-1.50) in current smokers]. Cotinine-verified current smokers also showed a significant association with the presence of CAC [1.23 (1.12-1.35)]. Furthermore, log-transformed cotinine levels increased the OR for the presence of CAC [1.03 (1.01-1.05)]. This study is the first large cohort study to show that both self-reported and cotinine-verified smoking is associated independently with the presence of CAC in Korean adults.

Fundamental frequency and voice perturbation measures in smokers and non-smokers: An acoustic and perceptual study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, Allison

This research examined the fundamental frequency and perturbation (jitter % and shimmer %) measures in young adult (20-30 year-old) and middle-aged adult (40-55 year-old) smokers and non-smokers; there were 36 smokers and 36 non-smokers. Acoustic analysis was carried out utilizing one task: production of sustained /a/. These voice samples were analyzed utilizing Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) software, which provided values for fundamental frequency, jitter %, and shimmer %.These values were analyzed for trends regarding smoking status, age, and gender. Statistical significance was found regarding the fundamental frequency, jitter %, and shimmer % for smokers as compared to non-smokers; smokers were found to have significantly lower fundamental frequency values, and significantly higher jitter % and shimmer % values. Statistical significance was not found regarding fundamental frequency, jitter %, and shimmer % for age group comparisons. With regard to gender, statistical significance was found regarding fundamental frequency; females were found to have statistically higher fundamental frequencies as compared to males. However, the relationships between gender and jitter % and shimmer % lacked statistical significance. These results indicate that smoking negatively affects voice quality. This study also examined the ability of untrained listeners to identify smokers and non-smokers based on their voices. Results of this voice perception task suggest that listeners are not accurately able to identify smokers and non-smokers, as statistical significance was not reached. However, despite a lack of significance, trends in data suggest that listeners are able to utilize voice quality to identify smokers and non-smokers.

Impact of different aspects of social participation and social capital on smoking cessation among daily smokers: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Lindstrom, M; Isacsson, S; Elmstahl, S

2003-01-01

Objective: To investigate differences in different aspects of social participation and social capital among baseline daily smokers that had remained daily smokers, become intermittent smokers, or stopped smoking at one year follow up. Design/setting/participants/measurements: 12 507 individuals, aged 45–69 years, interviewed at baseline between 1992 and 1994 and at a one year follow up were investigated in this longitudinal study. The three groups of baseline daily smokers were compared to the reference population (baseline intermittent smokers and non-smokers) according to different aspects of social participation and social capital. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess differences in different aspects of social participation and social capital. Results: The baseline daily smokers that remained daily smokers at the one year follow up had significantly increased odds ratios of non-participation in study circles in other places than at work, meeting of organisations other than unions, theatre/cinema, arts exhibition, church, sports events, large gatherings of relatives, and private parties compared to the reference population. The baseline daily smokers that had become intermittent smokers at the one year follow up had significantly increased odds ratios of non-participation in church services. The baseline daily smokers that had stopped smoking had increased odds ratios of non-participation in having attended a meeting of organisations other than labour unions during the past year, having been to a theatre or cinema, and of having visited an arts exhibition during the past year. All three categories of baseline daily smokers had significantly decreased odds ratios of non-participation in night club/entertainment. Conclusions: The baseline daily smokers that had remained daily smokers at the one year follow up had particularly high rates of non-participation compared to the reference population in both activities specifically related to social capital, such as other study circles, meetings of organisations other than labour unions, and church attendance and cultural activities such as theatre/cinema and arts exhibition, although significantly lower participation in cultural activities and meetings of other organisations was also observed among daily smokers that had stopped smoking. All three baseline daily smoker groups had higher rates of having visited a night club during the past year. PMID:12958387

Lung cancer in never-smokers - what are the differences?

PubMed

Dias, Margarida; Linhas, Rita; Campainha, Sérgio; Conde, Sara; Barroso, Ana

2017-07-01

Characteristics of never-smokers with lung cancer are still not fully clarified. The aim of this study was to compare never-smokers and ever-smokers with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) regarding patient and tumor characteristics. All consecutive newly NSCLC patients with known smoking status diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Clinical, histological, and molecular characteristics were compared between ever-smokers and never-smokers. Of the 558 included patients, 125 (22.4%) were never-smokers. These patients were more likely to be female (74% vs. 7%, p < .001), older (67 vs. 66 years-old, p = .019), and have adenocarcinoma (93% vs. 65%, p < .001). Never-smokers took longer to seek medical care after the symptoms onset (3 vs. 2 months, p < .001), regardless of the symptoms, histological type, or gender (OR: 1.2 [1.4-2.0]). The metastatic pattern was different in never-smokers: pleural metastases were more frequent (OR: 2.1 [1.1-4.0]), regardless of the histological type and gender. Never-smokers had a higher prevalence of ALK translocations (26% vs. 4%, p < .001) and EGFR mutations (36% vs. 8%, p < .001). The type of EGFR mutation was also significantly different between groups. Never-smokers with NSCLC present distinct demographic and clinical characteristics. The characteristics of tumor also differ between never-smokers and ever-smokers, which may suggest different carcinogenic pathways.

Impulsiveness and venturesomeness in German smokers.

PubMed

Bernow, Nina; Kruck, Bernadette; Pfeifer, Philippe; Lieb, Klaus; Tüscher, Oliver; Fehr, Christoph

2011-08-01

Cigarette smoking is a behavior, which is influenced by genetic, demographic, and psychological factors. A large body of research has examined the association of cigarette smoking variables with individual differences in personality traits. The aim of the current study was to replicate the findings of higher self-reported impulsivity in smokers compared with never-smokers in a German sample using Eysenck´s construct of impulsivity. Furthermore, it was intended to further the knowledge about associations between different self-reported impulsivity components and different smoking variables. We used the Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy questionnaire (I7) to measure self-reported impulsiveness and venturesomeness and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to measure novelty seeking (NS) in a sample of 82 nicotine-dependent smokers and 119 never-smokers. Smokers scored higher on impulsiveness, venturesomeness, and NS than never-smokers independent of age, gender, and years of education. We found a significant association between venturesomeness, impulsiveness and smoking status in daily smokers. In summary, this study provides evidence that impulsiveness and venturesomeness as well as the novelty-seeking subscale extravagance are significantly associated with smoking status in a German sample of female and male smokers compared with never-smokers.

Are Light and Ultra-Light Cigarettes Safer: Perceptions of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zank, Gail M.; Smith, Karen H.; Stutts, Mary Ann

2008-01-01

The reported study investigates college students' perceptions of light compared to regular and ultra-light compared to light cigarettes, and whether perceptions vary by smoking status (nonsmoker, former smoker, social smoker, or regular smoker) and gender. A survey of 172 college students found that all four smoking status groups perceived light…

Impact of smoking status on workplace absenteeism and productivity

PubMed Central

Halpern, M.; Shikiar, R.; Rentz, A.; Khan, Z.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To: evaluate the impact of smoking status on objective productivity and absenteeism measures; evaluate the impact of smoking status on subjective measures of productivity; and assess the correlation between subjective and objective productivity measures.
DESIGN—Prospective cohort study in a workplace environment.
SUBJECTS—Approximately 300 employees (100 each of former, current, and never smokers) at a reservation office of a large US airline.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Objective productivity and absenteeism data were supplied by the employer. Subjective assessments of productivity were collected using a self report instrument, the Health and Work Questionnaire (HWQ).
RESULTS—Current smokers had significantly greater absenteeism than did never smokers, with former smokers having intermediate values; among former smokers, absenteeism showed a significant decline with years following cessation. Former smokers showed an increase in seven of 10 objective productivity measures as compared to current smokers, with a mean increase of 4.5%. While objective productivity measures for former smokers decreased compared to measures for current smokers during the first year following cessation, values for former smokers were greater than those for current smokers by 1-4 years following cessation. Subjective assessments of "productivity evaluation by others" and "personal life satisfaction" showed significant trends with highest values for never smokers, lowest for current smokers, and intermediate for former smokers.
CONCLUSIONS—Workplace productivity is increased and absenteeism is decreased among former smokers as compared to current smokers. Productivity among former smokers increases over time toward values seen among never smokers. Subjective measures of productivity provide indications of novel ways of productivity assessment that are sensitive to smoking status.


Keywords: smoking cessation; workplace; absenteeism; productivity; questionnaires PMID:11544387

Nicotine Metabolism in Young Adult Daily Menthol and Nonmenthol Smokers.

PubMed

Fagan, Pebbles; Pokhrel, Pallav; Herzog, Thaddeus A; Pagano, Ian S; Franke, Adrian A; Clanton, Mark S; Alexander, Linda A; Trinidad, Dennis R; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn K; Johnson, Carl A; Moolchan, Eric T

2016-04-01

Menthol cigarette smoking may increase the risk for tobacco smoke exposure and inhibit nicotine metabolism in the liver. Nicotine metabolism is primarily mediated by the enzyme CYP2A6 and the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR = trans 3' hydroxycotinine/cotinine) is a phenotypic proxy for CYP2A6 activity. No studies have examined differences in this biomarker among young adult daily menthol and nonmenthol smokers. This study compares biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure among young adult daily menthol and nonmenthol smokers. Saliva cotinine and carbon monoxide were measured in a multiethnic sample of daily smokers aged 18-35 (n = 186). Nicotine, cotinine, the cotinine/cigarette per day ratio, trans 3' hydroxycotinine, the NMR, and expired carbon monoxide were compared. The geometric means for nicotine, cotinine, and the cotinine/cigarette per day ratio did not significantly differ between menthol and nonmenthol smokers. The NMR was significantly lower among menthol compared with nonmenthol smokers after adjusting for race/ethnicity, gender, body mass index, and cigarette smoked per day (0.19 vs. 0.24, P = .03). White menthol smokers had significantly higher cotinine/cigarettes per day ratio than white nonmenthol smokers in the adjusted model. White menthol smokers had a lower NMR in the unadjusted model (0.24 vs. 0.31, P = .05) and the differences remained marginally significant in the adjusted model (0.28 vs. 0.34, P = .06). We did not observe these differences in Native Hawaiians and Filipinos. Young adult daily menthol smokers have slower rates of nicotine metabolism than nonmenthol smokers. Studies are needed to determine the utility of this biomarker for smoking cessation treatment assignments. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nicotine Metabolism in Young Adult Daily Menthol and Nonmenthol Smokers

PubMed Central

Pokhrel, Pallav; Herzog, Thaddeus A.; Pagano, Ian S.; Franke, Adrian A.; Clanton, Mark S.; Alexander, Linda A.; Trinidad, Dennis R.; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn K.; Johnson, Carl A.; Moolchan, Eric T.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Menthol cigarette smoking may increase the risk for tobacco smoke exposure and inhibit nicotine metabolism in the liver. Nicotine metabolism is primarily mediated by the enzyme CYP2A6 and the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR = trans 3′ hydroxycotinine/cotinine) is a phenotypic proxy for CYP2A6 activity. No studies have examined differences in this biomarker among young adult daily menthol and nonmenthol smokers. This study compares biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure among young adult daily menthol and nonmenthol smokers. Methods: Saliva cotinine and carbon monoxide were measured in a multiethnic sample of daily smokers aged 18–35 (n = 186). Nicotine, cotinine, the cotinine/cigarette per day ratio, trans 3′ hydroxycotinine, the NMR, and expired carbon monoxide were compared. Results: The geometric means for nicotine, cotinine, and the cotinine/cigarette per day ratio did not significantly differ between menthol and nonmenthol smokers. The NMR was significantly lower among menthol compared with nonmenthol smokers after adjusting for race/ethnicity, gender, body mass index, and cigarette smoked per day (0.19 vs. 0.24, P = .03). White menthol smokers had significantly higher cotinine/cigarettes per day ratio than white nonmenthol smokers in the adjusted model. White menthol smokers had a lower NMR in the unadjusted model (0.24 vs. 0.31, P = .05) and the differences remained marginally significant in the adjusted model (0.28 vs. 0.34, P = .06). We did not observe these differences in Native Hawaiians and Filipinos. Conclusions: Young adult daily menthol smokers have slower rates of nicotine metabolism than nonmenthol smokers. Studies are needed to determine the utility of this biomarker for smoking cessation treatment assignments. PMID:25995160

Estimation and correlation of salivary thiocyanate levels in periodontally healthy subjects, smokers, nonsmokers, and gutka-chewers with chronic periodontitis.

PubMed

Hegde, Shashikanth; Chatterjee, Elashri; Rajesh, K S; Kumar, M S Arun

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to estimate and correlate salivary thiocyanate (SCN) levels in periodontally healthy subjects, smokers, nonsmokers, and gutka-chewers with chronic periodontitis. The study population consisted of 40 systemically healthy subjects in the age group of 18-55 years that was further divided into four groups: Control, smokers, nonsmokers, and gutka-chewers with chronic periodontitis. Gingival index (GI) (Loe and Silness-1963), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss was assessed. Estimation of SCN was performed by ultraviolet spectrophotometer at 447 nm wavelength. Statistical analysis was performed using the one-way ANOVAs Welch test and Pearson's correlation test using SPSS version 17 software. Results showed statistically significant increase in SCN levels in smokers as compared to gutka-chewers with chronic periodontitis, control, and nonsmokers with chronic periodontitis subjects. Significantly higher PD and loss of attachment were seen in smokers group compared with other groups. A negative correlation observed between the GI and thiocyanate levels. The present study revealed a significant increase in SCN levels in smokers with periodontitis as compared to nonsmokers.

Smokers report lower intake of key nutrients than nonsmokers, yet both fall short of meeting recommended intakes.

PubMed

Raatz, Susan K; Jahns, Lisa; Johnson, LuAnn K; Scheett, Angela; Carriquiry, Alicia; Lemieux, Andrine; Nakajima, Motohiro; al'Absi, Mustafa

2017-09-01

Smoking is a major risk factor in the development of preventable disease which may be due to a poorer diet and the reduced nutrient intake of smokers. Our objective was to compare and evaluate the reported intake of current smokers with that of nonsmokers among participants of a study evaluating stress and smoking. We hypothesized (1) that overall energy and nutrient intake would be reduced in smokers compared with nonsmokers and (2) that smokers would have increased noncompliance with Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Men and women (smokers n=138, nonsmokers n=46) completed a 3-day diet record at baseline. Mean energy and nutrient intakes were stratified by smoking status and compared with DRI levels. The mean body mass index was 28.3±0.5kg/m 2 for smokers and 27.2±1.0kg/m 2 for nonsmokers. Compared with nonsmokers, the smokers reported lower intakes of energy, total polyunsaturated fatty acids, linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, total sugars, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin E. Smokers reported reduced compliance with the DRIs for iron, phosphorus, vitamin C, riboflavin, and folate compared with nonsmokers. Unlike other evaluations of smokers vs nonsmokers, we observed no difference in body weight between groups. Smokers and nonsmokers alike reported dietary intakes lower than the DRIs for many nutrients. However, the reported nutrient intake of the smokers was substantially lower than nonsmokers for key nutrients, and they were more likely to not comply with the DRIs for essential nutrients, placing them at increased risk of chronic disease. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Heart Rate Variability and Wavelet-based Studies on ECG Signals from Smokers and Non-smokers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, K.; Goel, R.; Champaty, B.; Samantray, S.; Tibarewala, D. N.

2013-12-01

The current study deals with the heart rate variability (HRV) and wavelet-based ECG signal analysis of smokers and non-smokers. The results of HRV indicated dominance towards the sympathetic nervous system activity in smokers. The heart rate was found to be higher in case of smokers as compared to non-smokers ( p < 0.05). The frequency domain analysis showed an increase in the LF and LF/HF components with a subsequent decrease in the HF component. The HRV features were analyzed for classification of the smokers from the non-smokers. The results indicated that when RMSSD, SD1 and RR-mean features were used concurrently a classification efficiency of > 90 % was achieved. The wavelet decomposition of the ECG signal was done using the Daubechies (db 6) wavelet family. No difference was observed between the smokers and non-smokers which apparently suggested that smoking does not affect the conduction pathway of heart.

Lower grey matter density and functional connectivity in the anterior insula in smokers compared to never-smokers

PubMed Central

Stoeckel, Luke E.; Chai, Xiaoqian J.; Zhang, Jiahe; Whitfield-Gabrieli, Susan; Evins, A. Eden

2015-01-01

Rationale While nicotine addiction is characterized by both structural and functional abnormalities in brain networks involved in salience and cognitive control, few studies have integrated these data to understand how these abnormalities may support addiction. Objectives (1) To evaluate grey matter density and functional connectivity of the anterior insula in cigarette smokers and never-smokers and (2) characterize how differences in these measures related to smoking behavior. Methods We compared structural MRI (grey matter density via voxel-based morphometry) and seed-based functional connectivity MRI data in 16 minimally deprived smokers and 16 matched never-smokers. Results Compared to controls, smokers had lower grey matter density in left anterior insula extending into inferior frontal and temporal cortex. Grey matter density in this region was inversely correlated with cigarettes smoked per day. Smokers exhibited negative functional connectivity (anti-correlation) between the anterior insula and regions involved in cognitive control (left lateral prefrontal cortex) and semantic processing / emotion regulation (lateral temporal cortex), whereas controls exhibited positive connectivity between these regions. Conclusions There were differences in the anterior insula, a central region in the brain’s salience network, when comparing both volumetric and functional connectivity data between cigarette smokers and never smokers. Volumetric data, but not the functional connectivity data, was also associated with an aspect of smoking behavior (daily cigarettes smoked). PMID:25990865

Cigarette smoking and telomere length: A systematic review of 84 studies and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Astuti, Yuliana; Wardhana, Ardyan; Watkins, Johnathan; Wulaningsih, Wahyu

2017-10-01

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for ageing-related disease, but its association with biological ageing, indicated by telomere length, is unclear. We systematically reviewed evidence evaluating association between smoking status and telomere length. Searches were performed in MEDLINE (Ovid) and EMBASE (Ovid) databases, combining variation of keywords "smoking" and "telomere". Data was extracted for study characteristics and estimates for association between smoking and telomere length. Quality of studies was assessed with a risk of bias score, and publication bias was assessed with a funnel plot. I 2 test was used to observe heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was carried out to compare mean difference in telomere length by smoking status, and a dose-response approach was carried out for pack-years of smoking and telomere length. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to examine sources of heterogeneity. A total of 84 studies were included in the review, and 30 among them were included in our meta-analysis. Potential bias was addressed in half of included studies, and there was little evidence of small study bias. Telomere length was shorter among ever smokers compared to never smokers (summary standard mean difference [SMD]: -0.11 (95% CI -0.16 to -0.07)). Similarly, shorter telomere length was found among smokers compared to non-smokers, and among current smokers compared to never or former smokers. Dose-response meta-analysis suggested an inverse trend between pack-years of smoking and telomere length. However, heterogeneity among some analyses was observed. Shorter telomeres among ever smokers compared to those who never smoked may imply mechanisms linking tobacco smoke exposure to ageing-related disease. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoking and cognitive impairment among older persons in Malaysia.

PubMed

Momtaz, Yadollah Abolfathi; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Hamid, Tengku Aizan; Chai, Sen Tyng

2015-06-01

Previous studies have shown conflicting results on the association between smoking and cognitive function. This study aims to examine the relationship of smoking with cognitive function. Data for the study, consisting of 2553 older adults aged 60 years and older, were drawn from a nationwide household survey entitled "Determinants of Wellness among Older Malaysians: A Health Promotion Perspective" conducted in 2010. Current smokers had lower rates of cognitive impairment compared to never smokers (17.4% vs 25.9%), while cognitive function in former or ex-smokers was almost similar to that of the never smokers. Findings from multiple logistic regression analysis showed that current smokers were 37% less likely to be cognitively impaired, compared to the never smokers (odds ratio [OR] = .63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .46-.86) while controlling for potential confounders. No difference in cognitive function was observed between former smokers and never smokers (OR = .94; 95% CI: .71-1.25). Although the findings indicated a negative association between cigarette smoking and cognitive impairment, we are unable to conclude whether this relationship is causal or affected by other unmeasured confounding factors, especially survival bias. © The Author(s) 2014.

Personal, interpersonal, and cultural predictors of stages of cigarette smoking among adolescents in Johannesburg, South Africa.

PubMed

Brook, J S; Morojele, N K; Brook, D W; Zhang, C; Whiteman, M

2006-06-01

This study examined the personal, parental, peer, and cultural predictors of stage of smoking among South African urban adolescents. A cross-sectional design was employed. A stratified random approach based on census data was used to obtain the sample. Analyses were conducted using logistic regression. The study took place in communities in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants consisted of 731 adolescents in the age range of 12-17 years old. The sample was 47% male and 53% female, and contained four ethnic classifications: white, black, Indian, and "coloured" (a South African term for mixed ancestry). A structured, in-person interview was administered to each participant in private by a trained interviewer, after obtaining consent. The dependent variables consisted of three stages of smoking: non-smoking, experimental smoking, and regular smoking. The independent measures were drawn from four domains: personal attributes, parental, peer, and cultural influences. Factors in all four domains significantly predicted three different stages of smoking. Personal attributes (internalising and externalising) distinguished among the three stages. Parental factors (for example, affection) reduced the odds of being a regular smoker compared with an experimental smoker or non-smoker, but did not differentiate experimental smokers from non-smokers. Findings from the peer domain (for example, peer substance use) predicted an increase in the risk of being a regular smoker compared with an experimental smoker or non-smoker. In the cultural domain, ethnic identification predicted a decrease in the risk of being a regular smoker compared with an experimental smoker, whereas discrimination and victimisation predicted an increase in the risk of being an experimental smoker compared with a non-smoker. All the domains were important for all four ethnic groups. Four psychosocial domains are important in distinguishing among the three stages of smoking studied. Some predictors differentiated all stages of smoking, others between some of the stages of smoking. Therefore, intervention and prevention programmes which are culturally and linguistically sensitive and appropriate should consider the individual's stage of smoking.

The motivation to stay abstinent in ex-smokers: comparing the present with the past.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Arie; Borland, Ron; Buunk, Bram P

2007-10-01

Little is known about the motivation of ex-smokers to stay abstinent. In the present study we argue that ex-smokers compare their present to their past when they still smoked to conclude whether they make good progress towards a satisfactory state of continued abstinence. These temporal comparisons are thought to be central in the motivation to stay abstinent in ex-smokers. The power of temporal comparisons to predict relapse was tested in two related samples of ex-smokers (N=152 and N=197), together with two other relevant psychological factors; positive outcome expectations of smoking and self-efficacy expectations. In the first sample of ex-smokers, only temporal comparisons predicted relapse after 2 months. In the second sample of ex-smokers, temporal comparisons mediated the relation between perceived positive outcomes of smoking and relapse after 6 months. In addition, in predicting relapse after 6 months, temporal comparisons interacted with self-efficacy. The present study suggests that temporal comparisons comprise the cognitive aspect of the motivation of ex-smokers to stay abstinent. This conceptualization of the motivation in ex-smokers can be used in practice to prevent relapse.

The Effect of Smoking on Mineral and Protein Compositionof Saliva.

PubMed

Fattahi Bafghi, Ali; Goljanian Tabrizi, Ali; Bakhshayi, Peyman

2015-07-01

To assess the salivary composition of proteins and minerals in smokers compared with non-smokers. In this study we compared the total protein and Ca, Na, K, Mg, Pb of whole saliva in two groups of men (28 smokers and 31nonsmokers) aged between 29-41years. Fifty-nine participants were evaluated. The mean age was 33.14±5.32 years among smokers and 32.15±5.12 years among non-smokers (P>0.05). The mean concentration of total protein, Ca, Pb, and Zn of whole saliva in smokers was lower than that in non-smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The mean concentration of Na, K, Mg in whole saliva was not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers (P>0.05). We specified that smoking reduced the value of total protein, Ca and Pb of saliva, however it did not have an impact on Na, K, and Mg of saliva.

Survival among Never-Smokers with Lung Cancer in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Study.

PubMed

Clément-Duchêne, Christelle; Stock, Shannon; Xu, Xiangyan; Chang, Ellen T; Gomez, Scarlett Lin; West, Dee W; Wakelee, Heather A; Gould, Michael K

2016-01-01

Differences in patient characteristics and outcomes have been observed among current, former, and never-smokers with lung cancer, but most prior studies included few never-smokers and were not prospective. We used data from a large, prospective study of lung cancer care and outcomes in the United States to compare characteristics of never-smokers and smokers with lung cancer and to examine survival among the never-smokers. Smoking status at diagnosis was determined by self-report and survival was determined from medical records and cancer registries, with follow-up through June 2010 or later. Cox regression was used to examine the association between smoking and survival, and to identify predictors of survival among never-smokers. Among 3,410 patients with lung cancer diagnosed between September 1, 2003 and October 14, 2005 who completed a baseline patient survey, there were 274 never-smokers (8%), 1,612 former smokers (47%), 1,496 current smokers or smokers who quit recently (44%), and 28 with missing information about smoking status (<1%). Never-smokers appeared more likely than former and current/recent smokers to be female and of Asian or Hispanic race/ethnicity, and to have adenocarcinoma histology, fewer comorbidities, private insurance, and higher income and education. Compared with never-smokers, the adjusted hazard of death from any cause was 29% higher among former smokers (hazard ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.55), and 39% higher among current/recent smokers (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.67). Factors predicting worse overall survival among never-smokers included Hispanic ethnicity, severe comorbidity, undifferentiated histology, and regional or distant stage. Never-smoking Hispanics appeared more likely to have regional or advanced disease at diagnosis and less likely to undergo surgical resection, although these differences were not statistically significant. Never-smokers with lung cancer are more likely than ever-smokers to be female, Asian or Hispanic, and more advantaged socioeconomically, suggesting possible etiologic differences in lung cancer by smoking status. Among never-smokers, Hispanics with lung cancer had worse survival than non-Hispanic whites.

Survival among Never-Smokers with Lung Cancer in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Study

PubMed Central

Clément-Duchêne, Christelle; Stock, Shannon; Xu, Xiangyan; Chang, Ellen T.; Gomez, Scarlett Lin; West, Dee W.; Wakelee, Heather A.

2016-01-01

Rationale: Differences in patient characteristics and outcomes have been observed among current, former, and never-smokers with lung cancer, but most prior studies included few never-smokers and were not prospective. Objectives: We used data from a large, prospective study of lung cancer care and outcomes in the United States to compare characteristics of never-smokers and smokers with lung cancer and to examine survival among the never-smokers. Methods: Smoking status at diagnosis was determined by self-report and survival was determined from medical records and cancer registries, with follow-up through June 2010 or later. Cox regression was used to examine the association between smoking and survival, and to identify predictors of survival among never-smokers. Measurements and Main Results: Among 3,410 patients with lung cancer diagnosed between September 1, 2003 and October 14, 2005 who completed a baseline patient survey, there were 274 never-smokers (8%), 1,612 former smokers (47%), 1,496 current smokers or smokers who quit recently (44%), and 28 with missing information about smoking status (<1%). Never-smokers appeared more likely than former and current/recent smokers to be female and of Asian or Hispanic race/ethnicity, and to have adenocarcinoma histology, fewer comorbidities, private insurance, and higher income and education. Compared with never-smokers, the adjusted hazard of death from any cause was 29% higher among former smokers (hazard ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.55), and 39% higher among current/recent smokers (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–1.67). Factors predicting worse overall survival among never-smokers included Hispanic ethnicity, severe comorbidity, undifferentiated histology, and regional or distant stage. Never-smoking Hispanics appeared more likely to have regional or advanced disease at diagnosis and less likely to undergo surgical resection, although these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Never-smokers with lung cancer are more likely than ever-smokers to be female, Asian or Hispanic, and more advantaged socioeconomically, suggesting possible etiologic differences in lung cancer by smoking status. Among never-smokers, Hispanics with lung cancer had worse survival than non-Hispanic whites. PMID:26730864

Downregulation of Checkpoint Protein Kinase 2 in the Urothelium of Healthy Male Tobacco Smokers.

PubMed

Breyer, Johannes; Denzinger, Stefan; Hartmann, Arndt; Otto, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

With this letter to the editor we present for the first time a study on CHEK2 expression in normal urothelium of healthy male smokers, former smokers and non-smokers. We could show a statistically significant downregulation of this DNA repair gene in current smokers compared to non-smokers, suggesting that smoking downregulates CHEK2 in normal urothelium, probably associated with an early step in carcinogenesis of urothelial bladder carcinoma. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Do hospital treatments represent a 'teachable moment' for quitting smoking? A study from a stage-theoretical perspective.

PubMed

Dohnke, B; Ziemann, C; Will, K E; Weiss-Gerlach, E; Spies, C D

2012-01-01

Hospital treatments are assumed to be a 'teachable moment'. This phenomenon, however, is only poorly conceptualised and untested. A stage-theoretical perspective implies that a cueing event such as hospital treatments is a teachable moment if a stage progression, change of cognitions, or both occur. This concept is examined in a cross-sectional study by comparing smokers in two treatment settings, an emergency department (ED) and inpatient treatment after elective surgery, with smokers in a control setting. Setting differences were hypothesised in stage distribution, and levels of and stage differences in social-cognitive factors under control for possible confounders. Stage, social-cognitive factors and possible confounders were assessed in 185 ED smokers, 193 inpatient smokers and 290 control smokers. Compared to control smokers, ED and inpatient smokers were in higher stages; they perceived fewer risks and cons; inpatient smokers reported more concrete plans. Stage differences in self-efficacy among ED and inpatient smokers differed from those among control smokers, but the former corresponded more strongly to the theoretical stage assumptions. The results suggest that hospital treatments lead to a stage progression and change of corresponding cognitions, and thus represent a 'teachable moment'. Stage-matched interventions should be provided but consider differences in cognitions to be effective.

Situational and mood factors associated with smoking in young adult light and heavy smokers.

PubMed

Thrul, Johannes; Bühler, Anneke; Ferguson, Stuart G

2014-07-01

Antecedents of smoking have been widely researched in studies with older adults. However, less is known about the smoking patterns and antecedents of smoking in young adult smokers. In this study, we used ecological momentary assessment collected with an Internet-based survey instrument and used the participants' own mobile phones to contrast the smoking patterns of young adult light and intermittent smokers (n = 23) with heavy smokers (n = 18). Overall, 1543 smoking and non-smoking situations were analysed. By means of generalised estimating equations, we used a range of situational characteristics to predict smoking in both groups. Craving and smoking of others increased the odds of smoking, and smoking bans were associated with a decreased probability of smoking among both light and intermittent smokers and heavy smokers. Situational antecedents differed between both groups. Cue-associated smoking played a bigger role for light and intermittent smokers than for heavy smokers. Situational antecedents, such as craving, being at the home of others, drinking alcohol and smoking by others, were more strongly associated with the smoking of light and intermittent smokers compared with heavy smokers. Smoking among young adults is associated with both internal and external situational characteristics. Compared with heavy smokers, light and intermittent smoking seems to be under more stimulus control and more characterised by social smoking. These results are consistent with several findings from previous studies and provide further information on different subgroups of smokers in early adulthood. © 2014 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Differential Effect of Active Smoking on Gene Expression in Male and Female Smokers

PubMed Central

Paul, Sunirmal; Amundson, Sally A

2015-01-01

Smoking is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Cohort epidemiological studies have demonstrated that women are more vulnerable to cigarette-smoking induced diseases than their male counterparts, however, the molecular basis of these differences has remained unknown. In this study, we explored if there were differences in the gene expression patterns between male and female smokers, and how these patterns might reflect different sex-specific responses to the stress of smoking. Using whole genome microarray gene expression profiling, we found that a substantial number of oxidant related genes were expressed in both male and female smokers, however, smoking-responsive genes did indeed differ greatly between male and female smokers. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) against reference oncogenic signature gene sets identified a large number of oncogenic pathway gene-sets that were significantly altered in female smokers compared to male smokers. In addition, functional annotation with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) identified smoking-correlated genes associated with biological functions in male and female smokers that are directly relevant to well-known smoking related pathologies. However, these relevant biological functions were strikingly overrepresented in female smokers compared to male smokers. IPA network analysis with the functional categories of immune and inflammatory response gene products suggested potential interactions between smoking response and female hormones. Our results demonstrate a striking dichotomy between male and female gene expression responses to smoking. This is the first genome-wide expression study to compare the sex-specific impacts of smoking at a molecular level and suggests a novel potential connection between sex hormone signaling and smoking-induced diseases in female smokers. PMID:25621181

Breast tumor DNA methylation patterns associated with smoking in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study.

PubMed

Conway, Kathleen; Edmiston, Sharon N; Parrish, Eloise; Bryant, Christopher; Tse, Chiu-Kit; Swift-Scanlan, Theresa; McCullough, Lauren E; Kuan, Pei Fen

2017-06-01

Tobacco smoking is a risk factor in several cancers, yet its roles as a putative etiologic exposure or poor prognostic factor in breast cancer are less clear. Altered DNA methylation contributes to breast cancer development and may provide a mechanistic link between smoking and gene expression changes leading to cancer development or progression. Using a cancer-focused array, we examined methylation at 933 CpGs in 517 invasive breast tumors in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study to determine whether methylation patterns differ by exposure to tobacco smoke. Multivariable generalized linear regression models were used to compare tumor methylation profiles between smokers and never smokers, overall, or stratified on hormone receptor (HR) status. Modest differences in CpG methylation were detected at p < 0.05 in breast tumors from current or ever smokers compared with never smokers. In stratified analyses, HR- tumors from smokers exhibited primarily hypomethylation compared with tumors from never smokers; hypomethylation was similarly detected within the more homogeneous basal-like subtype. Most current smoking-associated CpG loci exhibited methylation levels in former smokers that were intermediate between those in current and never smokers and exhibited progressive changes in methylation with increasing duration of smoking. Among former smokers, restoration of methylation toward baseline (never smoking) levels was observed with increasing time since quitting. Moreover, smoking-related hypermethylation was stronger in HR+ breast tumors from blacks than in whites. Our results suggest that breast tumor methylation patterns differ with tobacco smoke exposure; however, additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The motivational salience of cigarette-related stimuli among former, never, and current smokers

PubMed Central

Robinson, Jason D.; Versace, Francesco; Engelmann, Jeffery M.; Cui, Yong; Slapin, Aurelija; Oum, Robert; Cinciripini, Paul M.

2014-01-01

While smokers are known to find smoking-related stimuli to be motivationally salient, the extent to which former smokers do so is largely unknown. In this study, we collected event-related potential (ERP) data from former and never smokers and compared them to a sample of current smokers interested in quitting who completed the same ERP paradigm prior to smoking cessation treatment. All participants (n = 180) attended one laboratory session where we recorded dense-array ERPs in response to cigarette-related, pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral pictures, and where we collected valence and arousal ratings of the pictures. We identified three spatial and temporal regions of interest, corresponding to the P1 (120-132 ms), early posterior negativity (EPN; 244-316 ms), and late positive potential (LPP; 384-800 ms) ERP components. We found that all participants produced larger P1 responses to cigarette-related pictures compared to the other picture categories. With the EPN component, we found that, similar to pleasant and unpleasant pictures, cigarette-related pictures attracted early attentional resources, regardless of smoking status. Both former and never smokers produced reduced LPP responses to cigarette-related and pleasant pictures compared to current smokers. Current smokers rated the cigarette-related pictures as being more pleasant and arousing than the former and never smokers. The LPP and picture rating results suggest that former smokers, like never smokers, do not find cigarette-related stimuli to be as motivationally salient as current smokers. PMID:25436840

Improvement in blood pressure after short-term inorganic nitrate supplementation is attenuated in cigarette smokers compared to non-smoking controls.

PubMed

Bailey, Stephen J; Blackwell, Jamie R; Wylie, Lee J; Holland, Terezia; Winyard, Paul G; Jones, Andrew M

2016-12-30

Dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate (NO 3 - ) has been reported to improve cardiovascular health indices in healthy adults. Cigarette smoking increases circulating thiocyanate (SCN - ), which has been suggested to competitively inhibit salivary nitrate (NO 3 - ) uptake, a rate-limiting step in dietary NO 3 - metabolism. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that dietary NO 3 - supplementation would be less effective at increasing the circulating plasma nitrite concentration ([NO 2 - ]) and lowering blood pressure in smokers (S) compared to non-smokers (NS). Nine healthy smokers and eight healthy non-smoking controls reported to the laboratory at baseline (CON) and following six day supplementation periods with 140 mL day -1 NO 3 - -rich (8.4 mmol NO 3 -  day -1 ; NIT) and NO 3 - -depleted (0.08 mmol NO 3 -  day -1 ; PLA) beetroot juice in a cross-over experiment. Plasma and salivary [SCN - ] were elevated in smokers compared to non-smokers in all experimental conditions (P < 0.05). Plasma and salivary [NO 3 - ] and [NO 2 - ] were elevated in the NIT condition compared to CON and PLA conditions in smokers and non-smokers (P < 0.05). However, the change in salivary [NO 3 - ] (S: 3.5 ± 2.1 vs. NS: 7.5 ± 4.4 mM), plasma [NO 3 - ] (S: 484 ± 198 vs. NS: 802 ± 199 μM) and plasma [NO 2 - ] (S: 218 ± 128 vs. NS: 559 ± 419 nM) between the CON and NIT conditions was lower in the smokers compared to the non-smokers (P < 0.05). Salivary [NO 2 - ] increased above CON to a similar extent with NIT in smokers and non-smokers (P > 0.05). Systolic blood pressure was lowered compared to PLA with NIT in non-smokers (P < 0.05), but not smokers (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that dietary NO 3 - metabolism is compromised in smokers leading to an attenuated blood pressure reduction compared to non-smokers after NO 3 - supplementation. These observations may provide novel insights into the cardiovascular risks associated with cigarette smoking and suggest that this population may be less likely to benefit from improved cardiovascular health if they increase dietary NO 3 - intake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lower hypoxic ventilatory response in smokers compared to non-smokers during abstinence from cigarettes.

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Wulf; Sauer, Roland; Koehler, Ulrich; Bärtsch, Peter; Kinscherf, Ralf

2016-11-24

Carotid body O 2 -chemosensitivity determines the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) as part of crucial regulatory reflex within oxygen homeostasis. Nicotine has been suggested to attenuate HVR in neonates of smoking mothers. However, whether smoking affects HVR in adulthood has remained unclear and probably blurred by acute ventilatory stimulation through cigarette smoke. We hypothesized that HVR is substantially reduced in smokers when studied after an overnight abstinence from cigarettes i.e. after nicotine elimination. We therefore determined the isocapnic HVR of 23 healthy male smokers (age 33.9 ± 2.0 years, BMI 24.2 ± 0.5 kg m -2 , mean ± SEM) with a smoking history of >8 years after 12 h of abstinence and compared it to that of 23 healthy male non-smokers matched for age and BMI. Smokers and non-smokers were comparable with regard to factors known to affect isocapnic HVR such as plasma levels of glucose and thiols as well as intracellular levels of glutathione in blood mononuclear cells. As a new finding, abstinent smokers had a significantly lower isocapnic HVR (0.024 ± 0.002 vs. 0.037 ± 0.003 l min -1 % -1 BMI -1 , P = 0.002) compared to non-smokers. However, upon re-exposure to cigarettes the smokers' HVR increased immediately to the non-smokers' level. This is the first report of a substantial HVR reduction in abstinent adult smokers which appears to be masked by daily smoking routine and may therefore have been previously overlooked. A low HVR may be suggested as a novel link between smoking and aggravated hypoxemia during sleep especially in relevant clinical conditions such as COPD.

Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress.

PubMed

Miller, Mollie E; Tidey, Jennifer W; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Higgins, Stephen T

2017-01-01

Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population.

Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress

PubMed Central

Miller, Mollie E.; Tidey, Jennifer W.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Higgins, Stephen T.

2017-01-01

Objectives Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). Methods We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Results Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population. PMID:28653023

Social aspects of tobacco addiction and the quality of life of people smoking and non-smoking tobacco.

PubMed

Kałucka, Sylwia

2012-01-01

Harmfulness of smoking on the human body leads to the development of tobacco-related diseases, which contributes to a reduction in years of life. Active smoker cigarettes more often suffers from ill-health, emotional state, physical function, social activity, than a non-smoker. These differences are even more pronounced among the elderly. The aim of the study was to compare the quality of life in middle-aged and elderly among chronic smokers and non-smokers. The study included 400 people who were divided into two groups: those in middle age (100-hundred active smokers and 100 never smokers people) and the elderly (100-hundred active smokers and 100 never smokers people). The average age of respondents - 43.5 years for people in middle age and 65.3 years at the old age. Number of cigarettes smoked per day 15 pieces in middle-aged and 7 cigarettes by older people. When comparing the health of middle-aged to older people, to 42.5% of younger people are happy with the current state of health, this percentage decreases to 10% in the elderly. The results showed that none among the elderly smokers not rated health status as good, among nonsmokers was 20% of the respondents. There was statistically significant differences: between active smokers and nonsmokers in middle age (p<0,004), and in old age (p<0.0001). Middle age, hypertension was diagnosed in 32% of current smokers and only in three non-smokers (p<0.001). Hypertension among older people occurred twice as often among smokers than nonsmokers, like coronary heart disease, and 31% of smokers in the elderly suffered from COPD, compared to 2% of non-smokers (p<0.001). Middle age 39% of smokers, feels great due to the limitation of physical health, the elderly, 58% is several times more likely than their peers in groups of non-smokers (p<0.001). The pain is more common in smokers than non- smokers in both age groups, this is the pain of a strong and medium intensity. Nonsmokers, independent of age often engaged in family and social life than smokers in the same age groups (p<0.001). Cigarette smokers have chronic diseases earlier, more often and more numerous than in the group of non-smoking peers. Worse physical and psychological health of smokers reduces social activity and decrease in quality of life.

Pronounced increase in risk of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in younger smokers.

PubMed

Lloyd, Amelia; Steele, Lloyd; Fotheringham, James; Iqbal, Javaid; Sultan, Ayyaz; Teare, M Dawn; Grech, Ever D

2017-04-01

Previous studies have shown that smokers presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) a decade earlier than non-smokers. However, no account has been made for population smoking trends, an important deficit addressed by this study. The combination of admission data on patients with acute STEMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and demographic data supplied by the Office for National Statistics for the South Yorkshire population between 2009-2012 were analysed to generate incidence rates and rate ratios (RR) to quantify the relative risk of STEMI from smoking, overall and by age group. There were 1795 STEMI patients included of which 72.9% were male. 68 patients were excluded as they had no smoking status recorded, leaving 48.5% of the remaining population as current smokers, 27.2% ex-smokers and 24.3% never smokers. Smokers were over-represented with overall smoking prevalence in South Yorkshire calculated at 22.4%. The incidence of STEMI in smokers aged under 50, 50-65 and over 65 years was 59.7, 316.9 and 331.0 per 100 000 patient years at risk compared to 7.0, 60.9 and 106.8 for the combined group of ex- and never smokers. This gave smokers under the age of 50 years an 8.47 (95% CI 6.80 to 10.54) increase in rate compared to non-smokers of the same age, with the 50-65 and over 65 age groups having RRs of 5.20 (95% CI 4.76 to 5.69) and 3.10 (95% CI 2.67 to 3.60), respectively. Smoking was associated with an eightfold increased risk of acute STEMI in younger smokers, when compared to ex- and never smokers. Further efforts to reduce smoking in the youngest are needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Is the relationship between cigarette smoking and male erectile dysfunction independent of cardiovascular disease? Findings from a population-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Chew, Kew-Kim; Bremner, Alexandra; Stuckey, Bronwyn; Earle, Carolyn; Jamrozik, Konrad

2009-01-01

Cigarette smoking has been implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and as a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED). However, various aspects of the associations between cigarette smoking, ED, and CVD need further elucidation. We explored the relationship between cigarette smoking, ED, and CVD using data from a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,580 participants. Postal questionnaires were sent to randomly selected age-stratified male population samples obtained from the Western Australia Electoral Roll. In addition to items covering sociodemographic and self-reported clinical information and smoking habits, the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function was used to assess erectile function. Compared with never smokers, the odds of ED, adjusted for age, square of age, and CVD, were significantly higher among current smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02, 1.92) and ever smokers (OR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.02, 2.42). Similarly, the adjusted odds of severe ED were significantly higher among former smokers. Albeit not statistically significant, the age-adjusted odds of ED among current smokers increased with the number of cigarettes smoked. Among former smokers, the age-adjusted odds of ED were significantly higher 6-10 years following cessation of smoking than < or = 5 or > 10 years. Compared with never smokers without CVD, the age-adjusted odds of ED among former smokers and ever smokers without CVD were about 1.6. Regardless of smoking, these odds were significantly higher among participants with CVD. Compared with never smokers, former smokers and ever smokers have significantly higher odds of ED. The relationship between smoking and ED is independent of that between smoking and CVD, and not because of confounding by CVD. Patterns of ED in former smokers suggest that there may be a latent interval between active smoking and symptomatic ED, involving a process initially triggered by smoking.

Nondaily Smokers' Characteristics and Likelihood of Prenatal Cessation and Postpartum Relapse.

PubMed

Rockhill, Karilynn M; Tong, Van T; England, Lucinda J; D'Angelo, Denise V

2017-07-01

This study aimed to calculate the prevalence of pre-pregnancy nondaily smoking (<1 cigarette/day), risk factors, and report of prenatal provider smoking education; and assess the likelihood of prenatal cessation and postpartum relapse for nondaily smokers. We analyzed data from 2009 to 2011 among women with live-born infants participating in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. We compared characteristics of pre-pregnancy daily smokers (≥1 cigarette/day), nondaily smokers, and nonsmokers (chi-square adjusted p < .025). Between nondaily and daily smokers, we compared proportions of prenatal cessation, postpartum relapse (average 4 months postpartum), and reported provider education. Multivariable logistic regression calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) for prenatal cessation among pre-pregnancy smokers (n = 27 360) and postpartum relapse among quitters (n = 13 577). Nondaily smokers (11% of smokers) were more similar to nonsmokers and differed from daily smokers on characteristics examined (p ≤ .001 for all). Fewer nondaily smokers reported provider education than daily smokers (71.1%, 86.3%; p < .001). A higher proportion of nondaily compared to daily smokers quit during pregnancy (89.7%, 49.0%; p < .001), and a lower proportion relapsed postpartum (22.2%, 48.6%; p < .001). After adjustment, nondaily compared to daily smokers were more likely to quit (APR: 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58-1.71) and less likely to relapse postpartum (APR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.48-0.62). Nondaily smokers were more likely to quit smoking during pregnancy, less likely to relapse postpartum, and less likely to report provider education than daily smokers. Providers should educate all women, regardless of frequency of use, about the harms of tobacco during pregnancy, provide effective cessation interventions, and encourage women to be tobacco free postpartum and beyond. Nondaily smoking (<1 cigarette/day) is increasing among US smokers and carries a significant risk of disease. However, smoking patterns surrounding pregnancy among nondaily smokers are unknown. Using 2009-2011 data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, we found pre-pregnancy nondaily smokers compared to daily smokers were 65% more likely to quit smoking during pregnancy and almost half as likely to relapse postpartum. Providers should educate all women, regardless of frequency of use, about the harms of tobacco during pregnancy, provide effective cessation interventions, and encourage women to be tobacco free postpartum and beyond. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Does green tea consumption improve the salivary antioxidant status of smokers?

PubMed

Azimi, Somayyeh; Mansouri, Zahra; Bakhtiari, Sedigheh; Tennant, Marc; Kruger, Estie; Rajabibazl, Masoumeh; Daraei, Azam

2017-06-01


Considering the higher rate of oral cancer, and reduction in salivary antioxidants in smokers as indicated in previous studies, antioxidant- containing nutrients such as green tea, seem to be beneficial in counteracting against oxidative stress in this group. This study assessed the salivary total antioxidant alteration in smokers compared to nonsmokers, after short-tem (7days) and long-term (3 weeks), green tea drinking. In this experimental study, 20 volunteer moderate-to-heavy male smokers, and 20 matched healthy non-smokers were selected to participate, according to the inclusion criteria. Participants were instructed to drink two cups of green tea per day, by dissolving 2g of green tea in 150ml of hot water for each cup. After saliva collection, antioxidant capacity of saliva was measured at baseline, after 7days, and after 21days. Statistical evaluation was done by SPSS 21, using paired samplet tests, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni tests. 
 At day zero nonsmokers had a higher antioxidant capacity than smokers (686.6±62.22 vs. 338.8±59.9) mM/50μl, P<0.001. There was also a significant difference between two groups in salivary total antioxidant capacity after one week and three weeks of green tea consumption (P<0.001). However, there was an upward trend in both smokers and non-smokers over the study period (after tea drinking). In addition, a significant difference was found in total antioxidant capacity alteration in smokers compared to non-smokers from baseline to day 21. Results support the effectiveness of green tea consumption in salivary antioxidants enhancement in smokers, in both the short- and long term. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of smoking on neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratio and platelet ındices: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Tulgar, Y K; Cakar, S; Tulgar, S; Dalkilic, O; Cakiroglu, B; Uyanik, B S

2016-07-01

Smoking commonly leads to death. Although the neutrophil/lymphocyte Ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio and platelet indices have been shown to be important for the diagnosis, prognosis and severity of some diseases, the smoking status of patients in these studies has not been well defined. In this study, we compared ratios derived from complete blood count and platelet indices to smoking status and length in smokers and non-smokers. The data of healthy males and females aged between 18-60 years who presented to our institute for a routine check-up were collected, and subjects were divided in two groups - smokers and non-smokers. The presence of medical history or laboratory results which could affect inflammatory response, formed our exclusion criteria. All complete blood count results were noted and persons' smoking habits were calculated as pack/years. White blood cell, neutrophil, basophil and eosinophil counts; mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher in smokers when compared to non-smokers (p<0.05). When smokers were grouped according to smoking habits; positive linear correlations were detected between pack/year and Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and also pack/year and plateletcrit in smokers (p<0.05). Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio increases in correlation with pack/year while platelet/lymphocyte ratio is not affected and platelet distribution width is increased in smokers. If smokers are not excluded from studies evaluating neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet distribution width, the relationship between smoking status as well as pack/year must be determined and reported.

Gender and the smoking behaviour of Ethiopian immigrants in Toronto.

PubMed

Hyman, I; Fenta, H; Noh, S

2008-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present descriptive data on gender and smoking among Ethiopian immigrants in Toronto, Canada. The study used a cross-sectional epidemiological survey design (N = 342). The main outcome measures identified subjects as current (regular or occasional) smokers, daily smokers and former smokers. Overall, 20.8% of the individuals in the sample were current smokers and 15.7% were daily smokers. Although smoking rates (current and daily) were significantly higher among males compared to females, nearly twice as many female as male daily smokers reported that they began smoking post-migration (60.0% vs. 30.2%). Furthermore, 80.0% of female compared to nearly 56% of male daily smokers reported that they were smoking more post-migration. A significantly higher proportion of males compared to females were former daily smokers (17.8% vs. 4.4%). These findings present a challenge for public health professionals in terms of preventing the adoption of smoking among Ethiopian females and facilitating smoking cessation among Ethiopian males. Correlates with current smoking suggested that smoking prevention and cessation programs in newcomer immigrant communities may benefit from incorporating social, economic and religious contexts of these newcomers' lives from a gender-specific perspective.

Aging-Related Systemic Manifestations in COPD Patients and Cigarette Smokers

PubMed Central

Boyer, Laurent; Marcos, Elisabeth; Margarit, Laurent; Le Corvoisier, Philippe; Vervoitte, Laetitia; Hamidou, Leila; Frih, Lamia; Audureau, Etienne; Covali-Noroc, Ala; Andujar, Pascal; Saakashvili, Zakaria; Lino, Anne; Ghaleh, Bijan; Hue, Sophie; Derumeaux, Geneviève; Housset, Bruno; Dubois-Randé, Jean-Luc; Boczkowski, Jorge; Maitre, Bernard; Adnot, Serge

2015-01-01

Rationale Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with age-related systemic abnormalities that adversely affect the prognosis. Whether these manifestations are linked to the lung alterations or are independent complications of smoking remains unclear. Objectives To look for aging-related systemic manifestations and telomere shortening in COPD patients and smokers with minor lung destruction responsible for a decline in the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) corrected for alveolar volume (KCO). Methods Cross-sectional study in 301 individuals (100 with COPD, 100 smokers without COPD, and 101 nonsmokers without COPD). Measurements and Main Results Compared to control smokers, patients with COPD had higher aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV), lower bone mineral density (BMD) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMMI), and shorter telomere length (TL). Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were similar between control smokers and COPD patients. Smokers did not differ from nonsmokers for any of these parameters. However, smokers with normal spirometry but low KCO had lower ASMMI values compared to those with normal KCO. Moreover, female smokers with low KCO, had lower BMD and shorter TL compared to those with normal KCO. Conclusions Aging-related abnormalities in patients with COPD are also found in smokers with minor lung dysfunction manifesting as a KCO decrease. Decreased KCO might be useful, particularly among women, for identifying smokers at high risk for aging-related systemic manifestations and telomere shortening. PMID:25785739

Emotion regulation in heavy smokers: experiential, expressive and physiological consequences of cognitive reappraisal

PubMed Central

Wu, Lingdan; Winkler, Markus H.; Wieser, Matthias J.; Andreatta, Marta; Li, Yonghui; Pauli, Paul

2015-01-01

Emotion regulation dysfunctions are assumed to contribute to the development of tobacco addiction and relapses among smokers attempting to quit. To further examine this hypothesis, the present study compared heavy smokers with non-smokers (NS) in a reappraisal task. Specifically, we investigated whether non-deprived smokers (NDS) and deprived smokers (DS) differ from non-smokers in cognitive emotion regulation and whether there is an association between the outcome of emotion regulation and the cigarette craving. Sixty-five participants (23 non-smokers, 22 NDS, and 20 DS) were instructed to down-regulate emotions by reappraising negative or positive pictorial scenarios. Self-ratings of valence, arousal, and cigarette craving as well as facial electromyography and electroencephalograph activities were measured. Ratings, facial electromyography, and electroencephalograph data indicated that both NDS and DS performed comparably to nonsmokers in regulating emotional responses via reappraisal, irrespective of the valence of pictorial stimuli. Interestingly, changes in cigarette craving were positively associated with regulation of emotional arousal irrespective of emotional valence. These results suggest that heavy smokers are capable to regulate emotion via deliberate reappraisal and smokers’ cigarette craving is associated with emotional arousal rather than emotional valence. This study provides preliminary support for the therapeutic use of reappraisal to replace maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies in nicotine addicts. PMID:26528213

A smoking-related background helps moderate smokers to focus: An event-related potential study using a Go-NoGo task.

PubMed

Detandt, Sandrine; Bazan, Ariane; Schröder, Elisa; Olyff, Giulia; Kajosch, Hendrik; Verbanck, Paul; Campanella, Salvatore

2017-10-01

Cognitive impairment is a major component in addiction. However, research has been inconclusive as to whether this is also the case for smokers. The present study aims at providing electrophysiological clue for altered inhibitory control in smokers and at investigating whether reduced inhibition was more pronounced during exposure to a smoking cue. ERPs were recorded during a visual Go-NoGo task performed by 18 smokers and 23 controls, in which either a frequent Go signal (letter "M") or a rare No-Go signal ("letter W") were superimposed on three different long-lasting background contexts: black-neutral, smoking-related and non smoking-related. (1) Smokers performed worse and had an earlier NoGo-N2 latency as compared to controls and independently of context, suggesting a general inhibition impairment; (2) with smoking-related backgrounds specifically, smokers made fewer mistakes than they did in other contexts and displayed a larger NoGo P3 amplitude. These data might suggest that background cues related to addiction may help smokers to be more accurate in an inhibition task. Our results show the classical inhibitory impairment in smokers as compared to non-smokers. However, our data also suggest that a smoking-related background may bolster the inhibitory ability of smokers specifically. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nicotine dependence matters: examining longitudinal association between smoking and physical activity among Canadian adults.

PubMed

Azagba, Sunday; Asbridge, Mark

2013-11-01

A number of studies point to the inverse relationship between physical activity and smoking; however, none has examined the role of nicotine dependence in physical activity participation among smokers. This study examined whether levels of nicotine dependence modify the association between leisure time physical activity and smoking status. The study used longitudinal data on 6795 adults from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (2004-2010). Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between physical activity, smoking, and nicotine dependence. We found that nicotine dependent smokers were significantly less likely to be physically active compared to non-smokers. Specifically, using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, nicotine dependent smokers (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.55-0.76) were less likely to be physically active while no significant difference was found for non-dependent smokers (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.80-1.02) compared to non-smokers. Nicotine dependence matters in shaping engagement in physical activity among daily smokers. Efforts directed at promoting smoking cessation through nicotine dependence treatment intervention may provide additional benefits to health and well-being through an increased participation in physical activity. © 2013.

Altered Arterial Stiffness and Subendocardial Viability Ratio in Young Healthy Light Smokers after Acute Exercise

PubMed Central

Doonan, Robert J.; Scheffler, Patrick; Yu, Alice; Egiziano, Giordano; Mutter, Andrew; Bacon, Simon; Carli, Franco; Daskalopoulos, Marios E.; Daskalopoulou, Stella S.

2011-01-01

Background Studies showed that long-standing smokers have stiffer arteries at rest. However, the effect of smoking on the ability of the vascular system to respond to increased demands (physical stress) has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of smoking on arterial stiffness and subendocardial viability ratio, at rest and after acute exercise in young healthy individuals. Methods/Results Healthy light smokers (n = 24, pack-years = 2.9) and non-smokers (n = 53) underwent pulse wave analysis and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity measurements at rest, and 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes following an exercise test to exhaustion. Smokers were tested, 1) after 12h abstinence from smoking (chronic condition) and 2) immediately after smoking one cigarette (acute condition). At rest, chronic smokers had higher augmentation index and lower aortic pulse pressure than non-smokers, while subendocardial viability ratio was not significantly different. Acute smoking increased resting augmentation index and decreased subendocardial viability ratio compared with non-smokers, and decreased subendocardial viability ratio compared with the chronic condition. After exercise, subendocardial viability ratio was lower, and augmentation index and aortic pulse pressure were higher in non-smokers than smokers in the chronic and acute conditions. cfPWV rate of recovery of was greater in non-smokers than chronic smokers after exercise. Non-smokers were also able to achieve higher workloads than smokers in both conditions. Conclusion Chronic and acute smoking appears to diminish the vascular response to physical stress. This can be seen as an impaired ‘vascular reserve’ or a blunted ability of the blood vessels to accommodate the changes required to achieve higher workloads. These changes were noted before changes in arterial stiffness or subendocardial viability ratio occurred at rest. Even light smoking in young healthy individuals appears to have harmful effects on vascular function, affecting the ability of the vascular bed to respond to increased demands. PMID:22028821

[Systemic inflammatory profile of smokers with and without COPD].

PubMed

Mosrane, Y; Bougrida, M; Alloui, A S; Martani, M; Rouabah, L; Bourahli, M K; Mehdioui, H; Ben Saad, H

2017-09-01

Studies comparing the systemic inflammatory profiles of smokers with and without COPD present discordant findings. To compare the systemic inflammatory profile of smokers with and without COPD. This is a cross-sectional comparative study. Two groups of active smokers of more than 10 pack-years were included: 56 consecutives stable COPD (postbronchodilator FEV 1 /FVC<0.70) and 32 consecutives non-COPD (postbronchodilator FEV 1 /FVC≥0.70). Smoking and clinical, anthropometric and spirometric data were noted. The following blood biomarkers were identified: leukocytes, hemoglobin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). According to the levels (normal/abnormal) of these markers, two groups of smokers were formed. Quantitative and qualitative data were expressed, respectively, as means±SD and percentages. Compared to the non-COPD group, the COPD group was older (56±12 vs. 65±8 years) and had a higher smoking consumption (30±18 vs. 52±31 pack-years). Compared to the non-COPD group, the COPD group had higher values of CRP (2.06±1.24 vs. 11.32±11.03mg/L), of ESR (9.59±8.29 vs. 15.96±11.56), of IL-6 (9.28±4.69 vs. 20.27±5.31ng/L) and of TNF-α (18.38±7.98ng/L vs. 8.62±3.72ng/L). Compared to the non-COPD group, the COPD group included higher percentages of smokers with elevated CRP (0 % vs. 32 %), with leukocytosis (6 % vs. 16 %), with higher levels of IL-6 (81 % vs. 98 %) or TNF-α (91 % vs. 100 %). Smokers with COPD, compared to smokers free from COPD, have a marked systemic inflammation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparison of salivary antioxidants in healthy smoking and non-smoking men.

PubMed

Abdolsamadi, Hamid-reza; Goodarzi, Mohammad-taghi; Mortazavi, Hamed; Robati, Maryam; Ahmadi-Motemaye, Fatemeh

2011-01-01

Tobacco use is known as a serious global public health problem, and is also an important risk factor for oral diseases. Saliva is the first biological medium encountered during inhalation of cigarette smoke. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to compare the levels of salivary antioxidants between healthy smoking and non-smoking men. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from 80 men. Forty subjects were smokers with a daily consumption of 20 cigarettes for at least 10 years and 40 subjects were non-smokers. The salivary levels of uric acid, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and peroxidase were measured and compared between studied groups. The mean levels of salivary superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and peroxidase were significantly lower in smokers than non-smokers. There was no statistically significant difference in the salivary uric acid level between smokers and non-smokers. Measurement of antioxidant agents in human saliva might be useful for estimating the level of oxidative stress caused by cigarette smoke.

Environmental and biological monitoring of benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural outdoor male workers.

PubMed

Manuela, Ciarrocca; Francesco, Tomei; Tiziana, Caciari; Assunta, Capozzella; Lara, Scimitto; Nadia, Nardone; Giorgia, Andreozzi; Barbara, Scala; Maria, Fiaschetti; Carlotta, Cetica; Valeria, Di Giorgio; Pia, Schifano Maria; Gianfranco, Tomei; Angela, Sancini

2012-05-01

To evaluate exposure to benzene in urban and rural areas, an investigation into personal exposure to benzene in traffic policemen, police drivers and rural (roadmen) male outdoor workers was carried out. Personal samples and data acquired using fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city were used to measure personal exposure to benzene in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen. Blood benzene, urinary trans-trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) and S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (S-PMA) were measured at the end of work shift in 62 non-smoker traffic policemen, 22 police drivers and 57 roadmen and 34 smoker traffic policemen, 21 police drivers and 53 roadmen. Exposure to benzene was similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers and higher among non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Blood benzene, t,t-MA and S-PMA were similar among non-smoker traffic policemen and police drivers; blood benzene and t,t-MA were significantly higher in non-smoker urban workers compared to rural workers. Significant increases in t,t-MA were found in smokers vs. non-smokers. In non-smoker urban workers airborne benzene and blood benzene, and t,t-MA and S-PMA were significantly correlated. This study gives an evaluation of the exposure to benzene in an urban area, comparing people working in the street or in cars, to people working in a rural area. Benzene is a certain carcinogen for humans. The results we showed should lead to more in-depth studies about the effects on health of these categories of workers.

Selective attention to smoking cues in former smokers.

PubMed

Rehme, Anne K; Bey, Katharina; Frommann, Ingo; Mogg, Karin; Bradley, Brendan P; Bludau, Julia; Block, Verena; Sträter, Birgitta; Schütz, Christian G; Wagner, Michael

2018-02-01

Repeated drug use modifies the emotional and cognitive processing of drug-associated cues. These changes are supposed to persist even after prolonged abstinence. Several studies demonstrated that smoking cues selectively attract the attention of smokers, but empirical evidence for such an attentional bias among successful quitters is inconclusive. Here, we investigated whether attentional biases persist after smoking cessation. Thirty-eight former smokers, 34 current smokers, and 29 non-smokers participated in a single experimental session. We used three measures of attentional bias for smoking stimuli: A visual probe task with short (500ms) and long (2000ms) picture stimulus durations, and a modified Stroop task with smoking-related and neutral words. Former smokers and current smokers, as compared to non-smokers, showed an attentional bias in visual orienting to smoking pictures in the 500ms condition of the visual probe task. The Stroop interference index of smoking words was negatively related to nicotine dependence in current smokers. Former smokers and mildly dependent smokers, as compared to non-smokers, showed increased interference by smoking words in the Stroop task. Neither current nor former smokers showed an attentional bias in maintained attention (2000ms visual probe task). In conclusion, even after prolonged abstinence smoking cues retain incentive salience in former smokers, who differed from non-smokers on two attentional bias indices. Attentional biases in former smokers operate mainly in early involuntary rather than in controlled processing, and may represent a vulnerability factor for relapse. Therefore, smoking cessation programs should strengthen self-control abilities to prevent relapses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Acute effects of inhaled menthol on the rewarding effects of intravenous nicotine in smokers.

PubMed

Valentine, Gerald W; DeVito, Elise E; Jatlow, Peter I; Gueorguieva, Ralitza; Sofuoglu, Mehmet

2018-05-01

This double-blind, placebo controlled study examined whether menthol inhaled from an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) would change subjective and withdrawal alleviating effects of intravenous nicotine in young adult smokers. A total of 32 menthol-preferring smokers and 25 non-menthol-preferring smokers participated in the study that consisted of a random sequence of three different inhaled menthol conditions (0.0%, 0.5%, and 3.2%) across three test sessions (a single menthol condition per session). In each test session (performed at least 24 hours apart), a random order of saline, and two different nicotine infusions of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg/70 kg of bodyweight were administered, one hour apart, concurrent with menthol inhalation. While menthol did not alter the positive subjective effects of nicotine, menthol significantly enhanced aversive effects of nicotine in non-menthol-preferring smokers and reduced smoking urges in menthol-preferring smokers. In addition, menthol-preferring smokers reported blunted positive subjective responses to nicotine and less severe nicotine withdrawal after overnight nicotine deprivation. Finally, compared to non-menthol-preferring smokers, menthol-preferring smokers had a significantly lower baseline nicotine metabolite ratio indicating slower nicotine metabolism within our sample of menthol-preferring smokers. Our findings did not support an enhancement of nicotine's positive subjective effects from inhaled menthol. However, as compared to non-menthol-preferring smokers, menthol-preferring smokers had blunted positive subjective responses to nicotine and reduced overnight withdrawal severity that may be partly due to inhibition of nicotine metabolism from chronic exposure to inhaled menthol. Collectively, these results reveal a more complex and nuanced role of inhaled menthol in smokers than previously recognized.

Smoking in asthma is associated with elevated levels of corticosteroid resistant sputum cytokines-an exploratory study.

PubMed

Spears, Mark; McSharry, Charles; Chaudhuri, Rekha; Weir, Christopher J; de Wet, Carl; Thomson, Neil C

2013-01-01

Current cigarette smoking is associated with reduced acute responses to corticosteroids and worse clinical outcomes in stable chronic asthma. The mechanism by which current smoking promotes this altered behavior is currently unclear. Whilst cytokines can induce corticosteroid insensitivity in-vitro, how current and former smoking affects airway cytokine concentrations and their responses to oral corticosteroids in stable chronic asthma is unclear. To examine blood and sputum cytokine concentrations in never, ex and current smokers with asthma before and after oral corticosteroids. Exploratory study utilizing two weeks of oral dexamethasone (equivalent to 40 mg/day prednisolone) in 22 current, 21 never and 10 ex-smokers with asthma. Induced sputum supernatant and plasma was obtained before and after oral dexamethasone. 25 cytokines were measured by multiplex microbead system (Invitrogen, UK) on a Luminex platform. Smokers with asthma had elevated sputum cytokine interleukin (IL) -6, -7, and -12 concentrations compared to never smokers with asthma. Few sputum cytokine concentrations changed in response to dexamethasone IL-17 and IFNα increased in smokers, CCL4 increased in never smokers and CCL5 and CXCL10 reduced in ex-smokers with asthma. Ex-smokers with asthma appeared to have evidence of an ongoing corticosteroid resistant elevation of cytokines despite smoking cessation. Several plasma cytokines were lower in smokers with asthma compared to never smokers with asthma. Cigarette smoking in asthma is associated with a corticosteroid insensitive increase in multiple airway cytokines. Distinct airway cytokine profiles are present in current smokers and never smokers with asthma and could provide an explanatory mechanism for the altered clinical behavior observed in smokers with asthma.

Impact of supragingival therapy on subgingival microbial profile in smokers versus non-smokers with severe chronic periodontitis

PubMed Central

Meulman, Tatiana; Casarin, Renato C. V.; Peruzzo, Daiane C.; Giorgetti, Ana Paula; Barbagallo, André; Casati, Márcio Z.; Sallum, Enilson A.; Gonçalves, Reginaldo B.; Nociti Jr, Francisco H.

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to assess subgingival microbiological changes in smokers versus non-smokers presenting severe chronic periodontitis after supragingival periodontal therapy (ST). Methods Non-smokers (n=10) and smokers (n=10) presenting at least nine teeth with probing pocket depth (PPD) (≥5 mm), bleeding on probing (BoP), and no history of periodontal treatment in the last 6 months were selected. Clinical parameters assessed were plaque index (PI), BoP, PPD, relative gingival margin position (rGMP) and relative clinical attachment level (rCAL). Subgingival biofilm was collected before and 21 days after ST. DNA was extracted and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified with the universal primer pair, 27F and 1492R. Amplified genes were cloned, sequenced, and identified by comparison with known 16S rRNA sequences. Statistical analysis was performed by Student's t and Chi-Square tests (α=5%). Results Clinically, ST promoted a significant reduction in PI and PPD, and gain of rCAL for both groups, with no significant intergroup difference. Microbiologically, at baseline, data analysis demonstrated that smokers harbored a higher proportion of Porphyromonas endodontalis, Bacteroidetes sp., Fusobacterium sp. and Tannerella forsythia and a lower number of cultivated phylotypes (p<0.05). Furthermore, non-smokers featured significant reductions in key phylotypes associated with periodontitis, whereas smokers presented more modest changes. Conclusion Within the limits of the present study, ST promoted comparable clinical improvements in smokers and non-smokers with severe chronic periodontitis. However, in smokers, ST only slightly affected the subgingival biofilm biodiversity, as compared with non-smokers. PMID:22232720

Does cannabis smoking predispose to lung bulla formation?

PubMed

Fiorelli, Alfonso; Accardo, Marina; Vicidomini, Giovanni; Messina, Gaetana; Laperuta, Paolo; Santini, Mario

2014-01-01

The data of a consecutive series of habitual marijuana smokers were retrospectively evaluated and compared with that of non-marijuana smokers to assess differences between the 2 groups. 13 consecutive habitual marijuana smokers were referred for treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. The demographic, clinical, radiological, and pathological findings of these patients were reviewed and compared with 140 non-marijuana smokers treated for the same pathology at the same time. Bullae were seen in 8/13 (62%) and 110/140 (78%) of marijuana smokers and non-marijuana smokers, respectively. However, when patients less than 35-years old were considered, the incidence of bulla was higher in marijuana smokers than non-marijuana smokers (7/10 vs. 3/10, p < 0.05). The pathological findings showed a greater presence of inflammatory cells in specimens from marijuana smokers than those of non-marijuana smokers (8/11 vs. 2/42, respectively, p < 0.05). No significant differences in hospital stay and clinical outcome were registered between the 2 groups. Despite the fact that we were unable to demonstrate that marijuana had a causal role in the development of emphysema, our study showed that marijuana smokers had a higher incidence of inflammatory cells in pathological specimens, which may favor lung injury, thus predisposing to bulla formation.

Buccal swab, a minimally invasive method for the screening of oral cancer in active smokers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suyatmi; Subiyantoro, P.; Indrakila, S.

2018-05-01

Smoking is the main risk factor for developing oral cancer. The previous study showed that there was a strong correlation between the length of smoking with the risk to develop oral cancer. Early detection of epithelial changes of oral mucosa will be a good prevention of the incidence of oral cancer among active smokers. This study evaluated the potential use of buccal swab for the screening of early signs of malignancy in active smokers. This study involved 80 participants including those who were smokers and non smokers. The buccal swab was conducted using sterile cytobrush. An epithelial smear was made from the buccal swab and stained with Papanicolaou’s technique. An cytomorphometric analysis was conducted by comparing the ratio of nuclear cell to cytoplasmic diameter (ND/CD) between the two groups. The mean of ND observed in this study were 8.963µ for active smokers and 7.991µ for non smokers groups. While the mean of CD were 58.249µ and 63.473µ for active smoker and non-smoker respectively. The mean of ND/CD ratio were 0.156 for active smokers and 0.129 for non smokers groups. This study detected a significant difference on the ND/CD ratio among active smokers vs non smokers (p<0.0001 95% CI = -0.040 – -0.014). In conclusion buccal swab could be a routine procedure to obtain sample for identification of changes in cells morphology to screen an early development of oral cancer.

Difference in airflow obstruction between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White female smokers.

PubMed

Sood, Akshay; Stidley, Christine A; Picchi, Maria A; Celedón, Juan C; Gilliland, Frank; Crowell, Richard E; Belinsky, Steven A; Tesfaigzi, Yohannes

2008-10-01

Smoking-related respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between smoking and respiratory disease has not been well-studied among ethnic minorities in general and among women in particular. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the risk of airflow obstruction and to assess lung function among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White (NHW) female smokers in a New Mexico cohort. Participants completed a questionnaire detailing smoking history and underwent spirometry testing. Outcomes studied included airflow obstruction, selected lung function parameters, and chronic mucus hyper-secretion. Chi square, logistic, and linear regression techniques were utilized. Of the 1,433 eligible women participants, 248 (17.3%) were Hispanic; and 319 had airflow obstruction (22.3%). Hispanic smokers were more likely to be current smokers, and report lower pack-years of smoking, compared to NHW smokers (p < 0.05 for all analyses). Further, Hispanic smokers were at a reduced risk of airflow obstruction compared to NHW smokers, with an O.R. of 0.51, 95% C.I. 0.34, 0.78 (p = 0.002) after adjustment for age, BMI, pack-years and duration of smoking, and current smoking status. Following adjustment for covariates, Hispanic smokers also had a higher mean absolute and percent predicted post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC ratio, as well as higher mean percent predicted FEV(1) (p < 0.05 for all analyses). Hispanic female smokers in this New Mexico-based cohort had lower risk of airflow obstruction and better lung function than NHW female smokers. Further, smoking history did not completely explain these associations.

Exploring socio-contextual factors associated with male smoker's intention to quit smoking.

PubMed

Jung, Minsoo

2016-05-13

Programs to encourage smokers to quit smoking tobacco have been implemented worldwide and are generally viewed as an effective public health intervention program. However, few studies have examined the social factors that influence a smoker's intention to quit smoking. This study investigated the socio-contextual factors that are associated with the intention to quit smoking among male smokers in South Korea. Data were obtained from a 2014 nationally representative panel that examined the influences of mass media on the health of the Korean population. Members of this panel were recruited using a mixed-method sampling and a combination of random digit dial and address-based sampling designs. Survey questions were based on those used in previous studies that assessed the effects of social context, including mass media and social capital, on health. Multivariate logistic regression analyses of the answers of 313 male smokers were undertaken. Male smokers who participated in community-based activities were 2.45 times more likely to intend to quit smoking compared to male smokers in general (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-6.82). In addition, male smokers who participated in informal social gathering networks were 2.38 times more likely to intend to quit smoking compared to male smokers in general (95 % CI: 1.11-5.10). Moreover, male smokers with high smartphone use were 1.93 times more likely than smokers with low smartphone use to intend to quit smoking within one year (95 % CI: 1.07-3.46). A supportive environment that enables male smokers to access beneficial health information and that encourages them to quit smoking is necessary for a stop-smoking program to be effective. The result of this study contribute to establishing a new smoking control policy by identifying socio-contextual factors related to the intention to quit smoking.

Effects of the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine on ad-lib smoking behavior, topography, and nicotine levels in smokers with and without schizophrenia: a preliminary study.

PubMed

McKee, Sherry A; Weinberger, Andrea H; Harrison, Emily L R; Coppola, Sabrina; George, Tony P

2009-12-01

Individuals with schizophrenia have higher plasma nicotine levels in comparison to non-psychiatric smokers, even when differences in smoking are equated. This difference may be related to how intensely cigarettes are smoked but this has not been well studied. Mecamylamine (MEC), a non-competitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist, which has been shown to increase ad-lib smoking and to affect smoking topography, was used in the current study as a pharmacological probe to increase our understanding of smoking behavior, smoking topography, and resulting nicotine levels in smokers with schizophrenia. This preliminary study used a within-subject, placebo-controlled design in smokers with schizophrenia (n=6) and healthy control smokers (n=8) to examine the effects of MEC (10mg/day) on ad-lib smoking behavior, topography, nicotine levels, and tobacco craving across two smoking deprivation conditions (no deprivation and 12-h deprivation). MEC, compared to placebo, increased the number of cigarettes smoked and plasma nicotine levels. MEC increased smoking intensity and resulted in greater plasma nicotine levels in smokers with schizophrenia compared to controls, although these results were not consistent across deprivation conditions. MEC also increased tobacco craving in smokers with schizophrenia but not in control smokers. Our results suggest that antagonism of high-affinity nAChRs in smokers with schizophrenia may prompt compensatory smoking, increasing the intensity of smoking and nicotine exposure without alleviating craving. Further work is needed to assess whether nicotine levels are directly mediated by how intensely the cigarettes are smoked, and to confirm whether this effect is more pronounced in smokers with schizophrenia.

The association of smoking status with healthcare utilisation, productivity loss and resulting costs: results from the population-based KORA F4 study.

PubMed

Wacker, Margarethe; Holle, Rolf; Heinrich, Joachim; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz; Peters, Annette; Leidl, Reiner; Menn, Petra

2013-07-17

Smoking is seen as the most important single risk to health today, and is responsible for a high financial burden on healthcare systems and society. This population-based cross-sectional study compares healthcare utilisation, direct medical costs, and costs of productivity losses for different smoking groups: current smokers, former smokers, and never smokers. Using a bottom-up approach, data were taken from the German KORA F4 study (2006/2008) on self-reported healthcare utilisation and work absence due to illness for 3,071 adults aged 32-81 years. Unit costs from a societal perspective were applied to utilisation. Utilisation and resulting costs were compared across different smoking groups using generalised linear models to adjust for age, sex, education, alcohol consumption and physical activity. Average annual total costs per survey participant were estimated as €3,844 [95% confidence interval: 3,447-4,233], and differed considerably between smoking groups with never smokers showing €3,237 [2,802-3,735] and former smokers causing €4,398 [3,796-5,058]. There was a positive effect of current and former smoking on the utilisation of healthcare services and on direct and indirect costs. Total annual costs were more than 20% higher (p<0.05) for current smokers and 35% higher (p<0.01) for former smokers compared with never smokers, which corresponds to annual excess costs of €743 and €1,108 per current and former smoker, respectively. Results indicate that excess costs for current and former smokers impose a large burden on society, and that previous top-down cost approaches produced lower estimates for the costs of care for smoking-related diseases. Efforts must be focused on prevention of smoking to achieve sustainable containment on behalf of the public interest.

Impulsivity and Stress Response in Nondependent Smokers (Tobacco Chippers) in Comparison to Heavy Smokers and Nonsmokers.

PubMed

Carim-Todd, Laura; Mitchell, Suzanne H; Oken, Barry S

2016-05-01

Tobacco chippers are light smokers with stable patterns of smoking that exhibit lower nicotine dependence severity than heavy smokers. Chippers may provide valuable information about the factors influencing drug dependence. Impulsivity and stress are two factors known to influence smoking. By comparing nondependent smokers (tobacco chippers, n = 25) to dependent smokers (heavy smokers, n = 23) and nonsmokers (n = 25), this study examines the relationship between nicotine dependence, impulsivity, chronic stress, and stress reactivity. A total of 73 adult participants completed a study visit that included questionnaires to measure nicotine dependence, chronic stress, personality, affect, withdrawal, and craving. Impulsivity was measured with the delay discounting task and the flanker task. Stress reactivity was assessed by monitoring respiration, heart rate, and salivary cortisol during performance of a titrated Stroop task. Effects of acute stress on affect and craving were examined. Tobacco chippers were as impulsive as heavy smokers on the delay discounting task but no different from nonsmokers on the flanker task. Heavy smokers reported higher perceived stress than chippers and nonsmokers. Perceived stress was a significant predictor of discounting only in heavy smokers. Acute stress induced changes in respiration, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Craving and negative affect increased after stress in both smoking groups, but craving was associated with affect only in chippers. Tobacco chippers do not differ from heavy smokers in impulsivity, but do differ in perceived stress. One's perception and experience of stress might be associated to nicotine dependence resistance and could inform smoking cessation treatments. By examining impulsivity, chronic stress, and stress reactivity in nondependent smokers (tobacco chippers) compared to dependent smokers and nonsmokers, this study contributes to the understanding of nicotine addiction and informs smoking cessation programs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Anthropometric measurements of newborns of women who smoke waterpipe during pregnancy: a comparative retrospective design.

PubMed

Al-Sheyab, Nihaya A; Al-Fuqha, Rawa A; Kheirallah, Khalid A; Khabour, Omar F; Alzoubi, Karem H

2016-11-01

Waterpipe tobacco smoking carries adverse health consequences due to high level of chemical toxicants. This study investigated the anthropometric measurements of singleton newborns of Jordanian women with no known chronic diseases who smoked waterpipe during pregnancy, and the difference in these measurements in newborns of pregnant women who smoked waterpipe, cigarettes, both types, and none during pregnancy. The study also investigated the pattern of different types of tobacco smoking as a function of pregnancy trimester. A descriptive, comparative, retrospective, cross-sectional design was used. Two hundred and eight-five women (74 waterpipe, 84 cigarettes, 26 dual, 101 none) and their newborns were recruited from three hospitals. A questionnaire was used while interviewing mothers to assess tobacco smoking pattern. The results showed that compared with non-smokers, mean birth weight was 0.47 kg (95%CI = -0.70 to -0.35) lower for waterpipe-only smokers, 0.23 kg (95%CI = -0.41 to -0.8) lower for cigarette-only users, and 0.59 kg (95%CI = -0.81 to -0.31) lower for dual users. Compared to non-smokers, mean newborn length was 2.7 cm (95%CI = -3.80 to -1.42) lower for dual smokers, 2.2 cm (95%CI = -3.28 to -1.58) lower for waterpipe smokers, and 1.2 cm (95%CI = -2.01 to -0.45) lower for cigarette smokers. Compared with non-smokers, mean newborn head circumference was 1.9 cm (95%CI = -2.72 to -1.65) lower for waterpipe smokers, 1.7 cm (95%CI = -2.65 to -1.16) lower for dual smokers, and 0.8 cm (95%CI= -1.34 to -0.36) lower for cigarette smokers. From these results, we may conclude that waterpipe tobacco smoking during pregnancy can contribute to a reduction in newborn's anthropometric measurements. Increasing awareness of waterpipe tobacco smoking adverse effects and developing cessation interventions in pregnancy is needed.

Long term and transitional intermittent smokers: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Lindstrom, M; Isacsson, S

2002-01-01

Objective: To investigate differences in snuff consumption, sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics between baseline intermittent smokers that had become daily smokers, stopped smoking or remained intermittent smokers at the one year follow up. Design/setting/participants/measurements: A population of 12 507 individuals interviewed at baseline in 1992-94 and at a one year follow up, aged 45–69 years, was investigated in a longitudinal study. The three groups of baseline intermittent smokers were compared to the reference population (all others) according to sociodemographic, psychosocial, and snuff consumption characteristics. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess differences in psychosocial conditions, adjusting for age, sex, country of origin, marital status, education, and snuff consumption. Results: 60% of all baseline intermittent smokers had remained intermittent smokers, 16% had become daily smokers, and 24% had stopped smoking at the one year follow up. The long term intermittent smokers and those who had stopped smoking were young, unmarried, highly educated, and snuff consumers to a higher extent than the reference population. They also had more psychosocial resources than the reference population, while the psychosocial resources of those who had become daily smokers were poorer. Conclusions: The majority of intermittent smokers are long term intermittent smokers. The results suggest that long term intermittent smokers have other psychosocial characteristics than daily smokers. PMID:11891370

Severity of dependence modulates smokers' neuronal cue reactivity and cigarette craving elicited by tobacco advertisement.

PubMed

Vollstädt-Klein, Sabine; Kobiella, Andrea; Bühler, Mira; Graf, Caroline; Fehr, Christoph; Mann, Karl; Smolka, Michael N

2011-01-01

Smoking-related cues elicit craving and mesocorticolimbic brain activation in smokers. Severity of nicotine dependence seems to moderate cue reactivity, but the direction and mechanisms of its influence remains unclear. Although tobacco control policies demand a ban on tobacco advertising, cue reactivity studies in smokers so far have not employed tobacco advertisement as experimental stimuli. We investigated whether tobacco advertisement elicits cue reactivity at a behavioral (subjective craving) and a neural level (using functional magnetic resonance imaging) in 22 smokers and 21 never-smokers. Moreover, we studied the influence of severity of dependence on cue reactivity. In smokers, tobacco advertisement elicited substantially more craving than control advertisement whereas never-smokers reported no cue induced craving. Surprisingly, neuronal cue reactivity did not differ between smokers and never-smokers. Moderately dependent smokers' craving increased over the course of the experiment, whereas highly dependent smokers' craving was unaffected. Moderately dependent smokers' brain activity elicited by tobacco advertisement was higher in the amygdala, hippocampus, putamen and thalamus compared with highly dependent smokers. Furthermore, limbic brain activation predicted picture recognition rates after the scanning session, even in never-smokers. Our findings show that tobacco advertisement elicits cigarette craving and neuronal cue reactivity primarily in moderately dependent smokers, indicating that they might be particularly responsive towards external smoking-related cues. On the other hand, neuronal cue reactivity and cigarette craving in highly dependent smokers is more likely triggered by internal cues such as withdrawal symptoms. Tobacco advertisement seems to likewise appeal to smokers and non-smokers, clarifying the potential danger especially for young non-smokers. © 2010 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Assessing beliefs and risk perceptions on smoking and smoking cessation in immigrant Chinese adult smokers residing in Vancouver, Canada: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

FitzGerald, J Mark; Poureslami, Iraj; Shum, Jessica

2015-01-01

Objectives We aimed to conduct culturally-based participatory research to assess cultural and belief contexts for smoking behaviours within Mandarin and Cantonese communities. Outcome variables were smoking-related knowledge, smoking patterns, attitudes and beliefs, and perceived barriers and facilitators to successful cessation. Design A community-based approach was applied involving smokers, community key-informants and professionals in study design and implementation. Initially, focus groups were conducted and findings were used to develop study instrument. Participants responded once to study questionnaire after informed consent. Setting Community based in the Greater Vancouver Area, Canada. Participants 16 Chinese smokers participated in focus groups and subsequently, 167 current Chinese immigrant (137 males and 30 females) smokers from Mandarin and Cantonese communities, recruited with the help of community agencies and collaborating physicians, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Results We found that a majority believed smoking was harmful on their health. Younger smokers (<35 years of age) did not mind smoking in front of young children compared to older smokers (≥35 years of age) (p<0.001). People with high school or lower levels of education believed that they would benefit more from smoking than suffering from withdrawal symptoms compared to better educated smokers (p<0.05). Mandarin smokers were significantly more likely to encourage others to quit than Cantonese smokers (p<0.05). Many indicated not receiving adequate support from care providers and lack of access to culturally and linguistically appropriate cessation programmes impacted on their ability to quit smoking. Conclusions Our study highlighted the importance of tobacco beliefs and perceptions among Mandarin and Cantonese speaking immigrants with limited access to healthcare information and for younger smokers whose attention to health consequences of smoking may be limited as well. Study participants were generally aware of the health risks and were willing to quit. Access to appropriate cessation programmes would fulfil their willingness. PMID:25649211

Analysis of chromosomal aberrations in men occupationally exposed to cement dust.

PubMed

Fatima, S K; Prabhavathi, P A; Padmavathi, P; Reddy, P P

2001-02-20

Cement industry is considered as a major pollution problem on account of dust and particulate matter emitted at various steps of cement manufacture. Cement dust consists of many toxic constituents. The workers who are employed in cement industries are exposed to cement dust for long periods. Therefore, it is mandatory to evaluate the mutagenic effects of occupational exposure to cement dust in such workers. In the present study, we analyzed the samples of 124 male workers including 59 smokers and 65 non-smokers who were employed in cement industry for a period of 1-17 years. For comparison, 106 controls (including 47 smokers and 59 non-smokers) of the same age group and socio-economic status were also studied. Controls had no exposure to cement dust or any known physical or chemical agent. A significant increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations was observed in the exposed group when compared to the control group. The results were analyzed separately for non-smokers and smokers. The chromosomal damage was more pronounced in the smokers when compared with the non-smokers both in control and exposed groups. A significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations was also observed with increase in age in both control and exposed subjects.

How smoking affects sleep: a polysomnographical analysis.

PubMed

Jaehne, Andreas; Unbehaun, Thomas; Feige, Bernd; Lutz, Ulrich C; Batra, Anil; Riemann, Dieter

2012-12-01

Subjective quality of sleep is impaired in smokers compared with non-smokers, but there is only limited evidence from methodologically sound studies about differences in polysomnography (PSG) sleep characteristics. Therefore, this study used PSG to evaluate sleep in smokers and non-smokers while controlling for other parameters that affect sleep. After an adaptation night, PSG sleep laboratory data were obtained from 44 smokers (29 men and 15 women, median age 29.6 years) and compared with PSG data from 44 healthy, sex- and age-matched never smokers. Exclusion criteria were alcohol or other substance abuse, psychiatric or endocrine diseases, and treatment with any kind of psychotropic medication. Nicotine and cotinine plasma levels were measured (in the smoking group) and subjective sleep quality assessed in both groups. The smokers had a Fagerström tolerance score of 6.4, consumed an average of 21.2 cigarettes per day and had been smoking for 13.1 years (median). Smokers had a shorter sleep period time, longer sleep latency, higher rapid eye movement sleep density, more sleep apneas and leg movements in sleep than non-smokers. There were no differences regarding parameters of spectral analysis of the sleep electroencephalogram as well as in the sleep efficiency measured by PSG. Nevertheless smokers rated their sleep efficiency lower on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index compared with non-smoking individuals, but no differences were detected on the SF-A. Plasma cotinine level correlated negatively with slow wave sleep in the smoking group. Smokers showed a number of insomnia-like sleep impairments. The findings suggest that it is important for sleep researchers to control smoking status in their analyses. Further research should focus on the causes and consequences of impaired sleep during tobacco cessation, as sleep disturbances are a known risk factor for early relapse after initial tobacco abstinence. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Perceptions of young Jordanian adults to proposed anti-tobacco pictorial warning labels

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), four new pictorial warnings are now being proposed for display on cigarette packages sold in Jordan. The aim of this study was to gauge the immediate perceptions of young Jordanian adults towards these new pictorials and compare these perceptions to those of the pictorial currently being used in the country. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a convenience sample of youth aged 17-26. The interviewer-administered survey gauged participants' perceptions of salience, fear elicitation, and gained information as well as participants' motivation to remain non-smokers or quit smoking after viewing each of the four proposed new pictorials as well as the current pictorial used in Jordan. Perceptions regarding each new pictorial were compared to the current pictorial. Results A total of 450 surveys were included in the analysis. The sample (mean age 20.9) was 51.6% female and 31.3% cigarette (regular or occasional) smokers. In smokers, only one proposed pictorial had significantly more smokers perceiving it as salient or adding to information when compared to the current pictorial. More smokers reported fear when observing the proposed pictorials compared with current pictorial, but overall proportions reporting fear were generally less than 50%. Furthermore, all new pictorials motivated significantly more smokers to consider quitting compared with the current pictorial; however, the overall proportion of smokers reporting motivation was < 25%. Among nonsmokers, significantly more respondents perceived the new pictorials as salient and fear-eliciting compared to the old pictorial, but there were no major differences in information added. Motivation to remain non-smokers was comparable between the old and new pictorials. Conclusion Given the variability of response across both smokers and nonsmokers, and across the three elements of perception (salience, added information, fear) for each pictorial, further testing of the pictorials in a more diverse sample of Jordanian young adults prior to launch is recommended. PMID:21627794

[The influence of tobacco-smoke toxic components on glucosaminoglycans in biologic tissues].

PubMed

Zurabashvili, D Z; Chanturiia, I R; Kapanadze, L R; Kikalishvili, B Iu; Daneliia, G G

2010-04-01

The aim of the work is detailed analysis of glucosaminoglikans and glukuronic acid in chisel tooth and molars of tobacco-smokers and non-smokers. The total number of 140 patients (tobacco-smokers - 60) by acute serous pulpit is investigated. The conducted quantative and qualitative analyzes show that tobacco-smokers tooth contains les glucosaminoglikans (chondroitinsulfats A and C) and more glucuronic acid than non-smokers individuals. The chisel tooth pulp contained considerably more glucuronic acid as compared with molars. These studies support the hypothesis of important role of cigarette smoke toxical components in the tooth support mechanisms. The studies are necessary to be held in different directions.

Modulation of Lung Function by Increased Nitric Oxide Production

PubMed Central

Yadav, Ram Lochan; Yadav, Prakash Kumar

2017-01-01

Introduction Cigarette smoking reduces endogenous Nitric Oxide (NO) production by reducing Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) activity, which is one of the probable reason for increased rate of pulmonary diseases in smokers. Nitric oxide/oxygen blends are used in critical care to promote capillary and pulmonary dilation to treat several pulmonary vascular diseases. Among several supplements, the highest NOS activation has been proved for garlic with its unique mechanism of action. Aim To investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of NO producing garlic on pulmonary function of smokers. Materials and Methods The study was conducted on 40 healthy non-smoker (Group A) and 40 chronic smoker (Group B) males with matched age, height and weight. The pulmonary function tests- Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) were performed in non-smokers (Group A), smokers (Group B) and smokers after supplementation of approximately 4 gm of raw garlic (2 garlic cloves) per day for three months (Group C). Endogenous NO production was studied in smokers before and after garlic supplementation and in non-smokers without supplementation. The data obtained were compared between the groups using unpaired student’s t-test. The p-value considered significant at <0.05. Results Our results showed that FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio and PEFR were reduced significantly along with a significant decreased NOS activity among smokers (Group B) when compared with non-smokers (Group A). Garlic supplementation significantly improved the pulmonary function tests in Group C in comparison to Group B by increasing NOS activity. Conclusion Dietary supplementation of garlic, which might be by increasing NOS activity, has significantly improved pulmonary functions in smokers. PMID:28764150

Affective decision-making deficits, linked to a dysfunctional ventromedial prefrontal cortex, revealed in 10th-grade Chinese adolescent smokers

PubMed Central

Xiao, Lin; Bechara, Antoine; Cen, Steven; Grenard, Jerry L.; Stacy, Alan W.; Gallaher, Peggy; Wei, Yonglan; Jia, Yong; Johnson, C. Anderson

2008-01-01

This study addressed the question of whether poor decision making would be associated with adolescent past 7-day smoking. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 208 10th-grade adolescents in Chengdu City, China. We used the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to assess decision-making, and the Self-ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) to assess working memory capacity. Paper and pencil questionnaires assessed the school academic performance (SAP) and smoking variables. The results showed that a significantly higher proportion of past 7-day smokers (91.7%) were susceptible to future smoking and cigarette offers from best friends compared to other levels of smokers (never, ever and past 30-day smokers). Consistent with these behavioral data, the neuropsychological assessments revealed that relative to never smokers, past 7-day adolescent smokers (but not ever smokers or past 30-day smokers) demonstrated significantly lower scores on the IGT. Moreover, a higher proportion of past 7-day smokers (91.7%) performed poorly (no more than an overall net score of 10) on the IGT than nonsmokers and irregular (ever or past 30-day) smokers (about 65.3%). There were no differences on working memory performance for smokers (at any level) compared to never smokers after adjusting for school-type. In addition, logistic regression showed that the IGT significantly predicted past 7-day smoking after controlling for the working memory, school academic performance and demographic variables. These results suggest that poor affective decision making might predispose some adolescents to smoking in the future or in the social situations where their peers are smoking. Intervention targeting affective decision making might hold promise for reducing adolescents’ risks for substance use. PMID:18584472

A Comparison of Oral Sensory Effects of Three TRPA1 Agonists in Young Adult Smokers and Non-smokers

PubMed Central

Hansen, Eva Ø.; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars; Boudreau, Shellie A.

2017-01-01

This study profiled intra-oral somatosensory and vasomotor responses to three different transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, subfamily A, member 1 (TRPA1) agonists (menthol, nicotine, and cinnamaldehyde) in smoking and non-smoking young adults. Healthy non-smokers (N = 30) and otherwise healthy smokers (N = 25) participated in a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study consisting of three experimental sessions in which they received menthol (30 mg), nicotine (4 mg), or cinnamaldehyde (25 mg) chewing gum. Throughout a standardized 10 min chewing regime, burning, cooling, and irritation intensities, and location were recorded. In addition, blood pressure, heart rate and intra-oral temperature were assessed before, during, and after chewing. Basal intra-oral temperature was lower in smokers (35.2°C ± 1.58) as compared to non-smokers (35.9°C ± 1.61) [F(1, 52) = 8.5, P = 0.005, post hoc, p = 0.005]. However, the increase in temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure in response to chewing menthol, nicotine, and cinnamaldehyde gums were similar between smokers and non-smokers. Although smoking status did not influence the intensity of burning, cooling, and irritation, smokers did report nicotine burn more often (92%) than non-smokers (63%) [χ(1, N=55)2 = 6.208, P = 0.013]. Reports of nicotine burn consistently occurred at the back of the throat and cinnamaldehyde burn on the tongue. The cooling sensation of menthol was more widely distributed in the mouth of non-smokers as compared to smokers. Smoking alters thermoregulation, somatosensory, and possibly TRPA1 receptor responsiveness and suggests that accumulated exposure of nicotine by way of cigarette smoke alters oral sensory and vasomotor sensitivity. PMID:28936178

Different Resting-State Functional Connectivity Alterations in Smokers and Nonsmokers with Internet Gaming Addiction

PubMed Central

Chen, Xue; Wang, Yao; Zhou, Yan; Sun, Yawen; Ding, Weina; Zhuang, Zhiguo; Xu, Jianrong; Du, Yasong

2014-01-01

This study investigated changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in smokers and nonsmokers with Internet gaming addiction (IGA). Twenty-nine smokers with IGA, 22 nonsmokers with IGA, and 30 healthy controls (HC group) underwent a resting-state fMRI scan. PCC connectivity was determined in all subjects by investigating synchronized low-frequency fMRI signal fluctuations using a temporal correlation method. Compared with the nonsmokers with IGA, the smokers with IGA exhibited decreased rsFC with PCC in the right rectus gyrus. Left middle frontal gyrus exhibited increased rsFC. The PCC connectivity with the right rectus gyrus was found to be negatively correlated with the CIAS scores in the smokers with IGA before correction. Our results suggested that smokers with IGA had functional changes in brain areas related to motivation and executive function compared with the nonsmokers with IGA. PMID:25506057

Cigarette Smoking is Associated with Body Shape Concerns and Bulimia Symptoms Among Young Adult Females

PubMed Central

Kendzor, Darla E.; Adams, Claire E.; Stewart, Diana W.; Baillie, Lauren E.; Copeland, and Amy L.

2014-01-01

Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n = 184) and non-smokers (n = 56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p = .03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p = .006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored ≥ 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p = .05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females. PMID:19171320

Cigarette smoking is associated with body shape concerns and bulimia symptoms among young adult females.

PubMed

Kendzor, Darla E; Adams, Claire E; Stewart, Diana W; Baillie, Lauren E; Copeland, Amy L

2009-01-01

Elevated rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among individuals with Bulimia Nervosa. However, little is known about eating disorder symptoms within non-clinical samples of smokers. The purpose of the present study was to compare the eating disorder symptoms of young adult female smokers (n=184) and non-smokers (n=56), to determine whether smokers were more likely to endorse bulimic symptoms and report greater body shape concern than non-smokers. Analyses indicated that smokers scored significantly higher than non-smokers on the Body Shape Questionnaire, p=.03, and the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.006. In addition, a higher proportion of smokers than non-smokers scored > or = 85 on the Bulimia Test-Revised, p=.05, suggesting the possibility that Bulimia Nervosa diagnoses were more prevalent among smokers. No differences were found between smokers and non-smokers on other measures of eating behavior. Overall, findings suggest that smoking is specifically associated with symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and body shape concern among young adult females.

Effect of smoking and comorbidities on survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

PubMed

Kärkkäinen, Miia; Kettunen, Hannu-Pekka; Nurmi, Hanna; Selander, Tuomas; Purokivi, Minna; Kaarteenaho, Riitta

2017-08-22

Cigarette smoking has been associated with the risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Certain comorbidities have been associated with reduced survival although some studies have indicated that current smokers have a longer survival than ex-smokers. Comorbidities in relation to smoking history have not been previously analyzed. Retrospective data was collected and patients were categorized according to gender and smoking habits. Comorbidities and medications were collected. Predictive values for mortality were identified by COX proportional hazard analyses. We examined 45 non-smokers (53.3% female), 66 ex-smokers (9.1% female) and 17 current smokers (17.6% female) with IPF. Current smokers were younger at baseline (58.1 ± 8.74 years) compared to non-smokers (71.4 ± 8.74, p < 0.001) and ex-smokers (72.5 ±7.95, p <0.001). Median survival of non-smokers and current smokers was longer (55.0 and 52.0 months, respectively) than that of ex-smokers (36.0 months) (p=0.028 and 0.034, respectively). In age and severity adjusted analyses, smoking was not related to survival. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (72.7 %) were the most common comorbidities, current smokers had more chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer compared to ex-smokers (p<0.001). CVD, COPD and use of insulin were related to poorer survival in adjusted analyses. Smoking seems to influence the course of disease in IPF since current smokers developed the disease at a younger age in comparison to non-smokers and ex-smokers. No significant differences in the major comorbidities were detected between IPF patients with different smoking histories. The mechanism through which smoking influences IPF progression requires further investigation.

No difference in striatal dopamine transporter availability between active smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers using [123I]FP-CIT (DaTSCAN) and SPECT.

PubMed

Thomsen, Gerda; Knudsen, Gitte Moos; Jensen, Peter S; Ziebell, Morten; Holst, Klaus K; Asenbaum, Susanne; Booij, Jan; Darcourt, Jacques; Dickson, John C; Kapucu, Ozlem L; Nobili, Flavio; Sabri, Osama; Sera, Terez; Tatsch, Klaus; Tossici-Bolt, Livia; Laere, Koen Van; Borght, Thierry Vander; Varrone, Andrea; Pagani, Marco; Pinborg, Lars Hageman

2013-05-20

Mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways play important roles in both the rewarding and conditioning effects of drugs. The dopamine transporter (DAT) is of central importance in regulating dopaminergic neurotransmission and in particular in activating the striatal D2-like receptors. Molecular imaging studies of the relationship between DAT availability/dopamine synthesis capacity and active cigarette smoking have shown conflicting results. Through the collaboration between 13 SPECT centres located in 10 different European countries, a database of FP-CIT-binding in healthy controls was established. We used the database to test the hypothesis that striatal DAT availability is changed in active smokers compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. A total of 129 healthy volunteers were included. Subjects were divided into three categories according to past and present tobacco smoking: (1) non-smokers (n = 64), (2) ex-smokers (n = 39) and (3) active smokers (n = 26). For imaging of the DAT availability, we used [123I]FP-CIT (DaTSCAN) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Data were collected in collaboration between 13 SPECT centres located in 10 different European countries. The striatal measure of DAT availability was analyzed in a multiple regression model with age, SPECT centre and smoking as predictor. There was no statistically significant difference in DAT availability between the groups of active smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers (p = 0.34). Further, we could not demonstrate a significant association between striatal DAT and the number of cigarettes per day or total lifetime cigarette packages in smokers and ex-smokers. Our results do not support the hypothesis that large differences in striatal DAT availability are present in smokers compared to ex-smokers and healthy volunteers with no history of smoking.

Ambulatory (24 hour) blood pressure monitoring in police officers.

PubMed

Tomei, Francesco; Rosati, Maria Valeria; Baccolo, Tiziana Paola; Cherubini, Emilia; Ciarrocca, Manuela; Caciari, Tiziana; Tomao, Enrico

2004-05-01

The aim of the study is to evaluate, by ambulatory (24 h) blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), whether police officers exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk of changes in ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP), and ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to controls. After excluding the principal confounding factors, police officers and controls have been subdivided into non-smoker and smoker subjects. Police officers were compared by sex, age, length of service, family history of cardiovascular disease, serum total cholesterol, serum HDL cholesterol, serum LDL cholesterol, plasma triglyceride, body mass index (BMI kg/m (2)) and drinking habits with controls. Smoker police officers were compared with controls also by the smoking habit. In the non smoker group 77 police officers with outdoor activity (38 men and 39 women) and 87 controls with indoor activity (43 men and 44 women) were studied. In the smoker group 43 police officers (21 men and 22 women) and 29 controls (15 men and 14 women) were studied. In non smoker male police officers ambulatory SBP mean values during 24 h, during day-time and during night-time were significantly higher than controls. In the same group ambulatory DBP values during 24 h and between 6 AM and 11 AM and between 10 PM and 6 AM were significantly higher in police officers than controls. The results suggest that occupational exposure to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could cause changes in ABPM values in male police officers compared to controls.

Transcriptional differences between smokers and non-smokers and variance by obesity as a risk factor for human sensitivity to environmental exposures.

PubMed

Nikodemova, Maria; Yee, Jeremiah; Carney, Patrick R; Bradfield, Christopher A; Malecki, Kristen Mc

2018-04-01

Obesity has been shown to alter response to air pollution and smoking but underlying biological mechanisms are largely unknown and few studies have explored mechanisms by which obesity increases human sensitivity to environmental exposures. Overall study goals were to investigate whole blood gene expression in smokers and non-smokers to examine associations between cigarette smoke and changes in gene expression by obesity status and test for effect modification. Relative fold-change in mRNA expression levels of 84 genes were analyzed using a Toxicity and Stress PCR array among 50 21-54 year old adults. Data on smoking status was confirmed using urinary cotinine levels. Adjusted models included age, gender, white blood cell count and body-mass index. Models comparing gene expression of smokers vs. non-smokers identified six differentially expressed genes associated with smoking after adjustments for covariates. Obesity was associated with 29 genes differentially expressed compared to non-obese. We also identified 9 genes with significant smoking/obesity interactions influencing mRNA levels in adjusted models comparing expression between smokers vs non-smokers for four DNA damage related genes (GADD45A, DDB2, RAD51 and P53), two oxidative stress genes (FTH1, TXN), two hypoxia response genes (BN1P3lL, ARNT), and one gene associated with unfolded protein response (ATF6B). Findings suggest that obesity alters human sensitivity to smoke exposures through several biological pathways by modifying gene expression. Additional studies are needed to fully understand the clinical impact of these effects, but risk assessments should consider underlying phenotypes, such as obesity, that may modulate sensitivity of vulnerable populations to environmental exposures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Referral Strategies to a Tobacco Quitline and Racial and/or Ethnic Differences in Participation.

PubMed

Russo, Elizabeth T; Reid, Margaret; Taher, Rashida; Sharifi, Mona; Shah, Snehal N

2018-01-01

Tobacco use inflicts a disproportionate burden of disease on people of color. We evaluated the reach among African American and Hispanic smokers in Boston of 2 referral strategies to the Massachusetts quitline: (1) a provider-referred strategy based in pediatric and dental clinics and (2) a targeted media campaign to promote self-referral to the quitline. Selected demographic characteristics of Boston quitline participants during the study period (2010-2012) were compared between strategies. Self-referred smoker characteristics were also compared in the years before and after the media campaign. Finally, the characteristics of quitline participants were compared with smokers in the 2010 Boston Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. During the study period, 4066 smokers received cessation services from the quitline; 3722 (91.5%) were self-referred, and 344 (8.5%) were referred by pediatric and dental providers. The proportion of black (31.6%) and Hispanic (20.3%) participants referred by providers was higher than among self-referred participants (18.3% and 7.8%, respectively; P <.001). Overall, provider-referred participants were less likely to be white (17.9%) than to be people of color. Self-referred smokers were more likely to be white (68.0%) than the estimated population of Boston smokers overall (62.9%; P <.001). The large-scale media campaign, which promoted self-referral, was associated with higher quitline participation overall, but the provider-referred strategy based in community health centers yielded participation from a greater proportion of smokers of color. The 2 strategies reached different subpopulations of smokers, and their combined reach enhanced access to cessation services among smokers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Effects of Smoking on Cost of Hospitalization and Length of Stay among Patients with Lung Cancer in Iran: a Hospital-Based Study.

PubMed

Sari, Ali Akbari; Rezaei, Satar; Arab, Mohammad; Majdzadeh, Reza; Matin, Behzad Karami; Zandian, Hamed

2016-01-01

Smoking is recognized as a main leading preventable cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is responsible for a considerable nancial burden both on the health system and in society. This study aimed to examine the effect of smoking on cost of hospitalization and length of stay (LoS) among patients with lung cancer in Iran in 2014. A total of 415 patients were included in the study. Data on age, sex, insurance status, type of hospitals, type of insurance, geographic local, length of stay and cost of hospitalization was extracted by medical records and smoking status was obtained from a telephone survey. To compare cost of hospitalization and LoS for different smoking groups, current smokers, former smokers, and never smokers, a gamma regression model and zero-truncated poisson regression were used, respectively. Compared with never smokers, current and former smokers showed a 48% and 35% increase in hospitalization costs, respectively. Also, hospital LoS for current and former smokers was 72% and 31% higher than for never smokers, respectively. Our study indicated that cigarette smoking imposes a signi cant nancial burden on hospitals in Iran. It is, however, recommended that more research should be done to implement and evaluate hospital based smoking cessation interventions to better increase cessation rates in these settings.

Characteristics and Prognosis of Never-Smokers and Smokers with Asthma in the Copenhagen General Population Study. A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Çolak, Yunus; Afzal, Shoaib; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Lange, Peter

2015-07-15

Asthma is associated with complications, cardiovascular comorbidities, and higher mortality in some individuals. To test the hypothesis that, among individuals with asthma, never-smokers have different characteristics and a better prognosis than smokers. We recruited 94,079 individuals aged 20-100 years from the Copenhagen General Population Study, a prospective cohort study. Among these individuals, 5,691 (6%) had self-reported asthma (2,304 never-smokers, 2,467 former smokers, and 920 current smokers). We examined respiratory symptoms, lung function, and levels of inflammatory and allergic biomarkers in systemic circulation. Furthermore, we assessed prospectively the risk of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, pneumonias, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality during 4.5 years of follow-up. Compared with never-smokers without asthma, individuals with asthma had more respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation and higher levels of inflammatory and allergic biomarkers, which were most pronounced in smokers. Among individuals with asthma compared with never-smokers without asthma, multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for asthma exacerbations were 11 (95% confidence interval: 5.8-22) in never-smokers, 13 (6.2-29) in former smokers, and 18 (8.2-39) in current smokers. The corresponding values for other endpoints were, respectively, 8.9 (2.1-38), 23 (8.8-58), and 36 (12-105) for COPD exacerbations; 1.5 (0.9-2.2), 1.6 (1.0-2.4), and 2.4 (1.6-3.7) for pneumonias; 0.6 (0.1-5.1), 4.0 (1.3-12), and 13 (4.3-41) for lung cancer; 1.2 (0.9-1.6), 1.5 (1.2-2.0), and 2.0 (1.4-2.9) for ischemic heart disease; 1.4 (0.9-2.1), 1.2 (0.8-1.9), and 3.0 (1.7-5.3) for ischemic stroke; and 0.9 (0.6-1.3), 1.5 (1.1-2.0), and 2.7 (1.9-3.7) for all-cause mortality. Never-smokers with asthma had an increased risk of asthma and COPD exacerbations, and possibly pneumonias. Importantly, the risks for lung cancer, cardiovascular comorbidities, and death were restricted to smokers with asthma. Thus, tobacco smoking was the main explanation for poor prognosis in asthma.

Virtual Reality Cue Reactivity Assessment: A Comparison of Treatment- vs. Nontreatment-Seeking Smokers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bordnick, Patrick S.; Yoon, Jin H.; Kaganoff, Eili; Carter, Brian

2013-01-01

Objectives: The cue-reactivity paradigm has been widely used to assess craving among cigarette smokers. Seeking to replicate and expand on previous virtual reality (VR) nicotine cue-reactivity research on nontreatment-seeking smokers, the current study compared subjective reports of craving for cigarettes when exposed to smoking (proximal and…

Perceived price sensitivity by ethnicity and smoking frequency among California Hispanic and non-Hispanic white smokers.

PubMed

Myers, Mark G; Edland, Steven D; Hofstetter, C Richard; Al-Delaimy, Wael K

2013-06-01

Little is currently known about price sensitivity across ethnic groups as well as for non-daily smokers. To address this issue, this study compared perceived price sensitivity across smoking status (daily and non-daily) and within ethnicity (Hispanic and non-Hispanic White) in a recent representative population survey of California smokers. This study employed data from the 2008 California Tobacco Survey (CTS), a large population-based random-digit-dialed telephone survey. Participants were 1,777 non-Hispanic White and 450 Hispanic respondents who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes and currently smoked daily or on some days. Differences in perceived price sensitivity were found by ethnicity when controlling for age, gender, and cigarette consumption. Comparisons across ethnic groups indicated that Hispanic smokers, in general, have more price-sensitive perceptions than non-Hispanic White smokers. However, daily versus non-daily status had no effect on price sensitivity when controlling for cigarette quantity. These findings indicate that pricing increases may be differentially influential for Hispanic compared with non-Hispanic White smokers across smoking status categories.

Protective role of aerodigestive reflexes against aspiration: study on subjects with impaired and preserved reflexes.

PubMed

Dua, Kulwinder; Surapaneni, Sri Naveen; Kuribayashi, Shiko; Hafeezullah, Mohammed; Shaker, Reza

2011-06-01

Direct evidence to support the airway protective function of aerodigestive reflexes triggered by pharyngeal stimulation was previously demonstrated by abolishing these reflexes by topical pharyngeal anesthesia in normal subjects. Studies have also shown that these reflexes deteriorate in cigarette smokers. Aim of this study was to determine the influence of defective pharyngeal aerodigestive reflexes on airway protection in cigarette smokers. Pharyngoglottal Closure reflex; PGCR, Pharyngo-UES Contractile reflex; PUCR, and Reflexive Pharyngeal Swallow; RPS were studied in 15 healthy non-smokers (24.2±3.3 SD y, 7 males) and 15 healthy chronic smokers (27.3±8.1, 7 males). To elicit these reflexes and to evaluate aspiration, colored water was perfused into the hypopharynx at the rate of 1 mL/min. Maximum volume of water that can safely dwell in the hypopharynx before spilling into the larynx (Hypopharyngeal Safe Volume; HPSV) and the threshold volume to elicit PGCR, PUCR, and RPS were determined in smokers and results compared with non-smokers. At baseline, RPS was elicited in all non-smokers (100%) and in only 3 of 15 smokers (20%; P<.001). None of the non-smokers showed evidence of laryngeal spillage of water, whereas 12 of 15 smokers with absent RPS had laryngeal spillage. Pharyngeal anesthesia abolished RPS reflex in all non-smokers resulting in laryngeal spillage. The HPSV was 0.61±0.06 mL and 0.76±0.06 mL in non-smokers and smokers respectively (P=.1). Deteriorated reflexive pharyngeal swallow in chronic cigarette smokers predispose them to risks of aspiration and similarly, abolishing this reflex in non-smokers also results in laryngeal spillage. These observations directly demonstrate the airway protective function of RPS. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Periodontal Status and Whole Salivary Cytokine Profile Among Smokers and Never-Smokers With and Without Prediabetes.

PubMed

Javed, Fawad; Al-Kheraif, Abdulaziz A; Al Amri, Mohammad D; Alshehri, Mohammed; Vohra, Fahim; Al-Askar, Mansour; Malmstrom, Hans; Romanos, Georgios E

2015-07-01

Whole salivary interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in smokers and never-smokers with prediabetes remains uninvestigated. The aim of this study is to assess the periodontal status and whole salivary IL-1β and IL-6 levels among smokers and never-smokers with and without prediabetes (controls). Ninety-five males (45 with prediabetes and 50 systemically healthy controls) were included. Twenty-seven controls and 29 patients with prediabetes were smokers. Periodontal parameters (plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, clinical attachment loss, and marginal bone loss) were measured, and the number of missing teeth were recorded. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were recorded. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected, unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UWSFR) was determined, and IL-1β and IL-6 levels were measured. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. FBG (P <0.05) and HbA1c (P <0.05) levels were higher among patients with prediabetes than controls. All patients with prediabetes were hyperglycemic. UWSFR was significantly higher among controls than among patients with prediabetes (P <0.05). Periodontal parameters and whole salivary IL-1β and IL-6 levels were comparable among smokers and never-smokers with prediabetes. Among controls, periodontal parameters and whole salivary IL-1β and IL-6 levels were higher among smokers than never-smokers (P <0.05). Among controls, periodontal inflammation was worse, and whole salivary IL-1β and IL-6 levels are higher in smokers than never-smokers. Among patients with prediabetes, periodontal inflammation and whole salivary IL-1β and IL-6 levels were comparable between smokers and never-smokers.

Lung cancer mutation profile of EGFR, ALK, and KRAS: Meta-analysis and comparison of never and ever smokers.

PubMed

Chapman, Aaron M; Sun, Kathie Y; Ruestow, Peter; Cowan, Dallas M; Madl, Amy K

2016-12-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. While the majority of lung cancers are associated with tobacco smoke, approximately 10-15% of U.S. lung cancers occur in never smokers. Evidence suggests that lung cancer in never smokers appears to be a distinct disease caused by driver mutations which are different than the genetic pathways observed with lung cancer in smokers. A meta-analysis of human epidemiologic data was conducted to evaluate the profile of common or therapy-targetable mutations in lung cancers of never and ever smokers. Epidemiologic studies (N=167) representing over 63,000 lung cancer cases were identified and used to calculate summary odds ratios for lung cancer in never and ever smokers containing gene mutations: EGFR, chromosomal rearrangements and fusion of EML4 and ALK, and KRAS. This analysis also considered the effect of histopathology, smoking status, sex, and ethnicity. There were significantly increased odds of presenting the EGFR and ALK-EML4 mutations in 1) adenocarcinomas compared to non-small cell lung cancer and 2) never smokers compared to ever smokers. The prevalence of EGFR mutations was higher in Asian women as compared to women of Caucasian/Mixed ethnicity. As the smoking history increased, there was a decreased odds for exhibiting the EGFR mutation, particularly for cases >30 pack-years. Compared to ever smokers, never smokers had a decreased odds of KRAS mutations among those of Caucasian/Mixed ethnicity (OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.17-0.29) and those of Asian ethnicity (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.30-0.50). Our findings show that key driver mutations and several patient features are highly prevalent in lung cancers of never smokers. These associations may be helpful as patient demographic models are developed to predict successful outcomes of targeted therapeutic interventions NSCLC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing socially disadvantaged smokers who agree and decline to participate in a randomised smoking cessation trial

PubMed Central

Bonevski, Billie; Twyman, Laura; Paul, Chris; D'Este, Catherine; West, Robert; Siahpush, Mohammad; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Palazzi, Kerrin; Bryant, Jamie; Guillaumier, Ashleigh

2015-01-01

Objectives This study examined sociodemographic, smoking and psychosocial characteristics associated with consent to participate in a smoking cessation trial for socially disadvantaged smokers. Design Baseline data were collected prior to seeking consent for the Call it Quits, a randomised controlled trial. Setting An Australian social and community service organisation. Sociodemographic, smoking and psychosocial characteristics were compared between smokers who agreed or declined to participate. Participants Of the 584 smokers invited to participate, 431 (74%) consented and 153 (26%) declined. Results Logistic regression modelling indicates the ORs of participation were twice as high for those reporting ‘high’ motivation to quit compared to the ‘moderate’ motivation group, and five times higher than the ‘low’ motivation group (p=0.007). The ORs of consenting were higher for those with a preference for gradual reduction in cigarettes in quit attempts compared with ‘no preference’. The ORs were lower for those reporting ‘don't know’ regarding their enjoyment of smoking compared to ‘not at all’ enjoying smoking, and reporting that fewer of their family or friends smoked compared to ‘most or all’. Conclusions This study is the first to examine the characteristics of socially disadvantaged smokers who consent or decline to participate in a smoking cessation trial. Low-income smokers who are motivated to quit, are not enjoying smoking, had family or friends who smoked, and who are interested in gradual cessation approaches may be more likely to participate in a smoking cessation trial. Trial registration number ISRCTN85202510. PMID:26369799

Differential prevalence of established risk factors for poor cessation outcomes among smokers by level of social anxiety.

PubMed

Watson, Noreen L; Heffner, Jaimee L; McClure, Jennifer B; Mull, Kristen E; Bricker, Jonathan B

2017-03-01

Despite clear associations between social anxiety (SA), high prevalence of smoking, and cessation failure, little is known about factors contributing to these relationships. Moreover, the extent to which smokers with moderate SA represent an at-risk group of smokers is also unknown. This study examined the extent to which established risk factors for poor cessation (eg, sociodemographic, smoking history, mental health comorbidity) are prevalent among smokers with low, moderate, and high levels of SA. Participants (N = 2,637) were adult smokers from a web-based smoking cessation trial. Nineteen characteristics considered risk factors for poor cessation outcomes were assessed at baseline. Those associated with social anxiety were subsequently compared by SA level. Regression models indicated that 10/19 risk factors were associated with SA. Compared to smokers with low SA, those with moderate and high SA endorsed 4/10 and 10/10 risk factors as more prevalent or severe, respectively. Compared to smokers with low SA, High SA was associated with greater sociodemographic risk factors, while both moderate and high SA was associated with more severe mental health symptoms. Smokers with moderate and high levels of SA endorse more risk factors for poor cessation outcomes than those with low levels of SA, particularly mental health symptoms. These factors may help explain the differential smoking outcomes of socially anxious smokers. Results suggest that smokers with both moderate and high levels of SA would likely benefit from cessation interventions that address and consider these risk factors. (Am J Addict 2017;26:176-182). © 2017 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Differential Prevalence of Established Risk Factors for Poor Cessation Outcomes among Smokers by Level of Social Anxiety

PubMed Central

Watson, Noreen L.; Heffner, Jaimee L.; McClure, Jennifer B.; Mull, Kristen E.; Bricker, Jonathan B.

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives Despite clear associations between social anxiety (SA), high prevalence of smoking, and cessation failure, little is known about factors contributing to these relationships. Moreover, the extent to which smokers with moderate SA represent an at-risk group of smokers is also unknown. This study examined the extent to which established risk factors for poor cessation (e.g., sociodemographic, smoking history, mental health comorbidity) are prevalent among smokers with low, moderate, and high levels of SA. Methods Participants (N = 2,637) were adult smokers from a web-based smoking cessation trial. Nineteen characteristics considered risk factors for poor cessation outcomes were assessed at baseline. Those associated with social anxiety were subsequently compared by SA level. Results Regression models indicated that 10/19 risk factors were associated with SA. Compared to smokers with low SA, those with moderate and high SA endorsed 4/10 and 10/10 risk factors as more prevalent or severe, respectively. Compared to smokers with low SA, High SA was associated with greater sociodemographic risk factors, while both moderate and high SA was associated with more severe mental health symptoms. Conclusions and Scientific Significance Smokers with moderate and high levels of SA endorse more risk factors for poor cessation outcomes than those with low levels of SA, particularly mental health symptoms. These factors may help explain the differential smoking outcomes of socially anxious smokers. Results suggest that smokers with both moderate and high levels of SA would likely benefit from cessation interventions that address and consider these risk factors. PMID:28191916

Plain packaging increases visual attention to health warnings on cigarette packs in non-smokers and weekly smokers but not daily smokers.

PubMed

Munafò, Marcus R; Roberts, Nicole; Bauld, Linda; Leonards, Ute

2011-08-01

To assess the impact of plain packaging on visual attention towards health warning information on cigarette packs. Mixed-model experimental design, comprising smoking status as a between-subjects factor, and package type (branded versus plain) as a within-subjects factor. University laboratory. Convenience sample of young adults, comprising non-smokers (n = 15), weekly smokers (n = 14) and daily smokers (n = 14). Number of saccades (eye movements) towards health warnings on cigarette packs, to directly index visual attention. Analysis of variance indicated more eye movements (i.e. greater visual attention) towards health warnings compared to brand information on plain packs versus branded packs. This effect was observed among non-smokers and weekly smokers, but not daily smokers. Among non-smokers and non-daily cigarette smokers, plain packaging appears to increase visual attention towards health warning information and away from brand information. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Effects of smoking on arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass.

PubMed

Markus, Marcello Ricardo Paulista; Stritzke, Jan; Baumeister, Sebastian Edgar; Siewert, Ulrike; Baulmann, Johannes; Hannemann, Anke; Schipf, Sabine; Meisinger, Christa; Dörr, Marcus; Felix, Stephan Burkhart; Keil, Ulrich; Völzke, Henry; Hense, Hans-Werner; Schunkert, Heribert

2013-10-03

The effects of smoking on central aortic pressures and the age-related increase in left ventricular mass (LVM) are largely unknown. We studied the relationship between smoking, arterial distensibility, central aortic pressures and left ventricular mass in two population-based studies. Data was obtained from two German population-based studies (KORA and SHIP, participants' ages 25-84 years). We identified 114 normotensive current smokers and 185 normotensive all-time non-smokers in KORA as well as 400 and 588 such individuals in SHIP. Echocardiographic LVM was obtained at baseline (T0) and follow-up after ten years (T1) in KORA and at follow-up (T1) in SHIP. Additionally, pulse-wave analysis-based central aortic pressure and augmentation index (AIx) were measured at T1 in KORA. Cross-sectional analysis, using KORA T0 and SHIP T1, revealed in both studies a higher covariate-adjusted LVM and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in smokers as compared with non-smokers. Moreover, in the KORA T1 examination, the smokers demonstrated a more pronounced increase, relative to baseline, of LVM (+13.5%) and LVMI (+13.4%) compared to non-smokers (+8.59% and +8.65%; p=0.036 and 0.042, respectively). Additionally, at KORA T1 smokers had a higher central systolic blood pressure and higher AIx than non-smokers (p=0.012 and p=0.001, respectively). The difference in central aortic pressure due to enhanced and more prolonged wave reflection may explain our finding of a further pronounced increase in left ventricular wall thickness and mass over time in smokers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous brain activity in chronic smokers revealed by fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation analysis: a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Chu, Shuilian; Xiao, Dan; Wang, Shuangkun; Peng, Peng; Xie, Teng; He, Yong; Wang, Chen

2014-01-01

Nicotine is primarily rsponsible for the highly addictive properties of cigarettes. Similar to other substances, nicotine dependence is related to many important brain regions, particular in mesolimbic reward circuit. This study was to further reveal the alteration of brain function activity during resting state in chronic smokers by fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in order to provide the evidence of neurobiological mechanism of smoking. This case control study involved twenty healthy smokers and nineteen healthy nonsmokers recruited by advertisement. Sociodemographic, smoking related characteristics and fMRI images were collected and the data analyzed. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers showed fALFF increased significantly in the left middle occipital gyrus, left limbic lobe and left cerebellum posterior lobe but decreases in the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right extra nuclear, left postcentral gyrus and left cerebellum anterior lobe (cluster size >100 voxels). Compared with light smokers (pack years ≤ 20), heavy smokers (pack years >20) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right superior temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right occipital lobe/cuneus but decreased in the right/left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus, right/left frontal lobe/sub gyral, right/left cerebellum posterior lobe (cluster size >50 voxels). Compared with nonsevere nicotine dependent smokers (Fagerstrőm test for nicotine dependence, score ≤ 6), severe nicotine dependent smokers (score >6) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right/left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule but decreased in the left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus (cluster size >25 voxels). In smokers during rest, the activity of addiction related regions were increased and the activity of smoking feeling, memory, related regions were also changed. The resting state activity changes in many regions were associated with the cumulative amount of nicotine intake and the severity of nicotine dependence.

Neural responses to smoking stimuli are influenced by smokers' attitudes towards their own smoking behaviour.

PubMed

Stippekohl, Bastian; Winkler, Markus H; Walter, Bertram; Kagerer, Sabine; Mucha, Ronald F; Pauli, Paul; Vaitl, Dieter; Stark, Rudolf

2012-01-01

An important feature of addiction is the high drug craving that may promote the continuation of consumption. Environmental stimuli classically conditioned to drug-intake have a strong motivational power for addicts and can elicit craving. However, addicts differ in the attitudes towards their own consumption behavior: some are content with drug taking (consonant users) whereas others are discontent (dissonant users). Such differences may be important for clinical practice because the experience of dissonance might enhance the likelihood to consider treatment. This fMRI study investigated in smokers whether these different attitudes influence subjective and neural responses to smoking stimuli. Based on self-characterization, smokers were divided into consonant and dissonant smokers. These two groups were presented smoking stimuli and neutral stimuli. Former studies have suggested differences in the impact of smoking stimuli depending on the temporal stage of the smoking ritual they are associated with. Therefore, we used stimuli associated with the beginning (BEGIN-smoking-stimuli) and stimuli associated with the terminal stage (END-smoking-stimuli) of the smoking ritual as distinct stimulus categories. Stimulus ratings did not differ between both groups. Brain data showed that BEGIN-smoking-stimuli led to enhanced mesolimbic responses (amygdala, hippocampus, insula) in dissonant compared to consonant smokers. In response to END-smoking-stimuli, dissonant smokers showed reduced mesocortical responses (orbitofrontal cortex, subcallosal cortex) compared to consonant smokers. These results suggest that smoking stimuli with a high incentive value (BEGIN-smoking-stimuli) are more appetitive for dissonant than consonant smokers at least on the neural level. To the contrary, smoking stimuli with low incentive value (END-smoking-stimuli) seem to be less appetitive for dissonant smokers than consonant smokers. These differences might be one reason why dissonant smokers experience difficulties in translating their attitudes into an actual behavior change.

Neural Responses to Smoking Stimuli Are Influenced by Smokers' Attitudes towards Their Own Smoking Behaviour

PubMed Central

Stippekohl, Bastian; Winkler, Markus H.; Walter, Bertram; Kagerer, Sabine; Mucha, Ronald F.; Pauli, Paul; Vaitl, Dieter; Stark, Rudolf

2012-01-01

An important feature of addiction is the high drug craving that may promote the continuation of consumption. Environmental stimuli classically conditioned to drug-intake have a strong motivational power for addicts and can elicit craving. However, addicts differ in the attitudes towards their own consumption behavior: some are content with drug taking (consonant users) whereas others are discontent (dissonant users). Such differences may be important for clinical practice because the experience of dissonance might enhance the likelihood to consider treatment. This fMRI study investigated in smokers whether these different attitudes influence subjective and neural responses to smoking stimuli. Based on self-characterization, smokers were divided into consonant and dissonant smokers. These two groups were presented smoking stimuli and neutral stimuli. Former studies have suggested differences in the impact of smoking stimuli depending on the temporal stage of the smoking ritual they are associated with. Therefore, we used stimuli associated with the beginning (BEGIN-smoking-stimuli) and stimuli associated with the terminal stage (END-smoking-stimuli) of the smoking ritual as distinct stimulus categories. Stimulus ratings did not differ between both groups. Brain data showed that BEGIN-smoking-stimuli led to enhanced mesolimbic responses (amygdala, hippocampus, insula) in dissonant compared to consonant smokers. In response to END-smoking-stimuli, dissonant smokers showed reduced mesocortical responses (orbitofrontal cortex, subcallosal cortex) compared to consonant smokers. These results suggest that smoking stimuli with a high incentive value (BEGIN-smoking-stimuli) are more appetitive for dissonant than consonant smokers at least on the neural level. To the contrary, smoking stimuli with low incentive value (END-smoking-stimuli) seem to be less appetitive for dissonant smokers than consonant smokers. These differences might be one reason why dissonant smokers experience difficulties in translating their attitudes into an actual behavior change. PMID:23155368

Response inhibition of cigarette-related cues in male light smokers: behavioral evidence using a two-choice oddball paradigm

PubMed Central

Xin, Zhao; Ting, Liu X.; Yi, Zan X.; Li, Dai; Bao, Zhou A.

2015-01-01

Behavioral inhibitory control has been shown to play an important role in a variety of addictive behaviors. A number of studies involving the use of Go/NoGo and stop-signal paradigms have shown that smokers have reduced response inhibition for cigarette-related cues. However, it is not known whether male light smokers’ response inhibition for cigarette-related cues is lower than that of non-smokers in the two-choice oddball paradigm. The objective of the current study was to provide further behavioral evidence of male light smokers’ impaired response inhibition for cigarette-related cues, using the two-choice oddball paradigm. Sixty-two male students (31 smokers, 31 non-smokers), who were recruited via an advertisement, took part in this two-choice oddball experiment. Cigarette-related pictures (deviant stimuli) and pictures unrelated to cigarettes (standard stimuli) were used. Response inhibition for cigarette-related cues was measured by comparing accuracy (ACC) and reaction time (RT) for deviant and standard stimuli in the two groups of subjects. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that in all the participants, ACC was significantly lower for deviant stimuli than for standard stimuli. For deviant stimuli, the RTs were significantly longer for male light smokers than for male non-smokers; however, there was no significant difference in RTs for standard stimuli. Compared to male non-smokers, male light smokers seem to have a reduced ability to inhibit responses to cigarette-related cues. PMID:26528200

Decreased Central Nervous System Grey Matter Volume (GMV) in Smokers Affects Cognitive Abilities: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Vňuková, Martina; Ptáček, Radek; Raboch, Jiří; Stefano, George B

2017-04-20

Although cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality, tobacco is consumed by approximately 22% of the adult population worldwide. Smoking is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, affects brain processing, and is a recognized risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). Tobacco toxins (e.g., nicotine at high levels) inhaled in smoke may cause disorders resulting in preclinical brain changes. Researchers suggest that there are differences in brain volume between smokers and non-smokers. This review examines these differences in brain grey matter volume (GMV). In March/April 2015, MedLine, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched using the terms: "grey matter" AND "voxel-based" AND "smoking" AND "cigarette". The 4 studies analyzed found brain GMV decreases in smokers compared to non-smokers. Furthermore, sex-specific differences were found; while the thalamus and cerebellum were affected in both sexes, decreased GMV in the olfactory gyrus was found only in male smokers. Age-group differences were also found, and these may suggest pre-existing abnormalities that lead to nicotine dependence in younger individuals. Only 1 study found a positive correlation between number of pack-years smoked and GMV. Smoking decreases GMV in most brain areas. This decrease may be responsible for the cognitive impairment and difficulties with emotional regulation found in smokers compared with non-smokers.

Decreased Central Nervous System Grey Matter Volume (GMV) in Smokers Affects Cognitive Abilities: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Vňuková, Martina; Ptáček, Radek; Raboch, Jiří; Stefano, George B.

2017-01-01

Although cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality, tobacco is consumed by approximately 22% of the adult population worldwide. Smoking is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, affects brain processing, and is a recognized risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). Tobacco toxins (e.g., nicotine at high levels) inhaled in smoke may cause disorders resulting in preclinical brain changes. Researchers suggest that there are differences in brain volume between smokers and non-smokers. This review examines these differences in brain grey matter volume (GMV). In March/April 2015, MedLine, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched using the terms: “grey matter” AND “voxel-based” AND “smoking” AND “cigarette”. The 4 studies analyzed found brain GMV decreases in smokers compared to non-smokers. Furthermore, sex-specific differences were found; while the thalamus and cerebellum were affected in both sexes, decreased GMV in the olfactory gyrus was found only in male smokers. Age-group differences were also found, and these may suggest pre-existing abnormalities that lead to nicotine dependence in younger individuals. Only 1 study found a positive correlation between number of pack-years smoked and GMV. Smoking decreases GMV in most brain areas. This decrease may be responsible for the cognitive impairment and difficulties with emotional regulation found in smokers compared with non-smokers. PMID:28426638

Prevalence of asthmatic smokers: Turkish experience (PASTE Study).

PubMed

Yildiz, Fusun; Dursun, Adile Berna; Disçi, Rian

2014-07-01

Although both asthma and smoking are major health problems worldwide, smokers are often excluded from asthma studies. It was aimed to verify the prevalence of asthmatic smokers in Turkey and assess the effects of smoking based on clinical parameters, exacerbations and hospitalizations because of lack of national data about the prevalence of smoking among asthmatics. The study protocol was comprised of a retrospective questionnaire. The asthmatic patients were followed in the outpatient clinics of 18 tertiary hospitals selected from seven different geographical regions in Turkey. We evaluated demographic data, smoking habits, asthma-related diseases, respiratory function and emergency visits. The study population included 1385 patients (M/F: 343/1042), and the mean age was 45.1 ± 14.0 years. Current and former smoking prevalence was 11.4% and 15.1%, respectively. Smoker rates were higher in males and younger asthmatics compared with females and older asthmatics (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Smoking history ranged from 0.20 to 90 pack-years (the mean was 12.9), and smokers had a higher level of education compared with nonsmokers (P < 0.01). Socioeconomically, the most developed region had the highest rate of smoker asthmatics (33.9%; P = 0.014). There was an increase in the number of exacerbations in smoker asthmatics during the previous year, but it was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). We showed that the smoking prevalence in Turkey was lower in asthmatics (11.4%) compared with the general population (44.5%). Nevertheless, every effort should be made to encourage asthmatics to stop smoking because smoking is a modifiable risk factor for adverse asthma health outcomes. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Small effects of smoking on visual spatiotemporal processing.

PubMed

Kunchulia, Marina; Pilz, Karin S; Herzog, Michael H

2014-12-04

Nicotine is an important stimulant that is involved in modulating many neuronal processes, including those related to vision. Nicotine is also thought to play a key role in schizophrenia: A genetic variation of the cholinergic nicotine receptor gene, alpha-7 subunit (CHRNA7) has been shown to be associated with stronger backward masking deficits in schizophrenic patients. In this study, we tested visual backward masking in healthy smokers and non-smokers to further understand the effects of nicotine on spatiotemporal vision. In the first study, we tested 48 participants, a group of non-smokers (n = 12) and three groups of regular smokers that were either nicotine deprived (n = 12), non-deprived (n = 12) or deprived but were allowed to smoke a cigarette directly before the start of the experiment (n = 12). Performance was similar across groups, except for some small negative effects in nicotine-deprived participants. In the second study, we compared backward masking performance between regular smokers and non-smokers for older (n = 37, 13 smokers) and younger (n = 67, 21 smokers) adults. Older adults performed generally worse than younger adults but there were no significant differences in performance between smokers and non-smokers. Taken together, these findings indicate that nicotine has no long-term negative effects on visual spatiotemporal processing as determined by visual backward masking.

Altered thalamo-cortical resting state functional connectivity in smokers.

PubMed

Wang, Chaoyan; Bai, Jie; Wang, Caihong; von Deneen, Karen M; Yuan, Kai; Cheng, Jingliang

2017-07-13

The thalamus has widespread connections with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and modulates communication between the striatum and PFC, which is crucial to the neural mechanisms of smoking. However, relatively few studies focused on the thalamic resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) patterns and their association with smoking behaviors in smokers. 24 young male smokers and 24 non-smokers were enrolled in our study. Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess the nicotine dependence level. The bilateral thalamic RSFC patterns were compared between smokers and non-smokers. The relationship between neuroimaging findings and smoking behaviors (FTND and pack-years) were also investigated in smokers. Relative to nonsmokers, smokers showed reduced RSFC strength between the left thalamus and several brain regions, i.e. the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the bilateral caudate. In addition, the right thalamus showed reduced RSFC with the right dlPFC as well as the bilateral insula in smokers. Therefore, the findings in the current study revealed the reduced RSFC of the thalamus with the dlPFC, the ACC, the insula and the caudate in smokers, which provided new insights into the roles of the thalamus in nicotine addiction from a function integration perspective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of COPD in never-smokers and ever-smokers in the general population: results from the CanCOLD study.

PubMed

Tan, W C; Sin, D D; Bourbeau, J; Hernandez, P; Chapman, K R; Cowie, R; FitzGerald, J M; Marciniuk, D D; Maltais, F; Buist, A S; Road, J; Hogg, J C; Kirby, M; Coxson, H; Hague, C; Leipsic, J; O'Donnell, D E; Aaron, S D

2015-09-01

There is limited data on the risk factors and phenotypical characteristics associated with spirometrically confirmed COPD in never-smokers in the general population. To compare the characteristics associated with COPD by gender and by severity of airway obstruction in never-smokers and in ever-smokers. We analysed the data from 5176 adults aged 40 years and older who participated in the initial cross-sectional phase of the population-based, prospective, multisite Canadian Cohort of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Never-smokers were defined as those with a lifetime exposure of <1/20 pack year. Logistic regressions were constructed to evaluate associations for 'mild' and 'moderate-severe' COPD defined by FEV1/FVC <5th centile (lower limits of normal). Analyses were performed using SAS V.9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA). The prevalence of COPD (FEV1/FVC

Systematic review of the evidence relating FEV1 decline to giving up smoking

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The rate of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) decline ("beta") is a marker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk. The reduction in beta after quitting smoking is an upper limit for the reduction achievable from switching to novel nicotine delivery products. We review available evidence to estimate this reduction and quantify the relationship of smoking to beta. Methods Studies were identified, in healthy individuals or patients with respiratory disease, that provided data on beta over at least 2 years of follow-up, separately for those who gave up smoking and other smoking groups. Publications to June 2010 were considered. Independent beta estimates were derived for four main smoking groups: never smokers, ex-smokers (before baseline), quitters (during follow-up) and continuing smokers. Unweighted and inverse variance-weighted regression analyses compared betas in the smoking groups, and in continuing smokers by amount smoked, and estimated whether beta or beta differences between smoking groups varied by age, sex and other factors. Results Forty-seven studies had relevant data, 28 for both sexes and 19 for males. Sixteen studies started before 1970. Mean follow-up was 11 years. On the basis of weighted analysis of 303 betas for the four smoking groups, never smokers had a beta 10.8 mL/yr (95% confidence interval (CI), 8.9 to 12.8) less than continuing smokers. Betas for ex-smokers were 12.4 mL/yr (95% CI, 10.1 to 14.7) less than for continuing smokers, and for quitters, 8.5 mL/yr (95% CI, 5.6 to 11.4) less. These betas were similar to that for never smokers. In continuing smokers, beta increased 0.33 mL/yr per cigarette/day. Beta differences between continuing smokers and those who gave up were greater in patients with respiratory disease or with reduced baseline lung function, but were not clearly related to age or sex. Conclusion The available data have numerous limitations, but clearly show that continuing smokers have a beta that is dose-related and over 10 mL/yr greater than in never smokers, ex-smokers or quitters. The greater decline in those with respiratory disease or reduced lung function is consistent with some smokers having a more rapid rate of FEV1 decline. These results help in designing studies comparing continuing smokers of conventional cigarettes and switchers to novel products. PMID:21156048

Comparing the Levels of Acute-Phase Reactants Between Smoker and Nonsmoker Diabetic Patients: More Predicted Risk for Cardiovascular Diseases in Smoker Compared to Nonsmoker Diabetics.

PubMed

Rezaei-Adl, Sepideh; Ghahroudi Tali, Arash; Saffar, Hiva; Rajabiani, Afsaneh; Abdollahi, Alireza

2017-09-01

 Due to a close link between cardiovascular disorders and increased acute phase responses, it is now proposed the relation of total sialic acid (TSA) and C Reactive Protein (CRP) as main components of acute phase proteins and cardiovascular risk profiles such as diabetes mellitus and smoking. We hypothesized that the elevation in the level of TSA along with other prototype acute phase reactants such as CRP is expected more in the coexistence of diabetes and smoking than in diabetes mellitus alone. Ninety diabetic patients were randomly selected and entered into this case-control study. Using block randomization method, the patients were randomly assigned into smokers (n=45) and nonsmokers (n=45). A group of ten healthy individuals was also included as the control. The serum levels of TSA, CRP, iron, and hemoglobin were measured by the specific techniques. Comparing laboratory parameters across the three groups indicated significantly higher levels of TSA and CRP in smoker diabetics as compared to non-smoker diabetics and the healthy controls, while there was no difference in other parameters including serum iron and hemoglobin. A significant positive correlation was also revealed between TCA and CRP (r=0.324, P=0.030), but no significant association was found between other parameters. In the background of smoking, increasing the level of both TSA and CRP is predicted more than the existence of diabetes mellitus alone. In fact, the increase in these biomarkers is more predictable in smoker than in nonsmoker diabetics. This finding emphasizes the increased risk for cardiovascular disorders in smoker compared to non-smoker diabetics.

Gene expression in lung adenocarcinomas of smokers and nonsmokers.

PubMed

Powell, Charles A; Spira, Avrum; Derti, Adnan; DeLisi, Charles; Liu, Gang; Borczuk, Alain; Busch, Steve; Sahasrabudhe, Sudhir; Chen, Yangde; Sugarbaker, David; Bueno, Raphael; Richards, William G; Brody, Jerome S

2003-08-01

Adenocarcinoma (AC) has become the most frequent type of lung cancer in men and women, and is the major form of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Our goal in this paper was to determine if AC in smokers and nonsmokers represents the same genetic disease. We compared gene expression profiles in resected samples of nonmalignant lung tissue and tumor tissue in six never-smokers with AC and in six smokers with AC, who were matched for clinical staging and histologic criteria of cell differentiation. Results were analyzed using a variety of bioinformatic tools. Four times as many genes changed expression in the transition from noninvolved lung to tumor in nonsmokers as in smokers, suggesting that AC in nonsmokers evolves locally, whereas AC in smokers evolves in a field of genetically altered tissue. There were some similarities in gene expression in smokers and nonsmokers, but many differences, suggesting different pathways of cell transformation and tumor formation. Gene expression in the noninvolved lungs of smokers differed from that of nonsmokers, and multidimensional scaling showed that noninvolved lungs of smokers groups with tumors rather than noninvolved lungs of nonsmokers. In addition, expression of a number of genes correlated with smoking intensity. Our findings, although limited by small sample size, suggest that additional studies comparing noninvolved to tumor tissue may identify pathogenetic mechanisms and therapeutic targets that differ in AC of smokers and nonsmokers.

Emotional and Affective Temperaments in Smoking Candidates for Bariatric Surgery.

PubMed

Mombach, Karin Daniele; de Souza Brito, Cesar Luis; Padoin, Alexandre Vontobel; Casagrande, Daniela Schaan; Mottin, Claudio Cora

2016-01-01

The prevalence of smoking habits in severe obesity is higher than in the general population. There is some evidence that smokers have different temperaments compared to non-smokers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations between smoking status (smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers) and temperament characteristics in bariatric surgery candidates. We analyzed data on temperament of 420 bariatric surgery candidates, as assessed by the AFECTS scale, in an exploratory cross-sectional survey of bariatric surgery candidates who have been grouped into smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. We detected significant statistical differences in temperament related to the smoking status in this population after controlling the current use of psychiatric medication. Smokers had higher anxiety and lower control than non-smokers. Ex-smokers with BMI >50 kg/m(2) presented higher coping and control characteristics than smokers. Smoking in bariatric surgery candidates was associated with lower control and higher anxious temperament, when controlled by current use of psychiatric medication. Smokers with BMI >50 kg/m(2) presented lower coping and control than ex-smokers. Assessment of temperament in bariatric surgery candidates may help in decisions about smoking cessation treatment and prevention of smoking relapse after surgery.

Proteomic Analysis of Whole Human Saliva Detects Enhanced Expression of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist, Thioredoxin and Lipocalin-1 in Cigarette Smokers Compared to Non-Smokers

PubMed Central

Jessie, Kala; Pang, Wei Wei; Haji, Zubaidah; Rahim, Abdul; Hashim, Onn Haji

2010-01-01

A gel-based proteomics approach was used to screen for proteins of differential abundance between the saliva of smokers and those who had never smoked. Subjecting precipitated proteins from whole human saliva of healthy non-smokers to two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) generated typical profiles comprising more than 50 proteins. While 35 of the proteins were previously established by other researchers, an additional 22 proteins were detected in the 2-DE saliva protein profiles generated in the present study. When the 2-DE profiles were compared to those obtained from subjects considered to be heavy cigarette smokers, three saliva proteins, including interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, thioredoxin and lipocalin-1, showed significant enhanced expression. The distribution patterns of lipocalin-1 isoforms were also different between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. The three saliva proteins have good potential to be used as biomarkers for the adverse effects of smoking and the risk for inflammatory and chronic diseases that are associated with it. PMID:21151451

Smoking risk and the likelihood of quitting among African-American female light and heavy smokers.

PubMed

Fernander, Anita; Schumacher, Mitzi; Wei, Xiaochen; Crooks, Peter; Wedlund, Peter

2008-10-01

While African-American females are more likely to be light smokers compared to their counterparts of other racially classified social groups (RCSGs), they are more likely to carry a heavier burden of smoking-related morbidity and mortality. Thus, it is critical that African-American female light smokers are targeted to engage in smoking cessation. Research has revealed that African-American women are less likely to have a successful quit attempt following a cessation intervention than females from other RCSGs. It has been postulated that the low smoking cessation rates among African-American female light smokers may be due to the lack of appropriate psychosocioculturally tailored cessation interventions that address issues of stress and coping that explain why they smoke and continue to smoke that may differ from their heavy smoker counterparts. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether African-American female light smokers differed from their heavy smoker counterparts on psychosociocultural stress and coping factors. Findings revealed no differences in the sociodemographic variables of age, income, education and BMI; in the psychosociocultural measures of acculturative stress, race-related stress and coping; or in the smoking characteristics of menthol smoking status, cotinine level and CYP2A6 metabolic functioning between light and heavy smokers. However, the study found that African-American female light smokers take longer to smoke their first cigarette of the day, have a lower smoking risk, are more likely to quit, and exhibit lower carbon monoxide levels than African-American female heavy smokers. The current study suggests that other than the obvious factors of greater likelihood of quitting, lower smoking risk, longer latency to smoke and lower carbon monoxide levels, specific smoking cessation programs may not need to be differentially psychosocio-culturally tailored for African-American female light smokers compared to their heavy-smoking counterparts.

Salivary osteocalcin levels are decreased in smoker chronic periodontitis patients.

PubMed

Ozçaka, O; Nalbantsoy, A; Buduneli, N

2011-03-01

 This study was planned to investigate whether smoker chronic periodontitis patients exhibit different salivary concentrations of C-telopeptide pyridinoline cross-links of type I collagen (ICTP) and osteocalcin (OC) compared to the non-smoker counterparts. Whole saliva samples, full-mouth clinical periodontal recordings were obtained from 33 otherwise healthy chronic periodontitis patients and 36 systemically, periodontally healthy control subjects. Chronic periodontitis patients and healthy control subjects were divided into smoker and non-smoker groups according to their self reports. Salivary ICTP, OC levels were determined by Enzyme-linked Immunoassays. Healthy control groups exhibited significantly lower values in all clinical periodontal measurements (P < 0.001). Smoker periodontitis patients revealed similar clinical periodontal index values with non-smoker counterparts (P > 0.05). Chronic periodontitis patients exhibited significantly higher salivary OC levels than healthy controls (P < 0.05). Smoker periodontitis patients revealed lower salivary OC levels than non-smoker counterparts (P < 0.001). Log ICTP levels in non-smoker chronic periodontitis patients were higher than non-smoker controls (P < 0.05). Smoker healthy control group revealed higher log ICTP levels than non-smoker counterparts (P < 0.001). Within the limits of this study, it may be suggested that suppression of salivary osteocalcin level by smoking may at least partly explain the deleterious effects of smoking on periodontal status. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Native American Ancestry Affects the Risk for Gene Methylation in the Lungs of Hispanic Smokers from New Mexico

PubMed Central

Liu, Yushi; Thomas, Cynthia L.; Gauderman, W. James; Picchi, Maria A.; Bruse, Shannon E.; Zhang, Xiequn; Flores, Kristina G.; Van Den Berg, David; Stidley, Christine A.; Gilliland, Frank D.

2013-01-01

Rationale: Gene promoter methylation detected in sputum predicts lung cancer risk in smokers. Compared with non-Hispanic whites (NHW), Hispanics have a lower age-standardized incidence for lung cancer. Objectives: This study compared the methylation prevalence in sputum of NHWs with Hispanics using the Lovelace Smokers cohort (n = 1998) and evaluated the effect of Native American ancestry (NAA) and diet on biomarkers for lung cancer risk. Methods: Genetic ancestry was estimated using 48 ancestry markers. Diet was assessed by the Harvard University Dietary Assessment questionnaire. Methylation of 12 genes was measured in sputum using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The association between NAA and risk for methylation was assessed using generalized estimating equations. The ethnic difference in the association between pack-years and risk for lung cancer was assessed in the New Mexico lung cancer study. Measurements and Main Results: Overall Hispanics had a significantly increased risk for methylation across the 12 genes analyzed (odds ratio, 1.18; P = 0.007). However, the risk was reduced by 32% (P = 0.032) in Hispanics with high versus low NAA. In the New Mexico lung cancer study, Hispanic non–small cell lung cancer cases have significantly lower pack-years than NHW counterparts (P = 0.007). Furthermore, compared with NHW smokers, Hispanic smokers had a more rapidly increasing risk for lung cancer as a function of pack-years (P = 0.058). Conclusions: NAA may be an important risk modifier for methylation in Hispanic smokers. Smoking intensity may have a greater impact on risk for lung cancer in Hispanics compared with NHWs. PMID:24032348

Effects of smoking on salivary C-telopeptide pyridinoline cross-links of type I collagen and osteocalcin levels.

PubMed

Gürlek, Onder; Lappin, David F; Buduneli, Nurcan

2009-12-01

This study was planned to investigate whether smoker patients with inflammatory periodontal disease exhibit different salivary concentrations of C-telopeptide pyridinoline cross-links of type I collagen (ICTP) and osteocalcin (OC) compared to the non-smoker and/or ex-smoker counterparts. Whole saliva samples, full-mouth clinical periodontal recordings were obtained from 67 otherwise healthy patients with inflammatory periodontal disease. According to self-reports there were 34 smokers, 22 non-smokers and 11 ex-smokers. Salivary cotinine, ICTP and OC levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassays. Salivary cotinine measurements confirmed self-reports about smoking. Smoker patients revealed significantly higher plaque index values than non-smokers (p<0.05). Bleeding on probing values were significantly lower in smoker group than ex-smoker group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the study groups in salivary ICTP levels (p>0.05). OC levels in smoker group was significantly lower than the other groups (p<0.001). Salivary ICTP levels correlated negatively with number of teeth present (p<0.05), positively with bleeding on probing (p<0.01). Salivary OC levels correlated negatively with years smoked (p<0.01). Within the limits of this study, smoking seems to suppress salivary osteocalcin level but ICTP levels seem not to be affected by smoking status. This suppression in OC levels may be one mechanism of deteriorating effects of smoking on periodontal health.

Effect of Mild-to-Moderate Smoking on Viral Load, Cytokines, Oxidative Stress, and Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in HIV-Infected Individuals

PubMed Central

Ande, Anusha; McArthur, Carole; Ayuk, Leo; Awasom, Charles; Achu, Paul Ngang; Njinda, Annette; Sinha, Namita; Rao, P. S. S.; Agudelo, Marisela; Nookala, Anantha Ram; Simon, Stephen; Kumar, Anil; Kumar, Santosh

2015-01-01

Mild-to-moderate tobacco smoking is highly prevalent in HIV-infected individuals, and is known to exacerbate HIV pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine the specific effects of mild-to-moderate smoking on viral load, cytokine production, and oxidative stress and cytochrome P450 (CYP) pathways in HIV-infected individuals who have not yet received antiretroviral therapy (ART). Thirty-two human subjects were recruited and assigned to four different cohorts as follows: a) HIV negative non-smokers, b) HIV positive non-smokers, c) HIV negative mild-to-moderate smokers, and d) HIV positive mild-to-moderate smokers. Patients were recruited in Cameroon, Africa using strict selection criteria to exclude patients not yet eligible for ART and not receiving conventional or traditional medications. Those with active tuberculosis, hepatitis B or with a history of substance abuse were also excluded. Our results showed an increase in the viral load in the plasma of HIV positive patients who were mild-to-moderate smokers compared to individuals who did not smoke. Furthermore, although we did not observe significant changes in the levels of most pro-inflammatory cytokines, the cytokine IL-8 and MCP-1 showed a significant decrease in the plasma of HIV-infected patients and smokers compared with HIV negative non-smokers. Importantly, HIV-infected individuals and smokers showed a significant increase in oxidative stress compared with HIV negative non-smoker subjects in both plasma and monocytes. To examine the possible pathways involved in increased oxidative stress and viral load, we determined the mRNA levels of several antioxidant and cytochrome P450 enzymes in monocytes. The results showed that the levels of most antioxidants are unaltered, suggesting their inability to counter oxidative stress. While CYP2A6 was induced in smokers, CYP3A4 was induced in HIV and HIV positive smokers compared with HIV negative non-smokers. Overall, the findings suggest a possible association of oxidative stress and perhaps CYP pathway with smoking-mediated increased viral load in HIV positive individuals. PMID:25879453

Demystifying the Enigma of Smoking – An Observational Comparative Study on Tobacco Smoking

PubMed Central

Nallakunta, Rajesh; Reddy, Sudhakara Reddy; Chennoju, Sai Kiran

2016-01-01

Introduction Smoking is a hazardous habit which causes definite changes in the oral cavity, consequently there exist changes in the mucosa when subjected to smoking. Palatal mucosa is first to be affected. The present study determines the palatal status in reverse smokers and conventional smokers. Aim To study and compare the clinical, cytological and histopathological changes in palatal mucosa among reverse and conventional smokers. Materials and Methods Study sample was categorized into two groups. Group 1 comprised of 20 subjects with the habit of reverse smoking and Group 2 comprised of 20 subjects with the habit of conventional smoking. Initially, clinical appearance of the palatal mucosa was recorded, followed by a cytological smear and biopsy of the involved area among all the subjects. The findings were studied clinically, the specimens were analysed cytologically and histopathologically, and compared among the two groups. Results The severity of clinical changes of the palatal mucosa among reverse smokers was statistically significant when compared to those of conventional smokers. There was no statistically significant difference observed in cytological staging between the groups with a p-value of 0.35. The histopathological changes in both the groups showed a significant difference with a p-value of 0.02. A significant positive correlation was observed between the clinical appearance, and cytological, histopathological changes. Conclusion Profound clinically aggressive changes were observed in group I compared to group II. Severity of dysplastic changes have been detected in few subjects through histopathological examination irrespective of no prominent clinical and cytological changes observed among the two groups. PMID:27190962

Smoking topography and outcome expectancies among individuals with schizotypy

PubMed Central

Stewart, Diana W.; Vinci, Christine; Adams, Claire E.; Cohen, Alex S.; Copeland, Amy L.

2013-01-01

Compared to smokers in the general population, smokers with schizophrenia smoke more cigarettes per day and have higher nicotine dependence and biochemical indicators of nicotine intake. They also have more intense smoking topography and greater positive smoking expectancies. Little is known about the relationship between smoking and schizotypy, defined as the personality organization reflecting a vulnerability to schizophrenia-spectrum pathology. This study assessed schizotypy symptoms, smoking characteristics and behaviors, and smoking expectancies in young adults with psychometrically defined schizotypy and demographically matched controls without schizotypy. Smokers with schizotypy had higher nicotine dependence and smoked more cigarettes per week compared to control smokers. They were also more likely to endorse greater positive consequences (i.e., improved state enhancement, stimulation, social facilitation, taste/sensorimotor manipulation, reduced negative affect and boredom) and fewer negative consequences of smoking. Smokers with schizotypy and control smokers did not differ on smoking topography or carbon monoxide levels. This is the first known study to investigate relationships between these smoking-related variables in smokers with schizotypy. Individuals with schizotypy possessed certain smoking-related characteristics and smoking expectancies similar to those with schizophrenia. This offers preliminary insight into unique smoking-related factors among individuals with schizotypy and highlights the importance of continued research in this area. PMID:23261186

Comparing salivary cotinine concentration in non-smokers from the general population and hospitality workers in Spain.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Fu, Marcela; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; López, María J; Moncada, Albert; Fernández, Esteve

2009-12-01

The objective was to compare the pattern of exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) among non-smokers in the general population and in hospitality workers. We used the adult (16-64 years) non-smokers of two independent studies (general population and hospitality workers) in Spain. We assessed the exposure to SHS by means of questionnaire and salivary cotinine concentration. The salivary cotinine concentration by sex, age, educational level, day of week of saliva collection, and exposure to SHS were always higher in hospitality workers than in the general population. Our results indicated that non-smoker hospitality workers have higher levels of exposure to SHS than general population.

Cigarette smoking associates with body weight and muscle mass of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional, observational study

PubMed Central

Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou, Antonios; Metsios, Giorgos S; Panoulas, Vasileios F; Douglas, Karen MJ; Nevill, Alan M; Jamurtas, Athanasios Z; Kita, Marina; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Kitas, George D

2008-01-01

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with altered metabolism leading to muscle wasting. In the general population, cigarette smoking is known to affect body composition by reducing fat and inhibiting muscle synthesis. Even though smoking has been implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of RA, its possible effects on body composition of such patients have not been studied. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify potential associations of smoking with body weight and composition of RA patients. Methods A total of 392 patients (290 females) with RA were assessed for body mass index (BMI), body fat (BF), fat-free mass (FFM), and waist circumference. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, Disease Activity Score-28, and Health Assessment Questionnaire score were used to assess disease activity and severity. Smoking habit (current smoker, ex-smoker, or never-smoker) and intensity (pack-years) were also noted. Results Current smokers had a significantly lower BMI compared with ex-smokers (mean difference: male -2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.5 to -1.7; female: -2.6, 95% CI: -4.8 to -0.5) and never-smokers (mean difference: male -1.8, 95% CI: -3 to -0.6; female: -1.4, 95% CI: -2.4 to -0.4). Similarly, the BF of current smokers was lower compared with that of ex-smokers (mean difference: male: -4.3, 95% CI: -7.5 to -1.2; female: -3.4, 95% CI: -6.4 to -0.4) and never-smokers (mean difference: male: -3.3, 95% CI: -6.3 to -0.4; female: -2.1, 95% CI: -4 to -0.2). FFM did not differ between groups. Finally, current smokers had a significantly smaller waist circumference compared with ex-smokers only (mean difference: male: -6.2, 95% CI: -10.4 to -1.9; female: -7.8, 95% CI: -13.5 to -2.1). Following adjustments for age, disease duration, and HAQ score, smoking remained a significant predictor for BMI (P < 0.001), BF (P < 0.05), and waist circumference (P < 0.05). Pack-years were inversely correlated with BF (r = -0.46; P < 0.001), and heavy smokers exhibited a significantly lower FFM (P < 0.05) compared with all other participants. Conclusion Within the limitations of a cross-sectional study, it appears that cigarette smoking associates with reduced BMI and BF in patients with RA and heavy smoking associates with lower muscle mass. Smoking cessation appears to associate with increased BMI, BF, and waist circumference in these patients. These results should be confirmed in prospective studies. Given the numerous adverse effects of smoking on general health and RA, patients should be actively advised against it. However, smoking cessation regimes in RA may need to include more general lifestyle counselling, particularly about weight control. PMID:18492239

Assessing beliefs and risk perceptions on smoking and smoking cessation in immigrant Chinese adult smokers residing in Vancouver, Canada: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

FitzGerald, J Mark; Poureslami, Iraj; Shum, Jessica

2015-02-03

We aimed to conduct culturally-based participatory research to assess cultural and belief contexts for smoking behaviours within Mandarin and Cantonese communities. Outcome variables were smoking-related knowledge, smoking patterns, attitudes and beliefs, and perceived barriers and facilitators to successful cessation. A community-based approach was applied involving smokers, community key-informants and professionals in study design and implementation. Initially, focus groups were conducted and findings were used to develop study instrument. Participants responded once to study questionnaire after informed consent. Community based in the Greater Vancouver Area, Canada. 16 Chinese smokers participated in focus groups and subsequently, 167 current Chinese immigrant (137 males and 30 females) smokers from Mandarin and Cantonese communities, recruited with the help of community agencies and collaborating physicians, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. We found that a majority believed smoking was harmful on their health. Younger smokers (<35 years of age) did not mind smoking in front of young children compared to older smokers (≥35 years of age) (p<0.001). People with high school or lower levels of education believed that they would benefit more from smoking than suffering from withdrawal symptoms compared to better educated smokers (p<0.05). Mandarin smokers were significantly more likely to encourage others to quit than Cantonese smokers (p<0.05). Many indicated not receiving adequate support from care providers and lack of access to culturally and linguistically appropriate cessation programmes impacted on their ability to quit smoking. Our study highlighted the importance of tobacco beliefs and perceptions among Mandarin and Cantonese speaking immigrants with limited access to healthcare information and for younger smokers whose attention to health consequences of smoking may be limited as well. Study participants were generally aware of the health risks and were willing to quit. Access to appropriate cessation programmes would fulfil their willingness. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Brain-volume changes in young and middle-aged smokers: a DARTEL-based voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Peng, Peng; Wang, Zhenchang; Jiang, Tao; Chu, Shuilian; Wang, Shuangkun; Xiao, Dan

2017-09-01

Many studies have reported brain volume changes in smokers. However, the volume differences of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in young and middle-aged male smokers with different lifetime tobacco consumption (pack-years) remain uncertain. To examine the brain volume change, especially whether more pack-years smoking would be associated with smaller gray matter and white matter volume in young and middle-aged male smokers. We used a 3T MR scanner and performed Diffeomorphic anatomical registration through exponentiated lie algebra (DARTEL)-based voxel-based morphometry on 53 long-term male smokers (30.72 ± 4.19 years) and 53 male healthy non-smokers (30.83 ± 5.18 years). We separated smokers to light and heavy smokers by pack-years and compared brain volume between different smoker groups and non-smokers. And then we did analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) between smokers and non-smokers by setting pack-years as covariates. Light and heavy smokers all displayed smaller GM and WM volume than non-smokers and more obviously in heavy smokers. The main smaller areas in light and heavy smokers were superior temporal gyrus, insula, middle occipital gyrus, posterior cingulate, precuneus in GM and posterior cingulate, thalamus and midbrain in WM, in addition, we also observed more pack-years smoking was associated with some certain smaller GM and WM volumes by ANCOVA. Young and middle-aged male smokers had many smaller brain areas than non-smokers. Some of these areas' volume had negative correlation with pack-years, while some had not. These may due to different pathophysiological role of smokings. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of Salivary pH, Buffering Capacity and Alkaline Phosphatase in Smokers and Healthy Non-Smokers: Retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Ahmadi-Motamayel, Fatemeh; Falsafi, Parisa; Goodarzi, Mohammad T; Poorolajal, Jalal

2016-08-01

Saliva contains alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-a key intracellular enzyme related to destructive processes and cellular damage-and has buffering capacity (BC) against acids due to the presence of bicarbonate and phosphate ions. Smoking may have deleterious effects on the oral environment due to pH changes which can affect ALP activity. This study aimed to evaluate the salivary pH, BC and ALP activity of male smokers and healthy non-smokers. This retrospective cohort study took place between August 2012 and December 2013. A total of 251 healthy male non-smokers and 259 male smokers from Hamadan, Iran, were selected. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from each participant and pH and BC were determined using a pH meter. Salivary enzymes were measured by spectrophotometric assay. Mean salivary pH (7.42 ± 0.48 and 7.52 ± 0.43, respectively; P = 0.018) and BC (3.41 ± 0.54 and 4.17 ± 0.71; P = 0.001) was significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. Mean ALP levels were 49.58 ± 23.33 IU/L among smokers and 55.11 ± 27.85 IU/L among non-smokers (P = 0.015). Significantly lower pH, BC and ALP levels were observed among smokers in comparison to a healthy control group. These salivary alterations could potentially be utilised as biochemical markers for the evaluation of oral tissue function and side-effects among smokers. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to evaluate the effects of smoking on salivary components.

Infrared spectroscopy study of the influence of inhaled vapors/smoke produced by cigarettes of active smokers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popa, Cristina

2015-05-01

While much is known about the effect of smoke and vapors on the composition of blood, little is known about their impact on the composition of breath. When tobacco from traditional cigarettes (T) is burned, it produces harmful smoke compared with the vapor produced when using electronic cigarettes (E). Using a noninvasive, safe, and rapid CO2 laser-photoacoustic method, this study aimed to examine the ethylene changes at different time intervals in the exhaled breath composition of E-cigarette smokers and T-cigarette smokers, before and after the consecutive exposures to cigarettes. Oxidative stress from exposure to tobacco smoke has a role in the pathogenic process, leading to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The evidence on the mechanisms by which T-smoking causes damage indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke. The study revealed that the ethylene level (in the E-cigarette smoker's case) was found to be in smaller concentrations (compared with T-cigarette smoker's case) and that E-cigarettes may provide an alternative to T-cigarette smoking.

Infrared spectroscopy study of the influence of inhaled vapors/smoke produced by cigarettes of active smokers.

PubMed

Popa, Cristina

2015-05-01

While much is known about the effect of smoke and vapors on the composition of blood, little is known about their impact on the composition of breath. When tobacco from traditional cigarettes (T) is burned, it produces harmful smoke compared with the vapor produced when using electronic cigarettes (E). Using a noninvasive, safe, and rapid CO2 laser-photoacoustic method, this study aimed to examine the ethylene changes at different time intervals in the exhaled breath composition of E-cigarette smokers and T-cigarette smokers, before and after the consecutive exposures to cigarettes. Oxidative stress from exposure to tobacco smoke has a role in the pathogenic process, leading to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The evidence on the mechanisms by which T-smoking causes damage indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke. The study revealed that the ethylene level (in the E-cigarette smoker's case) was found to be in smaller concentrations (compared with T-cigarette smoker's case) and that E-cigarettes may provide an alternative to T-cigarette smoking.

Changes in Doppler flow velocity waveforms and fetal size at 20 weeks gestation among cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Kho, E M; North, R A; Chan, E; Stone, P R; Dekker, G A; McCowan, L M E

2009-09-01

To compare umbilical and uterine artery Doppler waveforms and fetal size at 20 weeks between smokers and nonsmokers. Prospective cohort study. Auckland, New Zealand and Adelaide, Australia. Nulliparous participants in the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study. Self-reported smoking status was determined at 15 +/- 1 weeks' gestation. At the 20 +/- 1 week anatomy scan, uterine and umbilical Doppler resistance indices (RI) and fetal measurements were compared between smokers and nonsmokers. Umbilical and mean uterine artery Doppler RI values, abnormal umbilical and uterine Doppler (RI > 90th centile) and fetal biometry. Among the 2459 women, 248 (10%) were smokers. Smokers had higher umbilical RI [0.75 (SD 0.06) versus 0.73 (0.06), P < 0.0001] and mean uterine RI [0.59 (0.09) versus 0.56 (0.10), P < 0.0001]. They were twice as likely to have an abnormal umbilical Doppler at 20 weeks compared with nonsmokers [n = 35 (14.6%) versus n = 156 (7.2%), OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.49-3.27]. This effect remained significant after adjusting for age, ethnicity, marital status, employment and BMI (adjusted OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.03-2.54). Smokers were more likely to have an abnormal mean uterine RI [n = 33 (13.7%) versus n = 198 (9.2%), OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.06-2.33], but this association was not significant after adjusting for confounders. Fetuses of women who smoked had a small reduction in femur length and estimated weight compared with nonsmokers. At 20 weeks' gestation, women who smoke have higher umbilical artery RI, a surrogate measure for an abnormal placental villous vascular tree. This may contribute to later fetal growth restriction among smokers. Further research is needed to explore the clinical significance of these findings.

Cigarette smoking in British men and selection for coronary artery bypass surgery.

PubMed Central

Morris, R. W.; McCallum, A. K.; Walker, M.; Whincup, P. H.; Ebrahim, S.; Shaper, A. G.

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation between smoking status, clinical need, and likelihood of coronary artery bypass grafting in middle aged men. DESIGN: A prospective study of cardiovascular disease in British men aged 40 to 59 years, screened in 1978-80 and followed until December 1991. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: 7735 men drawn from one general practice in each of 24 British towns. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery. RESULTS: Of the 3185 current smokers, 38 (1.03/1000/year) underwent coronary artery bypass surgery compared with 47 of 2715 (1.45/1000/year) ex-smokers, and 19 of 1817 (0.85/1000/year) never-smokers. Ex-smokers had a lower incidence of major ischaemic heart disease during follow up than current smokers. After adjustment for incidence of ischaemic heart disease during follow up, the hazard ratio of coronary artery bypass surgery for ex-smokers compared with smokers was 1.52 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 2.34). Ex-smokers were more likely at screening to recall a doctor diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease than smokers (7.1% v 5.3%), but among those who recalled a doctor diagnosis, smokers were less likely to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery than ex-smokers (9.4% v 3.5%, P = 0.026). By 1992, men defined as smokers at screening were no less likely than ex-smokers to have been referred to a cardiologist (18.5% v 18.8%), nor to report having undergone coronary angiography less frequently than ex-smokers (12.7% v 11.4%). CONCLUSION: Even allowing for the strong relation between coronary artery bypass surgery and clinical need, continuing smokers were less likely to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery than ex-smokers. A complex interplay exists between the men's experience of heart disease, the decision to stop smoking, and the willingness of doctors to consider coronary artery bypass surgery. PMID:8697156

[The relationship between smoking and hyperuricemia in Chinese residents].

PubMed

Chen, H G; Sheng, L T; Wan, Z Z; Wang, X C; Lin, Y H; Wang, Y X; Pan, X F; Pan, A

2018-05-06

Objective: To explore the relationship between smoking and hyperuricemia in Chinese residents. Methods: Based on data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), residents with blood samples provided in the 2009 round (including information of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, medical history, and laboratory examinations etc.) were selected as the participants in the current analysis. Unconditional logistic regression models were utilized to compute the ORs and corresponding 95% CIs for assessing the relationship between smoking and hyperuricemia. Results: Among the 8 785 subjects, 1 435 had hyperuricemia with a prevalence rate of 16.3%, consisting of 886 men and 549 women with prevalence rates of 21.6% (886/4 110) and 11.7% (549/4 675) , respectively. Compared with never smokers, the adjusted OR (95% CI ) for hyperuricemia was 0.83 (0.70-0.98) among current smokers, 0.77 (0.63-0.94) among current smokers with 20-39 years of smoking, and 0.79 (0.65-0.97) among current smokers with 11-20 cigarettes per day. When stratified by gender and compared with non-smoker, the adjusted OR (95% CI ) for hyperuricemia among current smokers compared with never smokers was 0.83 (0.70-0.98) among men, while no significant association was found in female current smokers ( OR= 0.73, 95% CI: 0.42-1.26, P= 0.260). Conclusion: In Chinese residents, there is an inverse association between smoking and hyperuricemia prevalence, and this association may be related to duration and intensity of smoking among current smokers. The findings need to be validated in large prospective cohort studies.

The perceived risks and benefits of quitting in smokers diagnosed with severe mental illness participating in a smoking cessation intervention: gender differences and comparison to smokers without mental illness.

PubMed

Filia, Sacha L; Baker, Amanda L; Gurvich, Caroline T; Richmond, Robyn; Kulkarni, Jayashri

2014-01-01

This study aimed to examine the perceived risks and benefits of quitting in smokers diagnosed with psychosis, including potential gender differences and comparisons to smokers in the general population. Data were collected from 200 people diagnosed with psychosis participating in a randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention for smoking cessation and cardiovascular disease risk reduction in people with severe mental illness. Results were compared with both treatment and non-treatment seeking smokers in the general population. Male and female smokers with psychosis generally had similar perceived risks and benefits of quitting. Females rated it significantly more likely that they would experience weight gain and negative affect upon quitting than males diagnosed with psychosis. Compared with smokers in the general population also seeking smoking cessation treatment, this sample of smokers with psychosis demonstrated fewer gender differences and lower ratings of perceived risks and benefits of quitting. The pattern of risk and benefit ratings in smokers diagnosed with psychosis was similar to those of non-treatment seeking smokers in the general population. These results increase our understanding of smoking in people with severe mental illness, and can directly inform smoking interventions to maximise successful abstinence for this group of smokers. For female smokers with psychosis, smoking cessation interventions need to address concerns regarding weight gain and negative affect. Intervention strategies aimed at enhancing beliefs about the benefits of quitting smoking for both male and female smokers with psychosis are necessary. © 2013 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Hospital costs associated with smoking in veterans undergoing general surgery.

PubMed

Kamath, Aparna S; Vaughan Sarrazin, Mary; Vander Weg, Mark W; Cai, Xueya; Cullen, Joseph; Katz, David A

2012-06-01

Approximately 30% of patients undergoing elective general surgery smoke cigarettes. The association between smoking status and hospital costs in general surgery patients is unknown. The objectives of this study were to compare total inpatient costs in current smokers, former smokers, and never smokers undergoing general surgical procedures in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals; and to determine whether the relationship between smoking and cost is mediated by postoperative complications. Patients undergoing general surgery during the period of October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006 were identified in the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) data set. Inpatient costs were extracted from the VA Decision Support System (DSS). Relative surgical costs (incurred during index hospitalization and within 30 days of operation) for current and former smokers relative to never smokers, and possible mediators of the association between smoking status and cost were estimated using generalized linear regression models. Models were adjusted for preoperative and operative variables, accounting for clustering of costs at the hospital level. Of the 14,853 general surgical patients, 34% were current smokers, 39% were former smokers, and 27% were never smokers. After controlling for patient covariates, current smokers had significantly higher costs compared with never smokers: relative cost was 1.04 (95% Cl 1.00 to 1.07; p = 0.04); relative costs for former smokers did not differ significantly from those of never smokers: 1.02 (95% Cl 0.99 to 1.06; p = 0.14). The relationship between smoking and hospital costs for current smokers was partially mediated by postoperative respiratory complications. These findings complement emerging evidence recommending effective smoking cessation programs in general surgical patients and provide an estimate of the potential savings that could be accrued during the preoperative period. Published by Elsevier Inc.

One cigarette is one too many: evaluating a light smoker-targeted media campaign.

PubMed

Jasek, John P; Johns, Michael; Mbamalu, Ijeoma; Auer, Kari; Kilgore, Elizabeth A; Kansagra, Susan M

2015-07-01

Light smokers represent an increasing share of adult smokers in various parts of the world including New York City (NYC). Since 2007, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has aired hard-hitting antitobacco media campaigns paired with time-limited nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) giveaways. We evaluated an original antitobacco media campaign, developed to increase awareness of smoking risks and encourage cessation service use among light smokers in NYC. We compared cessation service request volume during the campaign to historical periods without ads targeting light smokers. We used a cross-sectional online panel survey to assess the ad's perceived effectiveness and its impact on learning something new, quit intentions and concern for smoking-related health risks among non-daily, light daily and heavy daily smokers. The proportion of light smokers among smokers requesting cessation services increased 50% (from 13% to 20%) relative to previous time-limited NRT giveaways. Compared to heavy daily smokers, non-daily (aOR: 1.95, p<0.05) and light daily (aOR: 2.27, p<0.05) smokers were more likely to express increased concern about smoking-related health risks after viewing the ad. Perceived effectiveness of the ad did not differ by smoker type. This study provides evidence that light smokers were receptive to a targeted antitobacco message encouraging use of cessation services. The campaign appears to have been particularly effective in increasing smoking-related health concerns in this group. The lack of difference in perceived ad effectiveness by smoker type suggests the potential to develop such ads without sacrificing broad impact. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Smoking Cessation Is Associated With Lower Indirect Costs.

PubMed

Baker, Christine L; Bruno, Marianna; Emir, Birol; Li, Vicky W; Goren, Amir

2018-06-01

This study quantified differences in indirect costs due to decreased work productivity between current and former smokers. Former smokers were further categorized by number of years since quitting to assess corresponding differences. Data on employed individuals were obtained from the 2013 US National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS; N = 75,000). Indirect costs were calculated for current smokers and former smokers from weekly wages based on age and sex. The annual total indirect costs for current smokers were $1327.53, $1560.18, and $1839.87 higher than for those who quit 0 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, and more than or equal to 11 years prior, respectively. There were no significant differences in mean total indirect costs between the former smoker groups. Current smokers showed significantly higher total annual indirect costs compared with former smokers, independently of the number of years since quitting smoking.

An intervention of active TB case finding among smokers attending routine primary care facilities in China: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaolin; Zou, Guangyan; Chong, Marc Kc; Xu, Lin

2015-09-01

Smoking is an important risk factor of TB. However, no studies have been conducted to identify TB cases from smokers. We assessed the process and initial impact of active case finding among smokers at primary care facilities in a setting with high smoking rates and TB burden. A prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted in para-urban communities in Yunnan China between September 2013 and June 2014. Smokers attending primary care facilities in the intervention group were prescribed chest X-rays if they had diabetes or TB symptoms, or were elders or close contacts of TB patients. Those with X-rays suggestive of TB were referred to TB dispensaries for diagnosis. Passive case finding was practiced in the control group. In the intervention group, we screened 471 smokers with high risks of TB, of whom 73% took chest X-ray examinations. Eight TB cases were diagnosed, reflecting a 1.7% yield rate of all screened smokers. Smokers with diabetes (OR 6.003, 95% CI 1.057-34.075) were more likely to have TB compared with those without. In total, the intervention group reported significantly higher TB notification rate compared with the control group (38.6 vs 22.9 per 100 000, p=0.016). Active case finding among smokers with high risks of TB was feasible and contributed to improved notification rates. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smokers report lower intake of key nutrients than nonsmokers yet both fall short of meeting recommended intakes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Smoking is a risk factor in the development of preventable disease which may be partly due to the reduced nutrient intake of smokers. Our objective was to compare and evaluate the reported intake of current smokers to that of nonsmokers in participants of a study evaluating stress and smoking. Men a...

The second Chicago televised smoking cessation program: a 24-month follow-up.

PubMed Central

Warnecke, R B; Langenberg, P; Wong, S C; Flay, B R; Cook, T D

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVES. As smoking decreases in the population, the remaining smoking population will change, and cessation initiatives will have to incorporate strategies designed for these smokers. METHODS. To study patterns of response to a cessation intervention composed of 20 televised segments and the American Lung Association Freedom from Smoking in 20 Days manual, this study compared cessation rates over 24 months in a cohort of smokers who registered for a cessation program with those in a cohort selected from the smoking population at large. RESULTS. At post intervention, multiple point prevalence of cessation among participants, adjusted for baseline smoking, was 14% among registrants and 6% in the population; at 24 months the adjusted rates were 6% and 2%, respectively. Heavy smokers benefited more than light smokers, and there was a consistent dose-response relationship between extent of exposure to the intervention and cessation. CONCLUSION. The effects of the intervention were strongest for those who read the manual and watched the programs daily. Manual use was important, and those who did not read it did not appear to benefit. Compared to the population and given full participation, heavy smokers benefited more than lighter smokers. PMID:1585964

Attitudes and behavioral response toward key tobacco control measures from the FCTC among Chinese urban residents.

PubMed

Yang, Tingzhong; Wu, Yanwei; Abdullah, Abu Saleh M; Dai, Di; Li, Fuzhong; Wu, Junqing; Xiang, Haiqing

2007-09-18

The Chinese National People's Congress ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on 27 August 2005, signaling China's commitment to implement tobacco control policies and legislation consistent with the treaty. This study was designed to examine attitudes towards four WHO FCTC measures among Chinese urban residents. In a cross-sectional design study, survey data were collected from two Chinese urban cities involving a sample of 3,003 residents aged 15 years or older. Through a face-to-face interview, respondents were asked about attitudes toward four tobacco control measures developed by the WHO FCTC. Data on the four dependent measures were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Using descriptive statistics, potential change in smoking behavior that smokers might make in response to increasing cigarette prices is also reported. 81.8% of the respondents in the study sample supported banning smoking in public places, 68.8% favored increasing the cigarette tax, 85.1% supported health warnings on cigarette packages, and 85.7% favored banning tobacco advertising. The likelihood to support these measures was associated with gender, educational level, and personal income. Smokers were less likely to support these measures than non-smokers, with decreased support expressed by daily smokers compared to occasional smokers, and heavy smokers compared to light smokers. The proportion of switching to cheaper cigarette brands, decreasing smoking, and quitting smoking altogether with increased cigarette prices were 29.1%, 30.90% and 40.0% for occasional smokers, respectively; and 30.8%, 32.7% and 36.5% for daily smokers, respectively. Results from this study indicate strong public support in key WHO FCTC measures and that increases in cigarette price may reduce tobacco consumption among Chinese urban residents. Findings from this study have implications with respect to policymaking and legislation for tobacco control in China.

Altered hypothalamic response to food in smokers123

PubMed Central

Geha, Paul Y; Aschenbrenner, Katja; Felsted, Jennifer; O'Malley, Stephanie S; Small, Dana M

2013-01-01

Background: Smoking cessation is often followed by weight gain. Eating behaviors and weight change have been linked to the brain response to food, but it is unknown whether smoking influences this response. Objective: We determined the influence of smoking status (smokers compared with nonsmokers) on the brain response to food in regions associated with weight changes in nonsmokers. Design: In study 1, we used functional MRI (fMRI) to identify regions of the brain associated with weight change in nonsmokers. BMI and the brain response to a milk shake, which is a palatable and energy-dense food, were measured in a group of 27 nonsmokers (5 men). Sixteen subjects (3 men) returned 1 y later for BMI reassessment. The change in BMI was regressed against the brain response to isolate regions associated with weight change. In study 2, to determine whether smokers showed altered responses in regions associated with weight change, we assessed the brain response to a milk shake in 11 smokers. The brain response to a milk shake compared with a tasteless control solution was assessed in 11 smokers (5 men) in comparison with a group of age-, sex- and body weight–matched nonsmokers selected from the pool of nonsmokers who participated in study 1. Results: The response in the midbrain, hypothalamus, thalamus, and ventral striatum was positively associated with weight change at the 1-y follow-up in 16 nonsmokers. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers had a greater response to milk shakes in the hypothalamus. Conclusion: Smokers display an altered brain response to food in the hypothalamus, which is an area associated with long-term weight change in nonsmokers. PMID:23235196

Salivary-soluble CD44 levels in smokers and non-smokers with chronic periodontitis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ghallab, Noha; Shaker, Olfat

2010-05-01

Smoking is the most important environmental risk factor for periodontal disease. Elevated levels of serum-soluble CD44 (sCD44) have been detected in smokers and also have been recognized as a diagnostic marker in some smoking-induced diseases. The present study investigates the salivary sCD44 profiles of smokers and non-smokers with and without chronic periodontitis in response to scaling and root planing (SRP). The study included 44 subjects divided into two groups: 22 patients with chronic periodontitis and 22 periodontally healthy subjects. Both groups were equally subdivided into smokers (n = 11) and non-smokers (n = 11). Plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, and clinical attachment level were recorded only for chronic periodontitis patients. Salivary samples were collected from all 44 patients at baseline and after 1 month of SRP from the 22 chronic periodontitis patients. Assay for salivary sCD44 was carried out by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Baseline salivary sCD44 profiles were significantly higher when smokers were compared to non-smokers in both chronic periodontitis patients and the control subjects (P <0.001) with the highest levels recorded in smokers within the chronic periodontitis group. There was a significant decline in salivary sCD44 levels after treatment in the chronic periodontitis group for both smokers and non-smokers (P <0.01); however, the difference between groups was insignificant. Salivary sCD44 might be considered a biomarker of periodontal destruction in smokers and non-smokers. The research opens the door to further research into a role for CD44 as a diagnostic marker for periodontitis.

Does smoking affect hospital use before death? A comparison of ever- and never-smokers in the last years of life.

PubMed

McGhee, Sarah M; Schooling, C Mary; Wong, Lai Chin; Leung, Gabriel M; Ho, Lai Ming; Thomas, G Neil; Ho, Daniel S Y; Lam, Tai Hing; Hedley, Anthony J

2008-06-01

Given the apparent greater use of health care services by smokers and predictions of higher costs for a never-smoking population, we aimed in this study to determine whether the acute hospital costs in the last years of life of never- and ever-smokers differed before death using a database of the decedents in 1 year in Hong Kong. To compare the acute hospital use of ever- and never-smoker decedents. The data on cause of death, personal characteristics, and public hospital discharges were linked for all decedents in 1998 in Hong Kong. The incidence rate ratio was used to compare, for ever- and never-smokers, the number of days spent in an acute hospital over the prior 7 years. Analyses were done using specific and all cause mortality, adjusted for sex, lifestyle factors, and life expectancy. Compared with never-smokers who died of the same condition, ever-smokers who died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease used 28% more acute hospital bed days and those dying of smoking-related cancer 9% fewer. These differences cancelled out over the case-mix of deaths with no net difference in acute bed day use by smoking status for all-cause mortality. There was no difference in acute hospital bed days in the last years of life of ever- and never-smokers but some differences by cause of death. Reducing smoking in this population will not increase acute hospital use.

The effect of smoking status on burn inhalation injury mortality.

PubMed

Knowlin, Laquanda; Stanford, Lindsay; Cairns, Bruce; Charles, Anthony

2017-05-01

Three factors that effect burn mortality are age, total body surface of burn (TBSA), and inhalation injury. Of the three, inhalation injury is the strongest predictor of mortality thus its inclusion in the revised Baux score (age+TBSA+17* (inhalation injury, 1=yes, 0=no)). However, the weighted contribution of specific comorbidities such as smoker status on mortality has traditionally not been accounted for nor studied in this subset of burn patients. We therefore sought to examine the impact of current tobacco and/or marijuana smoking in patients with inhalation injury. A retrospective analysis of patients admitted to a regional burn center from 2002 to 2012. Independent variables analyzed included basic demographics, burn mechanism, presence of inhalation injury, TBSA, pre-existing comorbidities, and smoker status. Bivariate analysis was performed and logistic regression modeling using significant variables was utilized to estimate odds of mortality. There were a total of 7640 patients over the study period. 7% (n=580) of the burn cohort with inhalation injury were included in this study. In-hospital burn mortality for inhalation injury patients was 23%. Current smokers (20%) included cigarette smokers and marijuana users, 19% and 3%, respectively. Preexisting respiratory disease (17%) was present in 36% of smokers compared to 13% of non-smokers (p<0.001). Smokers had significantly lower mortality rate (9%) compared to non-smokers (26%, p<0.01). The logistic regression model for mortality outcomes identified statistically four significant variables: age, TBSA, ethnicity, and smoker status (OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.18-0.93). Presence of comorbidities, including preexisting respiratory disease, was not significant. In the sub group of burn patients with inhalation injury, the odds of mortality significantly decreased in pre-existing smokers after adjusting for significant covariates. We postulate that an immune tolerance mechanism that modulates and diminishes the pro-inflammatory response confers a survival advantage in smokers after exposure to acute smoke inhalation injury. Future prospective studies in human and/or animal models are needed to confirm these findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Health education pamphlets about smoking--their benefit to smokers and non-smokers.

PubMed

Meillier, L; Osler, M; Sabroe, S; Christensen, B; Elsass, P; Meyer, L

1999-01-01

The aim of this present study was to compare the use by smokers and non-smokers of pamphlets about smoking as delivered from different settings. The study was a nation-wide cross-sectional survey of 1924 randomly selected, Danish men and women, aged 14-77 y, who had answered a mailed questionnaire in 1994. Of these 71% also participated in a telephone interview enquiring about the use of health education material, smoking status and socio-demographic variables, 39% of readers of household-delivered anti-smoking pamphlets reported having gained information from them and 22% reported having made changes in their own smoking behaviour such as avoiding smoking in the presence of non-smokers. In general practice settings, these percentages were higher among smokers. Smokers who were thinking of stopping smoking in the near future were in addition more likely to take and to read smoking related health education materials from other places. Non-smokers received (3 49%) and read pamphlets about smoking as frequently as did smokers who did not intend to quit. In conclusion, written health education material was well received by readers, but, when distributed in a more open setting it needs to be targeted towards smokers who are considering stopping smoking. In general practice, smokers not thinking of stopping were open to health education, and pamphlets used in this setting should also target this group. Non-smokers contribute indirectly to smokers quitting by providing support to smokers and pamphlets for non-smokers need to be more targeted towards this social role.

Dopamine function in cigarette smokers: an [¹⁸F]-DOPA PET study.

PubMed

Bloomfield, Michael A P; Pepper, Fiona; Egerton, Alice; Demjaha, Arsime; Tomasi, Gianpaolo; Mouchlianitis, Elias; Maximen, Levi; Veronese, Mattia; Turkheimer, Federico; Selvaraj, Sudhakar; Howes, Oliver D

2014-09-01

Tobacco addiction is a global public health problem. Addiction to tobacco is thought to involve the effects of nicotine on the dopaminergic system. Only one study has previously investigated dopamine synthesis capacity in cigarette smokers. This study, exclusively in male volunteers, reported increased dopamine synthesis capacity in heavy smokers compared with non-smokers. We sought to determine whether dopamine synthesis capacity was elevated in a larger sample of cigarette smokers that included females. Dopamine synthesis capacity was measured in 15 daily moderate smokers with 15 sex- and age-matched control subjects who had never smoked tobacco. Dopamine synthesis capacity (indexed as the influx rate constant K(i)(cer)) was measured with positron emission tomography and 3,4-dihydroxy-6-[(18)F]-fluoro-l-phenylalanine. There was no significant group difference in dopamine synthesis capacity between smokers and non-smoker controls in the whole striatum (t28=0.64, p=0.53) or any of its functional subdivisions. In smokers, there were no significant relationships between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and dopamine synthesis capacity in the whole striatum (r=-0.23, p=0.41) or any striatal subdivision. These findings indicate that moderate smoking is not associated with altered striatal dopamine synthesis capacity.

Anticipated motivation for genetic testing among smokers, nonsmokers, and former smokers: an exploratory qualitative study of decision making.

PubMed

Giordimaina, Alicia M; Sheldon, Jane P; Petty, Elizabeth M

2014-01-01

This qualitative study explores the public's interest in genetic testing related to cigarette smoking, comparing the public's motivations with researchers' intentions for this technology. Adult nonsmokers (n=463), former smokers (n=163), and current smokers (n=129) completed an online survey. Within a hypothetical scenario, respondents decided whether they desired genetic testing related to smoking and explained their decision making. A non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the interest in genetic testing by smoking history group. Inductive content analysis was used to investigate respondents' explanations for their testing decisions. Most nonsmokers (64%) and former smokers (58%) did not want genetic testing. While most current daily smokers were interested in testing (56%), most current occasional smokers were not (52%). Respondents' decision-making explanations were categorized into 3 major themes: Causality, Relevancy and Utility (e.g. personal benefits or harms). The use of causality, relevancy and utility explanations varied by smoking history. Notable perceived benefits of testing included recreation and altruism. Notable perceived harms included fear of fatalistic thoughts and concern about genetic discrimination. Interest in genetic testing was highest among current daily smokers, despite potential utility in other groups. Although respondents' motivations for testing paralleled researchers' intentions of tailoring smoking cessation therapies and increasing motivation to quit or abstain, respondents also raised alternative motivations and fears that healthcare providers would need to address. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among lung cancer-free smokers: The importance of healthy controls.

PubMed

Karpman, Michelle D; Eldridge, Ronald; Follis, Jack L; Etzel, Carol J; Shete, Sanjay; El-Zein, Randa A

2018-01-01

The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in smokers enrolled as "healthy" controls in studies is 10-50%. The COPD status of ideal smoker populations for lung cancer case-control studies should be checked via spirometry; however, this is often not feasible, because no medical indications exist for asymptomatic smokers to undergo spirometry prior to study enrollment. Therefore, there is an unmet need for robust, cost effective assays for identifying undiagnosed lung disease among asymptomatic smokers. Such assays would help excluding unhealthy smokers from lung cancer case-control studies. We used the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay (a measure of genetic instability) to identify undiagnosed lung disease among asymptomatic smokers. We used a convenience population from an on-going lung cancer case-control study including smokers with lung cancer (n = 454), smoker controls (n = 797), and a self-reported COPD (n = 200) contingent within the smoker controls. Significant differences for all CBMN endpoints were observed when comparing lung cancer to All controls (which included COPD) and Healthy controls (with no COPD). The risk ratio (RR) was increased in the COPD group vs. Healthy controls for nuclear buds (RR 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.62), and marginally increased for micronuclei (RR 1.06, 0.98-1.89) and nucleoplasmic bridges (RR 1.07, 0.97-1.15). These findings highlight the importance of using truly healthy controls in studies geared toward assessment of lung cancer risk. Using genetic instability biomarkers would facilitate the identification of smokers susceptible to tobacco smoke carcinogens and therefore predisposed to either disease. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Respiratory Society. All rights reserved.

Differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes between non-smokers and smokers.

PubMed

Ji, Wonjun; Lim, Myoung Nam; Bak, So Hyeon; Hong, Seok-Ho; Han, Seon-Sook; Lee, Seung-Joon; Kim, Woo Jin; Hong, Yoonki

2018-02-01

Although tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), more than one-fourth of COPD patients are non-smokers. In this cross-sectional study, the differences in COPD phenotypes between non-smokers and smokers in male subjects were investigated and were focused on structural lung changes using a quantitative assessment of computed tomography (CT) images. They divided male participants with COPD, from a Korean cohort near a cement plant, into non-smokers and smokers by a cutoff of a 5 pack-year smoking history. Clinical characteristics, including age, body mass index (BMI), spirometry results, history of biomass smoke exposure, and CT measurements, were compared between the two groups. Emphysema index (EI) and mean wall area percentage (MWA %) were used to evaluate the structural lung changes on volumetric CT scans. The non-smoker group (n = 49) had younger patients and had a greater BMI than the smoker group (n = 113) (P < .05). Spirometry results, including post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s, were comparable between the two groups. More smokers had emphysema than non-smokers (EI 10.0 vs. 6.5, P < .001), but after accounting the potential confounders in model analysis, the difference was borderline significance (P = .051). In the subgroup of biomass smoke-exposed subjects, MWA% was significantly greater in smokers than in non-smokers (MWA 69.1 vs. 65.3, P = .03), while EI was not statistically different (EI 7.1 vs. 10.4, P = .52). Non-smoker males with COPD were younger and had a greater BMI than the smokers. Tobacco smoke exposure seemed to be associated with an emphysema-predominant phenotype, while biomass smoke exposure exhibited a significant interaction with tobacco smoking in an airway-predominant phenotype. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decreased total antioxidant capacity and increased oxidative stress in passive smoker infants and their mothers.

PubMed

Aycicek, Ali; Erel, Ozcan; Kocyigit, Abdurrahim

2005-12-01

Smoking has many adverse health effects in infants and adults. The purpose of the study was to study the effect of passive cigarette smoking on oxidative and antioxidative status of plasma in passive smoker infants and their mothers and to compare with those of non-smokers. Subjects were randomly chosen from infants aged 8-26 weeks and their mothers aged 20-34 years. Passive smoker infants (n = 29) and their mothers (n = 29) were defined as having other family members who smoked six or more cigarettes per day continually for at least 8 weeks. Non-smokers were defined as infants (n = 30) and their mothers (n = 24) who had never been exposed to passive smoking. The antioxidative status of plasma were perused by measuring the total antioxidant capacity. Oxidative status was evaluated by predicating total peroxide level, oxidative stress index, protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. Plasma concentrations of total antioxidant capacity were significantly lower in passive smoker infants and their mothers than non-passive smoker infants and their mothers. However, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress index were remarkably higher in passive smoker infants and their mothers than those of non-passive smoker infants and their mothers. There were significant correlations between the oxidative and antioxidative parameters of the passive smoker infants and their mothers. Oxidants are increased and antioxidants are decreased in passive smoker infants and their mothers than those of non-smokers. Passive smoker infants and their mothers are exposed to potent oxidative stress.

Resting-state EEG, Impulsiveness, and Personality in Daily and Nondaily Smokers†

PubMed Central

Rass, Olga; Ahn, Woo-Young; O’Donnell, Brian F.

2015-01-01

Objectives Resting EEG is sensitive to transient, acute effects of nicotine administration and abstinence, but the chronic effects smoking on EEG are poorly characterized. This study measures the resting EEG profile of chronic smokers in a non-deprived, non-peak state to test whether differences in smoking behavior and personality traits affect pharmaco-EEG response. Methods Resting EEG, impulsiveness, and personality measures were collected from daily smokers (n=22), nondaily smokers (n=31), and non-smokers (n=30). Results Daily smokers had reduced resting delta and alpha EEG power and higher impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) compared to nondaily smokers and non-smokers. Both daily and nondaily smokers discounted delayed rewards more steeply, reported lower conscientiousness (NEO-FFI) and reported greater disinhibition and experience seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale) than non-smokers. Nondaily smokers reported greater sensory hedonia than nonsmokers. Conclusions Altered resting EEG power in daily smokers demonstrates differences in neural signaling that correlated with greater smoking behavior and dependence. Although nondaily smokers share some characteristics with daily smokers that may predict smoking initiation and maintenance, they differ on measures of impulsiveness and resting EEG power. Significance Resting EEG in non-deprived chronic smokers provides a standard for comparison to peak and trough nicotine states and may serve as a biomarker for nicotine dependence, relapse risk, and recovery. PMID:26051750

Attenuation of cue-induced smoking urges and brain reward activity in smokers treated successfully with bupropion.

PubMed

Weinstein, A; Greif, J; Yemini, Z; Lerman, H; Weizman, A; Even-Sapir, E

2010-06-01

Twenty-two regular smokers (15+ cigarettes per day) were treated with bupropion and group therapy for 2 months. Subjects underwent positron emission tomography (PET) studies using measures of brain global and regional glucose metabolism (regional cerebral metabolic rates of glucose [rCMRglc]) with [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) twice, after watching a videotape showing smoking scenes and after watching a control movie in counter-balanced order. A questionnaire of smoking urges (QSU) was filled in before and after watching both the movies. Changes in brain metabolic rates of FDG were analysed using Statistical Parametric Maps (SPM 2) in 11 smokers who abstained from smoking in comparison with 11 smokers who continued to smoke during the second month of treatment. Still-smokers had higher craving scores after watching the videotape showing smoking scenes compared with non-smokers. Second, watching the videotape showing smoking scenes compared with the control videotape in still-smokers resulted in increased metabolic rates in the striatum, thalamus and midbrain. Third, the ratings of the urge to smoke cigarettes while watching the videotape showing smoking scenes in still-smokers were associated with brain metabolic activity in the ventral striatum, anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex, middle temporal lobe, hippocampus, insula, midbrain and thalamus. In conclusion, successfully treated smokers showed attenuated craving and reduced activity in the mesolimbic reward circuit.

German EstSmoke: estimating adult smoking-related costs and consequences of smoking cessation for Germany.

PubMed

Sonntag, Diana; Gilbody, Simon; Winkler, Volker; Ali, Shehzad

2018-01-01

We compared predicted life-time health-care costs for current, never and ex-smokers in Germany under the current set of tobacco control polices. We compared these economic consequences of the current situation with an alternative in which Germany were to implement more comprehensive tobacco control policies consistent with the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines. German EstSmoke, an adapted version of the UK EstSmoke simulation model, applies the Markov modelling approach. Transition probabilities for (re-)currence of smoking-related diseases were calculated from large German disease-specific registries and the German Health Update (GEDA 2010). Estimations of both health-care costs and effect sizes of smoking cessation policies were taken from recent German studies and discounted at 3.5%/year. Germany. German population of prevalent current, never and ex-smokers in 2009. Life-time cost and outcomes in current, never and ex-smokers. If tobacco control policies are not strengthened, the German smoking population will incur €41.56 billion life-time excess costs compared with never smokers. Implementing tobacco control policies consistent with WHO FCTC guidelines would reduce the difference of life-time costs between current smokers and ex-smokers by at least €1.7 billion. Modelling suggests that the life-time healthcare costs of people in Germany who smoke are substantially greater than those of people who have never smoked. However, more comprehensive tobacco control policies could reduce health-care expenditures for current smokers by at least 4%. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Comparison of anxiety between smokers and nonsmokers with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Sheahan, Sharon L; Rayens, Mary K; An, Kyungeh; Riegel, Barbara; McKinley, Sharon; Doering, Lynn; Garvin, Bonnie J; Moser, Debra K

2006-11-01

Increased anxiety correlates with increased complications after acute myocardial infarction. Anxiety levels and use of anxiolytic agents have not been compared between smokers and nonsmokers hospitalized because of acute myocardial infarction. To compare anxiety level, sociodemographic factors, and clinical variables between smokers and nonsmokers hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and to examine predictors of use of beta-blockers and anxiolytic agents among smokers and nonsmokers. Secondary data analysis of a prospective multisite study on anxiety in 181 smokers and 351 nonsmokers with acute myocardial infarction. Anxiety was measured by using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the anxiety subscale of the Basic Symptom Inventory within 72 hours of admission. Smokers reported higher anxiety levels than nonsmokers reported on both anxiety scales. Female smokers reported the highest anxiety and peak pain levels of all, yet women were the least likely to receive anxiolytic agents. Smoking status was not a predictor for anxiety level when sex, peak pain, use of beta-blockers in the hospital, and age were controlled for. However, smokers were twice as likely as nonsmokers to receive an anxiolytic agent and 60% more likely to receive a beta-blocker in the emergency department, and smokers were 80% more likely than nonsmokers to receive an anxiolytic agent during hospitalization when these variables were controlled. Older female smokers are at risk for complications because they are older than their male counterparts and less likely to receive beta-blockers and antianxiety medications in the emergency department.

Diverging effects of nicotine on motor learning performance: Improvement in deprived smokers and attenuation in non-smokers.

PubMed

Grundey, J; Amu, R; Batsikadze, G; Paulus, W; Nitsche, M A

2017-11-01

Nicotine modulates cognition and neuroplasticity in smokers and non-smokers. A possible mechanism for its effect on learning and memory performance is its impact on long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). As neuroplasticity is closely connected to learning processes, we aimed to explore the effect of nicotine in healthy, young smokers and non-smokers on performance of the serial reaction time task (SRTT), a sequential motor learning paradigm. 20 nicotine-deprived smokers and 20 non-smokers participated in the study and were exposed to nicotine or placebo medication. Deprived smokers under placebo medication displayed reduced performance in terms of reaction time and error rates compared to the non-smoking group. After application of nicotine, performance in smokers improved while it deteriorated in non-smokers. These results indicate a restituting effect of nicotine in smokers in terms of cognitive parameters. This sheds further light on the proposed mechanism of nicotine on learning processes, which might be linked to the addictive component of nicotine, the probability of relapse and thus needs also be addressed in cessation treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effect of cigarette smoking on coexistence of cadmium and zinc in retained wisdom teeth].

PubMed

Malara, Piotr; Kwapuliński, Jerzy; Drugacz, Jan; Malara, Beata

2005-01-01

The change in coexistence pattern of elements (antagonism-synergism) in conditions of excessive level of toxic element is observed in many biological samples. The aim of this study was to establish the cadmium and zinc content in hard tissues of retained wisdom teeth of smokers and non-smokers and to find out if active exposure to cigarette smoke has an influence on coexistence of both metals in these tissues. Material consisted of 127 retained wisdom teeth (65 from smokers and 62 from non-smokers). Cadmium and zinc contents were determined by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. We found out that retained wisdom tooth from smokers exhibited higher cadmium and zinc contents compared to non-smokers' teeth. Moreover, coexistence pattern of cadmium and zinc in teeth depends on exposure to heavy metals and exhibits strong synergism in smokers.

[The influence of tobacco-smoke components on alpha-ketopropionic acid in the pulp of front and rear teeth of chronic smokers].

PubMed

Zurabashvili, D; Chanturia, I; Kapanadze, L; Danelia, G

2010-02-01

The composition of cigarette-smoke is relatively well known in spite of its tremendous complexity. But the analysis of cigarette smoke toxicological influence on biochemical components of tooth enamel, dentine and pulpe is not completely study. The present study was designed to characterize the pulpe biochemical component (alpha-ketopropionic acide) by acute serous pulpit. The total number of 140 patients, age 35-40 (Tobacco-smokers 80, non-smokers - 60) have been investigated. The results suggested, that tobacco-smokers chisel tooth and molars contains less alpha-ketopropionic acide than non-smokers individuals. These studies support the hypothesis of cigarette smoke important role in the tooth support mechanisms. The biochemical activity and function of tooth proteins and amino acids composition must by compared to concentration of tobacco-smoke components.

Does smoking affect gingival crevicular fluid LL-37 levels following non-surgical periodontal treatment in chronic periodontitis?

PubMed

Türkoğlu, Oya; Eren, Gülnihal; Emingil, Gülnur; Azarsız, Elif; Kutukculer, Necil; Atilla, Gül

2016-01-01

LL-37 contributes to maintaining the balance between health and disease. Smoking is a risk factor for periodontitis that impairs neutrophil functions. The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) LL-37 levels in smoker and non-smoker chronic periodontitis (CP) patients and controls, as well as the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on GCF LL-37 levels. Thirty-one CP patients (16 smokers, 15 non-smokers) and thirty-one controls (16 smokers, 15 non-smokers) were included in the study. CP patients received non-surgical treatment. GCF LL-37 levels and periodontal parameters were assessed at baseline, 1 and 3 months after completion of non-surgical periodontal treatment. GCF LL-37 levels were analyzed by ELISA. No significant difference was observed in GCF LL-37 levels between smoker and non-smoker controls (p>0.05). Smoker CP group had significantly lower GCF LL-37 level than non-smoker CP group at baseline (p<0.05). GCF LL-37 levels significantly decreased in non-smoker CP group at first week, 1 and 3 months after completion of non-surgical periodontal treatment (p<0.05) although no significant decrease in GCF LL-37 levels was observed in smoker CP group (p>0.05). Periodontal parameters were correlated with GCF LL-37 levels in non-smoker CP group (p<0.05), but not in smoker CP group (p>0.05). GCF LL-37 levels do not seem to be affected from smoking in periodontal health. However, smoking might have a suppressive effect on GCF LL-37 levels in CP. Non-surgical treatment is effective in decreasing GCF LL-37 levels in non-smoker CP patients but not in smokers with CP. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparison of Salivary pH, Buffering Capacity and Alkaline Phosphatase in Smokers and Healthy Non-Smokers

PubMed Central

Ahmadi-Motamayel, Fatemeh; Falsafi, Parisa; Goodarzi, Mohammad T.; Poorolajal, Jalal

2016-01-01

Objectives: Saliva contains alkaline phosphatase (ALP)—a key intracellular enzyme related to destructive processes and cellular damage—and has buffering capacity (BC) against acids due to the presence of bicarbonate and phosphate ions. Smoking may have deleterious effects on the oral environment due to pH changes which can affect ALP activity. This study aimed to evaluate the salivary pH, BC and ALP activity of male smokers and healthy non-smokers. Methods: This retrospective cohort study took place between August 2012 and December 2013. A total of 251 healthy male non-smokers and 259 male smokers from Hamadan, Iran, were selected. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from each participant and pH and BC were determined using a pH meter. Salivary enzymes were measured by spectrophotometric assay. Results: Mean salivary pH (7.42 ± 0.48 and 7.52 ± 0.43, respectively; P = 0.018) and BC (3.41 ± 0.54 and 4.17 ± 0.71; P = 0.001) was significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. Mean ALP levels were 49.58 ± 23.33 IU/L among smokers and 55.11 ± 27.85 IU/L among non-smokers (P = 0.015). Conclusion: Significantly lower pH, BC and ALP levels were observed among smokers in comparison to a healthy control group. These salivary alterations could potentially be utilised as biochemical markers for the evaluation of oral tissue function and side-effects among smokers. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to evaluate the effects of smoking on salivary components. PMID:27606111

Gender differences in characteristics and outcomes of smokers diagnosed with psychosis participating in a smoking cessation intervention.

PubMed

Filia, Sacha L; Baker, Amanda L; Gurvich, Caroline T; Richmond, Robyn; Lewin, Terry J; Kulkarni, Jayashri

2014-03-30

While research has identified gender differences in characteristics and outcomes of smokers in the general population, no studies have examined this among smokers with psychosis. This study aimed to explore gender differences among 298 smokers with psychosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar affective disorder) participating in a smoking intervention study. Results revealed a general lack of gender differences on a range of variables for smokers with psychosis including reasons for smoking/quitting, readiness and motivation to quit, use of nicotine replacement therapy, and smoking outcomes including point prevalence or continuous abstinence, and there were no significant predictors of smoking reduction status according to gender at any of the follow-up time-points. The current study did find that female smokers with psychosis were significantly more likely than males to report that they smoked to prevent weight gain. Furthermore, the females reported significantly more reasons for quitting smoking and were more likely to be driven by extrinsic motivators to quit such as immediate reinforcement and social influence, compared to the male smokers with psychosis. Clinical implications include specifically focussing on weight issues and enhancing intrinsic motivation to quit smoking for female smokers with psychosis; and strengthening reasons for quitting among males with psychosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal bonding styles in smokers and non-smokers: a comparative study.

PubMed

Csala, Iren; Elemery, Monika; Martinovszky, Fruzsina; Dome, Peter; Dome, Balazs; Faludi, Gabor; Sandor, Imola; Gyorffy, Zsuzsa; Birkas, Emma; Lazary, Judit

2016-01-01

Parental bonding has been implicated in smoking behavior, and the quality of maternal bonding (MB) has been associated with poor mental health and substance use. However, little is known about the association of MB and the smoking of the offspring. In our study, 129 smokers and 610 non-smoker medical students completed the parental bonding instrument, which measures MB along two dimensions: care and overprotection. Four categories can be created by high and low scores on care and overprotection: optimal parenting (OP; high care/low overprotection); affectionless control (ALC; low care/high overprotection); affectionate constraint (AC; high care/high overprotection), and neglectful parenting (NP; low care/low overprotection). Nicotine dependence was assessed by the Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test, exhaled CO level, and daily cigarette consumption (CPD). Higher CPD was significantly associated with lower overprotection ( p  = 0.016) and higher care ( p  = 0.023) scores. The odds for being a smoker were significantly higher in the neglectful maternal bonding style compared to the other rearing styles ( p  = 0.022). Besides, smokers showed significantly higher care and lower overprotection scores with the Mann-Whitney U-test than non-smokers, although these associations did not remain significant in multiple regression models. Our results indicate that focusing on early life relationship between patient and mother can be important in psychotherapeutic interventions for smoking. Registration trials retrospectively registered.

Effect of Cigarette Smoking on a Marker for Neuroinflammation: A [11C]DAA1106 Positron Emission Tomography Study.

PubMed

Brody, Arthur L; Hubert, Robert; Enoki, Ryutaro; Garcia, Lizette Y; Mamoun, Michael S; Okita, Kyoji; London, Edythe D; Nurmi, Erika L; Seaman, Lauren C; Mandelkern, Mark A

2017-07-01

In the brain, microglia continuously scan the surrounding extracellular space in order to respond to damage or infection by becoming activated and participating in neuroinflammation. When activated, microglia increase the expression of translocator protein (TSPO) 18 kDa, thereby making the TSPO expression a marker for neuroinflammation. We used the radiotracer [ 11 C]DAA1106 (a ligand for TSPO) and positron emission tomography (PET) to determine the effect of smoking on availability of this marker for neuroinflammation. Forty-five participants (30 smokers and 15 non-smokers) completed the study and had usable data. Participants underwent a dynamic PET scanning session with bolus injection of [ 11 C]DAA1106 (with smokers in the satiated state) and blood draws during PET scanning to determine TSPO affinity genotype and plasma nicotine levels. Whole-brain standardized uptake values (SUVs) were determined, and analysis of variance was performed, with group (smoker vs non-smoker) and genotype as factors, thereby controlling for genotype. Smokers and non-smokers differed in whole-brain SUVs (P=0.006) owing to smokers having 16.8% lower values than non-smokers. The groups did not differ in injected radiotracer dose or body weight, which were used to calculate SUV. An inverse association was found between whole-brain SUV and reported cigarettes per day (P<0.05), but no significant relationship was found for plasma nicotine. Thus, smokers have less [ 11 C]DAA1106 binding globally than non-smokers, indicating less microglial activation. Study findings are consistent with much prior research demonstrating that smokers have impaired inflammatory functioning compared with non-smokers and that constituents of tobacco smoke other than nicotine affect inflammatory processes.

Different levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cortisol in healthy heavy smokers.

PubMed

Neves, C D C; Lacerda, A C R; Lima, L P; Lage, V K S; Balthazar, C H; Leite, H R; Mendonça, V A

2017-10-19

Studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulate dopaminergic activity in response to nicotine and that the concentrations of BDNF and cortisol seem to be dependent on the amount and duration of smoking. Therefore, we investigated BDNF and cortisol levels in smokers ranked by daily cigarette consumption. Twenty-seven adult males (13 non-smokers and 14 smokers) participated in the study. The smokers were divided in two groups: light (n=7) and heavy smokers (n=7). Anthropometric parameters and age were paired between the groups, and plasma BDNF and salivary cortisol levels were measured. Saliva samples were collected on awakening, 30 min after awakening, at 10:00 and 12:00 am, 5:00 and 10:00 pm. Additionally, cotinine serum levels were measured in smokers. Heavy smokers had higher mean values of BDNF compared to the control group (P=0.01), whereas no difference was observed in light smokers. Moreover, heavy smokers presented lower cortisol levels in the last collection (10:00 pm) than the control group (P=0.02) and presented statically higher values of cotinine than the light smokers (P=0.002). In conclusion, changes in BDNF and cortisol levels (10:00 pm) appear to be dependent on heavy cigarette smoking and can be involved in activation and in the relationship between the mesolimbic system and the HPA axis.

Different levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cortisol in healthy heavy smokers

PubMed Central

Neves, C.D.C.; Lacerda, A.C.R.; Lima, L.P.; Lage, V.K.S.; Balthazar, C.H.; Leite, H.R.; Mendonça, V.A.

2017-01-01

Studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulate dopaminergic activity in response to nicotine and that the concentrations of BDNF and cortisol seem to be dependent on the amount and duration of smoking. Therefore, we investigated BDNF and cortisol levels in smokers ranked by daily cigarette consumption. Twenty-seven adult males (13 non-smokers and 14 smokers) participated in the study. The smokers were divided in two groups: light (n=7) and heavy smokers (n=7). Anthropometric parameters and age were paired between the groups, and plasma BDNF and salivary cortisol levels were measured. Saliva samples were collected on awakening, 30 min after awakening, at 10:00 and 12:00 am, 5:00 and 10:00 pm. Additionally, cotinine serum levels were measured in smokers. Heavy smokers had higher mean values of BDNF compared to the control group (P=0.01), whereas no difference was observed in light smokers. Moreover, heavy smokers presented lower cortisol levels in the last collection (10:00 pm) than the control group (P=0.02) and presented statically higher values of cotinine than the light smokers (P=0.002). In conclusion, changes in BDNF and cortisol levels (10:00 pm) appear to be dependent on heavy cigarette smoking and can be involved in activation and in the relationship between the mesolimbic system and the HPA axis. PMID:29069228

Relationship of cardiometabolic parameters in non-smokers, current smokers, and quitters in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kar, Debasish; Gillies, Clare; Zaccardi, Francesco; Webb, David; Seidu, Samuel; Tesfaye, Solomon; Davies, Melanie; Khunti, Kamlesh

2016-11-24

Smoking is associated with increased macrovascular and microvascular complications in people with diabetes. In addition to other concomitant vascular perturbations, it also seems to influence the cardiometabolic parameters, which may partly explain the accelerated rate of vascular complications in smokers with diabetes. While smoking cessation is advocated as a universal component of the management of diabetes, there is some anecdotal evidence that HbA1c could increase following smoking cessation. The aim of this review is to explore the relationship between smoking and its cessation on cardiometabolic parameters in diabetes. Searches were conducted on Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL up to March 2016. After screening 6866 studies (Additional file 1), 14 observational studies with a total of 98,978 participants' with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes were selected for review. Narrative synthesis and meta-analyses were carried out to explore the relationship between smoking and its cessation. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled mean difference of HbA1c between non-smokers and smokers was -0.61% (95% CI -0.88 to -0.33, p < 0.0001). The difference in LDL cholesterol between non-smokers and smokers was -0.11 mmol/l (95% CI -0.21 to -0.01, p = 0.04). The difference in HDL cholesterol between non-smokers and smokers was 0.12 mmol/l (95% CI 0.08-0.15, p < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in blood pressure between the two groups. The difference in HbA1c between quitters and continued smokers was not statistically significant -0.10% (95% CI -0.42 to 0.21, p = 0.53). However, a narrative synthesis revealed that over a period of 10 years, the HbA1c was comparable between non-smokers and quitters. Non-smokers have a statistically significant lower HbA1c and more favourable lipid profile compared to smokers. Smoking cessation does not lead to an increase in HbA1c in long-term and may reduce vascular complications in diabetes by its favourable impact on lipid profile.

Similar DNA methylation pattern in lung tumours from smokers and never-smokers with second-hand tobacco smoke exposure.

PubMed

Scesnaite, Asta; Jarmalaite, Sonata; Mutanen, Pertti; Anttila, Sisko; Nyberg, Fredrik; Benhamou, Simone; Boffetta, Paolo; Husgafvel-Pursiainen, Kirsti

2012-07-01

Tobacco smoke causes lung cancer in smokers and in never-smokers exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS). Nonetheless, molecular mechanisms of lung cancer in SHS-exposed never-smokers are still elusive. We studied lung cancers from current smokers (n = 109), former smokers (n = 56) and never-smokers (n = 47) for promoter hypermethylation of five tumour suppressor genes--p16, RARB, RASSF1, MGMT and DAPK1--using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Lung tumours from ever-smokers suggested an increased risk of p16 hypermethylation as compared to never-smokers (P = 0.073), with former smokers having the highest frequency of p16 hypermethylation (P = 0.044 versus current smokers and P = 0.009 versus never-smokers). In the never-smoking group, p16 hypermethylation was seen in lung tumours from SHS-exposed individuals (4/33; 12%) but in none of the non-exposed individuals (0/9). The overall occurrence of hypermethylation (measured both as methylation index and as number of genes affected) was similar in those ever exposed to tobacco smoke (smokers, SHS-exposed never-smokers) and differed from non-exposed never-smokers. In multivariate analysis, p16 hypermethylation was more prevalent in lung tumours from male than female patients (P = 0.018) and in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas (P = 0.025). Occurrence of TP53 mutation in the tumour was associated with hypermethylation of at least one gene (P = 0.027). In all, our data suggest that promoter hypermethylation pattern in SHS-exposed never-smokers resembles that observed in smokers. Association between TP53 mutation, a hallmark of smokers' lung cancer, and methylation of one or more of the lung cancer-related genes studied, provides further evidence for common tobacco smoke-related origin for both types of molecular alterations.

Resting-state EEG, impulsiveness, and personality in daily and nondaily smokers.

PubMed

Rass, Olga; Ahn, Woo-Young; O'Donnell, Brian F

2016-01-01

Resting EEG is sensitive to transient, acute effects of nicotine administration and abstinence, but the chronic effects of smoking on EEG are poorly characterized. This study measures the resting EEG profile of chronic smokers in a non-deprived, non-peak state to test whether differences in smoking behavior and personality traits affect pharmaco-EEG response. Resting EEG, impulsiveness, and personality measures were collected from daily smokers (n=22), nondaily smokers (n=31), and non-smokers (n=30). Daily smokers had reduced resting delta and alpha EEG power and higher impulsiveness (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) compared to nondaily smokers and non-smokers. Both daily and nondaily smokers discounted delayed rewards more steeply, reported lower conscientiousness (NEO-FFI), and reported greater disinhibition and experience seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale) than non-smokers. Nondaily smokers reported greater sensory hedonia than nonsmokers. Altered resting EEG power in daily smokers demonstrates differences in neural signaling that correlated with greater smoking behavior and dependence. Although nondaily smokers share some characteristics with daily smokers that may predict smoking initiation and maintenance, they differ on measures of impulsiveness and resting EEG power. Resting EEG in non-deprived chronic smokers provides a standard for comparison to peak and trough nicotine states and may serve as a biomarker for nicotine dependence, relapse risk, and recovery. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linking smokers to a quitline: randomized controlled effectiveness trial of a support person intervention that targets non-smokers

PubMed Central

Patten, Christi A.; Boyle, Raymond; Tinkelman, David; Brockman, Tabetha A.; Lukowski, Amy; Decker, Paul A.; D’Silva, Joanne; Lichtenstein, Edward; Zhu, Shu-Hong

2017-01-01

Abstract Evidence-based treatments (e.g. quitlines) are greatly underutilized by smokers limiting their public health impact. A three-session phone intervention for nonsmoking family members and friends (i.e. support persons) was successful for increasing smoker quitline enrollment. To enhance the intervention’s potential translatability, in this study, we delivered treatment for the non-smoker within ongoing quitline services and compared the efficacy of the three-call intervention to a streamlined version (one call). A total of 704 adult non-smokers (85% female, 95% White) wanting to help a smoker quit and recruited statewide in Minnesota participated in this randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. Non-smokers received mailed written materials and were randomly assigned to a control condition (no additional treatment, n = 235), or to a one- (n = 233) or three-call (n = 236) intervention delivered by quitline coaches. The main outcome was smoker quitline enrollment through 7-month follow-up. Smoker quitline enrollment was similar for those linked to non-smokers in the one- and three-call interventions (14.6% [34/233] and 14.8% [35/236]), and higher than for smokers linked to control participants (6.4% [15/235]), P = 0.006. Just one quitline coaching call delivered to non-smokers increased treatment enrollment among smokers. The reach of quitlines could be enhanced by targeting the social support network of smokers. PMID:28854569

Subgingival bacterial recolonization after scaling and root planing in smokers with chronic periodontitis.

PubMed

Feres, M; Bernal, Mac; Matarazzo, F; Faveri, M; Duarte, P M; Figueiredo, L C

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare subgingival bacterial recolonization patterns after scaling and root planing in current smokers and non-smokers. 15 smokers and 15 non-smokers with chronic periodontitis received scaling and root planing in six visits lasting one hour each, over a period of 21 days. Clinical monitoring was performed at baseline and 180 days, and microbiological monitoring was performed at baseline, immediately after scaling and root planing (Day 0) and at 42, 63 and 180 days post-therapy. Subgingival plaque samples were analysed by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. An improvement in clinical condition was observed for smokers and non-smokers; however, non-smokers showed a greater reduction in mean clinical attachment level in intermediate sites in comparison with smokers (p < 0.05). At Day 0, there was a significant reduction in the mean counts of the three pathogens from the red complex, Eubacterium nodatum and Parvimonas micra only in non-smokers (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the proportion of host-compatible species in non-smokers and smokers from baseline to 180 days post-therapy (p < 0.05). However, a significant decrease in the pathogenic species was observed only in non-smokers. Smokers were more susceptible to the re-establishment of a pathogenic subgingival biofilm than non-smokers. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

Lower subcortical gray matter volume in both younger smokers and established smokers relative to non-smokers

PubMed Central

Hanlon, Colleen A.; Owens, Max M.; Joseph, Jane E.; Zhu, Xun; George, Mark S.; Brady, Kathleen T.; Hartwell, Karen J.

2014-01-01

Although established adult smokers with long histories of nicotine dependence have lower neural tissue volume than non-smokers, it is not clear if lower regional brain volume is also observed in younger, less established smokers. The primary goal of this study was to investigate neural tissue volume in a large group of smokers and non-smokers, with a secondary goal of measuring the impact of age on these effects. We used voxel-based morphometry to compare regional gray matter volume in 118 individuals (59 smokers, 59 age- and gender-matched non-smokers). Younger smokers had significantly lower gray matter volume in the left thalamus and the left amygdala than their non-smoking peers (family-wise error-corrected clusters, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between smoking use variables and tissue volume among younger smokers. Established smokers had significantly lower gray matter volume than age-matched non-smokers in the insula, parahippocampal gyrus and pallidum. Medial prefrontal cortex gray matter volume was negatively correlated with pack-years of smoking among the established smokers, but not the younger smokers. These data reveal that regional tissue volume differences are not limited exclusively to established smokers. Deficits in young adults indicate that cigarette smoking may either be deleterious to the thalamus and amygdala at an earlier age than previously reported, or that pre-existing differences in these areas may predispose individuals to the development of nicotine dependence. PMID:25125263

Risk of Heart Failure and Death after Prolonged Smoking Cessation: Role of Amount and Duration of Prior Smoking

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Amiya A.; Patel, Kanan; Nyaku, Margaret A.; Kheirbek, Raya E.; Bittner, Vera; Fonarow, Gregg C.; Filippatos, Gerasimos S.; Morgan, Charity J.; Aban, Inmaculada B.; Mujib, Marjan; Desai, Ravi V.; Allman, Richard M.; White, Michel; Deedwania, Prakash; Howard, George; Bonow, Robert O.; Fletcher, Ross D.; Aronow, Wilbert S.; Ahmed, Ali

2017-01-01

Background According to the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Health Consequences of Smoking, after >15 years of abstinence, the cardiovascular risk of former smokers becomes similar to that of never-smokers. Whether this health benefit of smoking cessation varies by amount and duration of prior smoking remains unclear. Methods and Results Of the 4482 adults ≥65 years without prevalent heart failure (HF) in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), 2556 were never-smokers, 629 current smokers, and 1297 former smokers with >15 years of cessation, of whom 312 were heavy smokers (highest quartile; ≥32 pack-years). Age-sex-race-adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for centrally-adjudicated incident HF and mortality during 13 years of follow-up were estimated using Cox regression models. Compared to never-smokers, former smokers as a group had similar risk for incident HF (aHR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85–1.16) and all-cause mortality (aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.96–1.20), but former heavy smokers had higher risk for both HF (aHR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.15–1.83) and mortality (aHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.17–1.64). However, when compared to current smokers, former heavy smokers had lower risk of death (aHR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53–0.77), but not of HF (aHR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.74–1.28). Conclusions After >15 years of smoking cessation, older adults who smoked <32 pack-years appear to achieve the health profile of never-smokers. Although former heavy (≥32 pack-years) smokers may not achieve this health benefit of prolonged smoking cessation, their risk is clearly lower relative to current smokers. PMID:26038535

Former smokers with non-small-cell lung cancers: a comprehensive investigation of clinicopathologic characteristics, oncogenic drivers, and prognosis.

PubMed

Zheng, Shanbo; Wang, Rui; Zhang, Yang; Pan, Yunjian; Cheng, Chao; Zheng, Difan; Sun, Yihua; Chen, Haiquan

2016-08-01

The aim of this present investigation was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics, oncogenic drivers, and prognosis of former smokers with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to compare them with those of the current and never smokers. This investigation was a single-institution retrospective study of 2289 NSCLC patients, who were classified as former, current, or never smokers. A collection was made of the clinicopathological characteristics, spectra of well-identified driver genes and survival rates. The survival rates were compared using log-rank test, and independent prognostic factors, identified using Cox regression analysis. Of 2289 NSCLC patients, 257 (11.2%) were former smokers; 868 (37.9%), current smokers; and 1164 (50.9%), never smokers. Compared with the current, the former were characterized by older age at diagnosis (64.3y vs. 59.9y; P < 0.001), earlier TNM stage (stage I, 47.9% vs. 39.5%; P = 0.017), fewer solid predominance in adenocarcinomas (16.2% vs. 29.5%; P = 0.005), and more EGFR mutation (33.2% vs. 20.7%; P < 0.001) but less KRAS mutation (6.7% vs. 11.9%, P = 0.041). No statistically significant survival differences were observed between the former and current. However, the light former smokers presented favorable overall survival when compared with the light current and heavy former or current (the light former vs. the heavy former, P = 0.028; the light former vs. the light current, P = 0.048; and the light former vs. the heavy current, P = 0.048). Our findings suggest that the former smokers with NSCLCs can have distinctive clinicopathologic characteristics, oncogenic drivers, and prognosis, and they, especially the light former, can benefit from smoking cessation. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Smoking is associated with increased resting energy expenditure in the general population: The NEO study.

PubMed

Blauw, Lisanne L; Boon, Mariëtte R; Rosendaal, Frits R; de Mutsert, Renée; Gast, Karin B; van Dijk, Ko Willems; Rensen, Patrick C N; Dekkers, Olaf M

2015-11-01

Animal studies and human studies in small selected populations have shown a positive association between nicotine smoking and resting energy expenditure (REE), but data in large cohorts are lacking. We aimed to investigate the association between smoking behavior and REE in a large, population-based study. Population-based cross-sectional study. In this cross-sectional analysis of baseline measurements from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study (n=6673), we included participants with REE measurement by indirect calorimetry who were not using lipid or glucose lowering drugs (n=1189). We used linear regression analysis to examine the association of smoking status (never, former, occasional, current smoker) and smoking quantity (pack years) with REE per kilogram (kg) fat free mass (FFM) and with REE adjusted for FFM. Models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, educational level, physical activity, energy intake and body mass index (BMI). Mean (standard deviation, SD) age was 55.2 (5.9) years and BMI was 26.3 (4.4) kg/m(2). 60% of the participants were women. Mean (SD) REE/FFM (kcal/day/kg FFM) was for male never smokers 25.1 (2.0), male current smokers 26.4 (2.8), female never smokers 28.9 (2.5) and female current smokers 30.1 (3.7). After adjustment, only current smokers had a higher REE/FFM (mean difference 1.28, 95% CI 0.64, 1.92), and a higher REE adjusted for FFM (mean difference 60.3 kcal/day, 95% CI 29.1, 91.5), compared with never smokers. There was no association between pack years and REE/FFM (mean difference -0.01, 95% CI -0.06, 0.04) or REE adjusted for FFM (mean difference 0.2, 95% CI -2.4, 2.8) in current smokers. Current smoking is associated with a higher resting energy expenditure compared with never smoking in a large population-based cohort. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term effects of a nicotine-free e-cigarette compared to a traditional cigarette in smokers and non-smokers.

PubMed

Ferrari, Marco; Zanasi, Alessandro; Nardi, Elena; Morselli Labate, Antonio Maria; Ceriana, Piero; Balestrino, Antonella; Pisani, Lara; Corcione, Nadia; Nava, Stefano

2015-10-12

A few studies have assessed the short-term effects of low-dose nicotine e-cigarettes, while data about nicotine-free e-cigarettes (NF e-cigarettes) are scanty. Concerns have been expressed about the use of NF e-cigarettes, because of the high concentrations of propylene glycol and other compounds in the e-cigarette vapor. This laboratory-based study was aimed to compare the effects of ad libitum use of a NF e-cigarette or and a traditional cigarette for 5 min in healthy adult smokers (n = 10) and non-smokers (n = 10). The main outcome measures were pulmonary function tests, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and fractional concentration of carbon monoxide (FeCO) in exhaled breath. The traditional cigarette induced statistically significant increases in FeCO in both smokers and non-smokers, while no significant changes were observed in FeNO. In non-smokers, the traditional cigarette induced a significant decrease from baseline in FEF75 (81 % ± 35 % vs 70.2 % ± 28.2 %, P = 0.013), while in smokers significant decreases were observed in FEF25 (101.3 % ± 16.4 % vs 93.5 % ± 31.7 %, P = 0.037), FEV1 (102.2 % ± 9.5 % vs 98.3 % ± 10 %, P = 0.037) and PEF (109.5 % ± 14.6 % vs 99.2 % ± 17.5 %, P = 0.009). In contrast, the only statistically significant effects induced by the NF e-cigarette in smokers were reductions in FEV1 (102.2 % ± 9.5 % vs 99.5 ± 7.6 %, P = 0.041) and FEF25 (103.4 % ± 16.4 % vs 94.2 % ± 16.2 %, P =  .014). The present study demonstrated that the specific brand of NF e-cigarette utilized did not induce any majoracute effects. In contrast, several studies have shown that both traditional cigarettes and nicotine-containing e-cigarettes have acute effects on lung function. Our study expands on previous observations on the effects of NF e-cigarettes, but also for the first time describes the changes induced by smoking one traditional cigarette in a group of never smokers. The short-term use of the specific brand of NF e-cigarette assessed in this study had no immediate adverse effects on non-smokers and only small effects on FEV1 and FEF25 in smokers. The long-term health effects of NF e-cigarette use are unknown but worthy of further investigations. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02102191.

Dronabinol and marijuana in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. Caloric intake, mood, and sleep.

PubMed

Haney, Margaret; Gunderson, Erik W; Rabkin, Judith; Hart, Carl L; Vosburg, Suzanne K; Comer, Sandra D; Foltin, Richard W

2007-08-15

Individuals with HIV constitute the largest group using cannabinoids for medicinal reasons; yet, no studies have directly compared the tolerability and efficacy of smoked marijuana and oral dronabinol maintenance in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. This placebo-controlled within-subjects study evaluated marijuana and dronabinol across a range of behaviors: eating topography, mood, cognitive performance, physiologic measures, and sleep. HIV-positive marijuana smokers (n = 10) completed 2 16-day inpatient phases. Each dronabinol (5 and 10 mg) and marijuana (2.0% and 3.9% Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) dose was administered 4 times daily for 4 days, but only 1 drug was active per day, thereby maintaining double-blind dosing. Four days of placebo washout separated each active cannabinoid condition. As compared with placebo, marijuana and dronabinol dose dependently increased daily caloric intake and body weight in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. All cannabinoid conditions produced significant intoxication, except for low-dose dronabinol (5 mg); the intoxication was rated positively (eg, "good drug effect") with little evidence of discomfort and no impairment of cognitive performance. Effects of marijuana and dronabinol were comparable, except that only marijuana (3.9% THC) improved ratings of sleep. These data suggest that for HIV-positive marijuana smokers, both dronabinol (at doses 8 times current recommendations) and marijuana were well tolerated and produced substantial and comparable increases in food intake.

Does Cigarette Smoking Affect Seminal Fluid Parameters? A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Meri, Zakarya Bani; Irshid, Ibrahim Bani; Migdadi, Mohammad; Irshid, Ayat Bani; Mhanna, Somia A.

2013-01-01

Objective To study the effect of cigarette smoking on seminal fluid parameters, namely; volume, sperm concentration, and motility, as well as morphology, leukocyte infiltration, among males complaining of infertility. Methods Between August 2010 and July 2011, seminal fluid analysis was done for 1438 males who are partners of couples who visited the infertility clinic at Prince Rashid Ben Al Hassan Hospital (PRH) for infertility. The men who fit the inclusion criteria (n=960) were classified into two groups: group a (non-smokers; n=564) and group B (smokers; n=396), which represents 41.25% of the study group. Seminal fluid was collected using masturbation after 3-5 days of abstinence then analyzed for volume, sperm count, sperm concentration, motility and morphology. In order to analyze whether the number of cigarettes smoked per day has an effect on the spermatogram; the smoking men were divided into two subgroups: the heavy smokers (n=266) and non-heavy smokers (n=130). Results A total of 960 adult males were enrolled. Their age ranged between 21 and 76 years, 564 were non-smokers with mean age of 36. 45±6.27 (Mean±SD). Three-hundred-and-ninety-six were smokers with a mean age of 34.35±4.25 (Mean±SD). There was a significant effect of smoking on the motility of sperms and the ratios of abnormality (p<0.005). Concentration appeared not to be affected by smoking. Furthermore, the group of heavy smokers were found to have lower sperm concentrations and a higher percentage of abnormal sperms compared to the non-heavy smokers. Conclusion Cigarette smoking has a deleterious effect on some of the seminal fluid parameters (motility, morphology and leukocyte count) which in turn may result in male subfertility. PMID:23386938

The Associations Between Smoking Habits and Serum Triglyceride or Hemoglobin A1c Levels Differ According to Visceral Fat Accumulation.

PubMed

Koda, Michiko; Kitamura, Itsuko; Okura, Tomohiro; Otsuka, Rei; Ando, Fujiko; Shimokata, Hiroshi

2016-01-01

Whether smokers and former smokers have worse lipid profiles or glucose levels than non-smokers remains unclear. The subjects were 1152 Japanese males aged 42 to 81 years. The subjects were divided according to their smoking habits (nonsmokers, former smokers, and current smokers) and their visceral fat area (VFA) (<100 cm(2) and ≥100 cm(2)). The serum triglyceride (TG) levels of 835 males were assessed. In the VFA ≥100 cm(2) group, a significantly greater proportion of current smokers (47.3%) exhibited TG levels of ≥150 mg/dL compared with former smokers (36.4%) and non-smokers (18.8%). The difference in TG level distribution between former smokers and non-smokers was also significant. However, among the subjects with VFA of <100 cm(2), the TG levels of the three smoking habit groups did not differ. The serum hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels of 877 males were also assessed. In the VFA <100 cm(2) group, significantly higher proportions of current smokers (17.9%) and former smokers (14.9%) demonstrated HbA1c levels of ≥5.6% compared with non-smokers (6.3%). In contrast, in the VFA ≥100 cm(2) group, significantly fewer former smokers displayed HbA1c levels of ≥5.6% compared with non-smokers and current smokers. Furthermore, the interaction between smoking habits and VFA was associated with the subjects' TG and HbA1c concentrations, and the associations of TG and HbA1c concentrations and smoking habits varied according to VFA. Both smoking habits and VFA exhibited associations with TG and HbA1c concentrations. The associations between smoking habits and these parameters differed according to VFA.

Aiming at Tobacco Harm Reduction: A survey comparing smokers differing in readiness to quit

PubMed Central

Loumakou, Maria; Brouskeli, Vasiliki; Sarafidou, Jasmin-Olga

2006-01-01

Background Greece has the highest smoking rates (in the 15-nation bloc) in Europe. The purpose of this study was to investigate Greek smokers' intention and appraisal of capability to quit employing the theoretical frameworks of Decisional Balance (DB) and Cognitive Dissonance (CD). Methods A cross-sectional study including 401 Greek habitual smokers (205 men and 195 women), falling into four groups according to their intention and self-appraised capability to quit smoking was carried out. Participants completed a questionnaire recording their attitude towards smoking, intention and self appraised capability to quit smoking, socio-demographic information, as well as a DB and a CD scale. Results The most numerous group of smokers (38%) consisted of those who neither intended nor felt capable to quit and these smokers perceived more benefits of smoking than negatives. DB changed gradually according to smokers' "readiness" to quit: the more ready they felt to quit the less the pros of smoking outnumbered the cons. Regarding relief of CD, smokers who intended but did not feel capable to quit employed more "excuses" compared to those who felt capable. Additionally smokers with a past history of unsuccessful quit attempts employed fewer "excuses" even though they were more frequently found among those who intended but did not feel capable to quit. Conclusion Findings provide support for the DB theory. On the other hand, "excuses" do not appear to be extensively employed to reduce the conflict between smoking and concern for health. There is much heterogeneity regarding smokers' intention and appraised capability to quit, reflecting theoretical and methodological problems with the distinction among stages of change. Harm reduction programs and interventions designed to increase the implementation of smoking cessation should take into account the detrimental effect of past unsuccessful quit attempts. PMID:16569250

E-cigarettes and smoking cessation in real-world and clinical settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Kalkhoran, Sara; Glantz, Stanton A

2016-01-01

Summary Background Smokers increasingly use e-cigarettes for many reasons, including attempts to quit combustible cigarettes and to use nicotine where smoking is prohibited. We aimed to assess the association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking cessation among adult cigarette smokers, irrespective of their motivation for using e-cigarettes. Methods PubMed and Web of Science were searched between April 27, 2015, and June 17, 2015. Data extracted included study location, design, population, definition and prevalence of e-cigarette use, comparison group (if applicable), cigarette consumption, level of nicotine dependence, other confounders, definition of quitting smoking, and odds of quitting smoking. The primary endpoint was cigarette smoking cessation. Odds of smoking cessation among smokers using e-cigarettes compared with smokers not using e-cigarettes were assessed using a random effects meta-analysis. A modification of the ACROBAT-NRSI tool and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool were used to assess bias. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (number CRD42015020382). Findings 38 studies (of 577 studies identified) were included in the systematic review; all 20 studies with control groups (15 cohort studies, three cross-sectional studies, and two clinical trials) were included in random effects meta-analysis and sensitivity analyses. Odds of quitting cigarettes were 28% lower in those who used e-cigarettes compared with those who did not use e-cigarettes (odds ratio [OR] 0·72, 95% CI 0·57–0·91). Association of e-cigarette use with quitting did not significantly differ among studies of all smokers using e-cigarettes (irrespective of interest in quitting cigarettes) compared with studies of only smokers interested in cigarette cessation (OR 0·63, 95% CI 0·45–0·86 vs 0·86, 0·60–1·23; p=0·94). Other study characteristics (design, population, comparison group, control variables, time of exposure assessment, biochemical verification of abstinence, and definition of e-cigarette use) were also not associated with the overall effect size (p≥0·77 in all cases). Interpretation As currently being used, e-cigarettes are associated with significantly less quitting among smokers. PMID:26776875

The influence of active and passive smoking on the cardiorespiratory fitness of adults.

PubMed

de Borba, Andresa Thier; Jost, Renan Trevisan; Gass, Ricardo; Nedel, Fúlvio Borges; Cardoso, Dannuey Machado; Pohl, Hildegard Hedwig; Reckziegel, Miriam Beatris; Corbellini, Valeriano Antonio; Paiva, Dulciane Nunes

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of active and passive smoking on cardiorespiratory responses in asymptomatic adults during a sub-maximal-exertion incremental test. The participants (n = 43) were divided into three different groups: active smokers (n = 14; aged 36.5 ± 8 years), passive smokers (n = 14; aged 34.6 ± 11.9 years) and non-smokers (n = 15; aged 30 ± 8.1 years). They all answered the Test for Nicotine Dependence and underwent anthropometric evaluation, spirometry and ergospirometry according to the Bruce Treadmill Protocol. VO2max differed statistically between active and non-smokers groups (p < 0.001) and between non-smokers and passive group (p=0.022). However, there was no difference between the passive and active smokers groups (p=0.053). Negative and significant correlations occurred between VO2max and age (r = - 0.401, p = 0.044), percentage of body fat (r = - 0.429, p = 0.011), and waist circumference (WC) (r = - 0.382, p = 0.025). VO2max was significantly higher in non-smokers compared to active smokers and passive smokers. However, the VO2max of passive smokers did not differ from active smokers.

Short term effects of reduced exposure to cigarette smoke on white blood cells, platelets and red blood cells in adult cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Roethig, Hans J; Koval, Tamara; Muhammad-Kah, Raheema; Jin, Yan; Mendes, Paul; Unverdorben, Martin

2010-01-01

Previous studies indicate that cigarette smokers have a 5-30% higher white blood cell counts (WBC) compared to non-smokers and higher red blood cell counts. This study was to pool hematology data from three similar studies and analyze the data for effects on WBC, its subpopulations, platelets, red blood cell count (RBC) and hematocrit in adult cigarette smokers three days after using an electrically heated cigarette smoking system (EHCSS) as a potential reduced exposure product (PREP) or no-smoking compared to smoking a conventional cigarette. Lower exposure to cigarette smoke in adult, long term smokers, by using an EHCSS or stopping smoking, leads to statistically significant decreases of up to 9% in WBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, RBC and hematocrit within three days. Switching from CC-smoking to EHCSS-smoking or no-smoking resulted in lower WBC and vice versa within 3 days. This clinical model may be used as a screening tool to find new technologies that could provide insights on changes in inflammation resulting from the change in cigarette smoke. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between oxidative stress, smoking and the clinical severity of psoriasis.

PubMed

Emre, S; Metin, A; Demirseren, D D; Kilic, S; Isikoglu, S; Erel, O

2013-03-01

Recent studies suggested that increased oxidant products and decreased antioxidant system functions may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this study, we investigated total oxidative status, Paraoxonase (PON)1/arylesterase enzyme activities and severity of the disease in smoker and non-smoker psoriatic patients. Fifty-four patients with plaque type psoriasis (28 smokers and 26 non-smokers) and 62 healthy volunteers (16 smokers and 46 non-smokers) were enrolled in the study. Serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and arylesterase levels were measured, and oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated in all participants. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores were significantly higher in smoker patients than in non-smoker patients (P = 0.014). Both smoker and non-smoker patients had significantly increased TOS levels and OSI values and decreased TAC levels than healthy subjects (all P values = 0.000). The TAC and TOS levels, OSI values and arylesterase activities were similar between smoker and non-smoker patients. The levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were not significantly different between smoker and non-smoker psoriasis patients. When compared with non-smoking controls, only smoking psoriasis patients had significantly higher TG (P = 0.005), lower HDL (P = 0.022) and lower arylesterase levels (P = 0.015). There were no significant correlations with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and TAC, TOS, OSI, TG, TC, HDL and LDL levels in all psoriasis patients. Oxidative stress is increased in psoriasis patients regardless of their smoking status. The decreased arylesterase activity in smoker psoriasis patients suggested that smoking may be a considerable risk factor that increases the severity of psoriasis by increasing oxidative stress in these patients. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2012 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Effects of 7.5% Carbon Dioxide Inhalation on Anxiety and Mood in Cigarette Smokers

PubMed Central

Attwood, Angela S.; Ataya, Alia F.; Bailey, Jayne E.; Lightman, Stafford L.; Munafò, Marcus R.

2016-01-01

Cigarette smoking is associated with elevated risk of anxiety and mood disorder. Using the 7.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation model of anxiety induction, we examined the effects of smoking status and abstinence from smoking on anxiety responses. Physiological and subjective responses to CO2 and medical air were compared in smokers and non-smokers (Experiment One) and in overnight abstinent and non-abstinent smokers (Experiment Two). CO2 induced greater increases in blood pressure in non-smokers compared with smokers (ps < 0.043), and greater increases in anxiety (p = 0.005) and negative affect (p = 0.054) in non-abstinent compared with abstinent smokers. CO2 increased physiological and subjective indices of anxiety. There were differences across smoking groups indicating that the CO2 inhalation model is a useful tool for examining the relationship between smoking and anxiety. The findings suggested that both acute smoking and acute abstinence may protect against anxious responding. Further investigation is needed in long-term heavy smokers. PMID:24763184

Effects of 7.5% carbon dioxide inhalation on anxiety and mood in cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Attwood, Angela S; Ataya, Alia F; Bailey, Jayne E; Lightman, Stafford L; Munafò, Marcus R

2014-08-01

Cigarette smoking is associated with elevated risk of anxiety and mood disorder. Using the 7.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation model of anxiety induction, we examined the effects of smoking status and abstinence from smoking on anxiety responses. Physiological and subjective responses to CO2 and medical air were compared in smokers and non-smokers (Experiment One) and in overnight abstinent and non-abstinent smokers (Experiment Two). CO2 induced greater increases in blood pressure in non-smokers compared with smokers (ps < 0.043), and greater increases in anxiety (p = 0.005) and negative affect (p = 0.054) in non-abstinent compared with abstinent smokers. CO2 increased physiological and subjective indices of anxiety. There were differences across smoking groups indicating that the CO2 inhalation model is a useful tool for examining the relationship between smoking and anxiety. The findings suggested that both acute smoking and acute abstinence may protect against anxious responding. Further investigation is needed in long-term heavy smokers. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Effect of Comparatively-Framed versus Similarity-Framed E-Cigarette and Snus Print Ads on Young Adults' Ad and Product Perceptions.

PubMed

Banerjee, Smita C; Greene, Kathryn; Li, Yuelin; Ostroff, Jamie S

2016-07-01

This study examined the effects of comparative-framing [C-F; ads highlighting differences between the advertised product and conventional cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products] versus similarity-framing (S-F; ads highlighting congruence with conventional cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products) in e-cigarette and snus ads on young adult smokers' and non-smokers' ad- and product-related perceptions. One thousand fifty one (1,051) young adults (18-24 years; 76% women; 50% smokers) from existing consumer panels were recruited in a within-subjects quasi-experiment. Each participant viewed 4 online advertisements, varied by tobacco product type (e-cigarette or snus) and ad framing (C-F or S-F). The dependent measures for this study were ad-related (ad perceptions, ad credibility) and product-related perceptions (absolute and comparative risk perceptions, product appeal, and product use intentions). Former and current smokers rated C-F ads as more persuasive than S-F ads, as evidenced by favorable ad perceptions and high product use intentions. Former and current smokers also rated e-cigarette ads with more favorable ad perceptions, low absolute and comparative risk perceptions, high product appeal, and high product use intentions as compared to snus ads. However, the effect sizes of the significant differences are less than.2, indicating small magnitude of difference between the study variables. Unless FDA regulates e-cig and snus advertising, there is a potential of decreasing risk perceptions and increasing use of e-cigs among young adults. Further research on implicit/explicit comparative claims in e-cigarettes and snus advertisements that encourage risk misperceptions is recommended.

Smoking cessation treatment in primary care: prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wilson, A; Hippisley-Cox, J; Coupland, C; Coleman, T; Britton, J; Barrett, S

2005-08-01

To compare the characteristics of smokers who do and do not receive smoking cessation treatment in primary care. Prospective cohort study using practices registered with the pilot QRESEARCH database. 156,550 patients aged 18 years and over from 39 general practices located within four strategic health authorities, representing the former Trent Region, UK. Patients registered with practices between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2003 aged 18 years and over who were identified as smokers before the two year study period. Prescription for smoking cessation treatment (nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or bupropion) in the two year study period. Age, sex, deprivation score, co-morbidity. Of the 29,492 patients recorded as current smokers at the start of the study period 1892 (6.4%) were given prescriptions for smoking cessation treatment during the subsequent two years. Of these, 1378 (72.8%) were given NRT alone, 406 (21.5%) bupropion alone, and 108 (5.7%) both treatments. Smokers were more likely to receive smoking cessation treatment if they lived in the most deprived areas (odds ratio (OR) for the most relative to the least deprived fifth, adjusted for sex, age, and co-morbidity, 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26 to 1.78), and if they were aged 25-74 years compared to 18-24 years or 75 and over. Smokers with co-morbidity were also more likely to receive smoking cessation treatment. Smokers were less likely to receive smoking cessation treatment if they were male (adjusted OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.75). The low proportion of smokers being prescribed these products strongly suggests that a major public health opportunity to prevent smoking related illness is being missed.

A community based study on the prevalence and factors affecting smoking in Kampong Jenderam Hilir, Sepang, Selangor.

PubMed

Rampal, L; Narasimman, S

2003-03-01

i) To determine the prevalence of smoking among the community aged 15 and above in Kg. Jenderam Hilir in Sepang District, Selangor state. ii) To determine the relationship between smoking and age, sex, household income and education. iii) To determine the parental and peer influence on smoking in Kg Jenderam Hilir. A study was conducted in Kg. Jenderam Hilir, Sepang. All residents aged 15 years and above from all the 381 households of Kg. Jenderam Hilir were included in this study. A standardized pre-tested structured questionnaire was used in this study. Out of 894 respondents interviewed 69% were males compared to 3.9% of the females (overall 33.6%) reported to have smoked at least once in his/her lifetime. The difference was statistically significant. The mean duration of smoking was 17.7 years. The age at which smoking was first attempted ranged from 4 years to 51 years with a mean of 18.7 years. The mean initiation age for the males was significantly lower as compared to the mean initiation age for the females. The prevalence of current smokers was significantly higher amongst males (52.8%) as compared to the females (1.4%). The prevalence of smoking among current smokers increased with age (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of smoking by household income and educational level. The mean number of cigarettes smoked by males was significantly higher than the females (p < 0.05). The mean duration of smoking among current smokers was 20 years. There was a significant difference in the level of addiction to smoking and the duration of smoking (p < 0.05). The high level of addiction increased with the duration of smoking (p < 0.05). Sixty five percent of the current smokers reported to have tried to quit smoking while 26% of ever smokers had reported to quit smoking and remained nonsmokers. The quit ratio was calculated to be 26.0%. The quit ratio was 52.6% among those with college or university education. There was a significant difference in the quit ratio by education level (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in smokers whose parents were smokers as compared to nonsmokers whose parents were smokers. However, there was a significant association between smoking and peer influence (p < 0.01).

From rest to stressed: endothelin-1 levels in young healthy smokers and non-smokers.

PubMed

Cooke, Alexandra B; Toli, Eirini; Gomez, Yessica-Haydee; Mutter, Andrew F; Eisenberg, Mark J; Mantzoros, Christos S; Daskalopoulou, Stella S

2015-09-01

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor produced by vascular endothelial cells, and a known marker of endothelial dysfunction. However, the acute and chronic effects of smoking and nicotine gum on the ET-1 response to acute physical stress in young healthy smokers have not been investigated. Healthy smokers (n=35) and non-smokers (n=35) underwent an exercise test to exhaustion (maximal oxygen consumption) on a treadmill. Smokers were assessed a) after 12h smoking abstinence (termed chronic smoking), b) immediately after smoking one cigarette (termed acute smoking), and c) immediately after chewing nicotine gum. Blood was drawn immediately pre-exercise, and 3 minutes post-exercise. During exercise, cardiorespiratory parameters were obtained breath-by-breath using an automated metabolic cart. Plasma ET-1 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay. The above protocol was designed to incorporate exercise as a vascular stressor to reveal changes that would not be detected at rest. Mean age was 28.6±7.2 years and body mass index (BMI) was 23.6±3.2 kg/m(2). Post-exercise ET-1 levels were significantly lower than pre-exercise levels in non-smokers (P<0.001) and smokers under all three conditions (P=0.005, P<0.001, P=0.001, respectively). There were no differences in post-exercise ET-1 levels between non-smokers and smokers under all three conditions, however the absolute and relative decrease in ET-1 levels was significantly smaller in chronic smokers compared with non-smokers (P=0.007 and P=0.004). Chronic smokers had a significantly lower exercise-induced change in tidal volume (P=0.050), fraction of expired CO2 (P=0.021), oxygen consumption (P=0.005), carbon dioxide elimination (P=0.004) and peak expiratory flow (P=0.003) compared with non-smokers. Furthermore, the decrease in ET-1 observed in non-smokers in response to exercise was significantly associated with exercise induced-changes in inspiratory time, time for a tidal volume cycle, respiratory frequency, inspired minute ventilation and peak inspiratory flow. An acute decrease of circulating ET-1 in response to acute maximal exercise in young healthy individuals was noted. Chronic smokers had a significantly diminished decrease in ET-1 compared with non-smokers, however there were no significant differences in the ET-1 response between smokers under the three smoking conditions. Smokers were not able to achieve the same exercise-induced changes in cardiorespiratory parameters as non-smokers. By incorporating exercise as a vascular stressor in our study, we have taken a novel approach to provide evidence of an altered ET-1 and cardiorespiratory response that would not otherwise be observed at rest in young active healthy smokers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of smoking on pemphigus.

PubMed

Valikhani, Mahin; Kavusi, Suzan; Chams-Davatchi, Cheyda; Hallaji, Zahra; Esmaili, Nafiseh; Ghandi, Narges; Farahani, Farzaneh; Lajevardi, Vahide

2008-06-01

A positive history of smoking is less common in patients with pemphigus than in healthy subjects. The aim of this case-control study was to compare the remission rate and clinical locations involved in smokers and nonsmokers with pemphigus vulgaris. Seventy patients with pemphigus vulgaris, treated with a uniform protocol, were enrolled. The sites of involvement, average time needed for disease control, and number of relapses were compared in smokers and nonsmokers. At the end of the first and second years of treatment, the rate of remission was compared in the two groups. Ten of the patients were current cigarette smokers, but the other 60 (85.7%) had no history of smoking. There was no difference in the rate of cutaneous or mucosal involvement between smokers and nonsmokers. The predominant subtype was the mucocutaneous type in both groups. Smokers with pemphigus vulgaris achieved partial remission more frequently than nonsmokers at the end of the first year of treatment. The number of patients in remission at the end of the second year of therapy was significantly higher for smokers with pemphigus than for nonsmokers. The main reason for disease activity in both groups was recurrence. Cigarette smoking may not affect the rate of cutaneous or mucosal involvement in pemphigus; however, the data indicate that remission may be achieved sooner in pemphigus patients who smoke.

Abnormal brain white matter network in young smokers: a graph theory analysis study.

PubMed

Zhang, Yajuan; Li, Min; Wang, Ruonan; Bi, Yanzhi; Li, Yangding; Yi, Zhang; Liu, Jixin; Yu, Dahua; Yuan, Kai

2018-04-01

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies had investigated the white matter (WM) integrity abnormalities in some specific fiber bundles in smokers. However, little is known about the changes in topological organization of WM structural network in young smokers. In current study, we acquired DTI datasets from 58 male young smokers and 51 matched nonsmokers and constructed the WM networks by the deterministic fiber tracking approach. Graph theoretical analysis was used to compare the topological parameters of WM network (global and nodal) and the inter-regional fractional anisotropy (FA) weighted WM connections between groups. The results demonstrated that both young smokers and nonsmokers had small-world topology in WM network. Further analysis revealed that the young smokers exhibited the abnormal topological organization, i.e., increased network strength, global efficiency, and decreased shortest path length. In addition, the increased nodal efficiency predominately was located in frontal cortex, striatum and anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) in smokers. Moreover, based on network-based statistic (NBS) approach, the significant increased FA-weighted WM connections were mainly found in the PFC, ACG and supplementary motor area (SMA) regions. Meanwhile, the network parameters were correlated with the nicotine dependence severity (FTND) scores, and the nodal efficiency of orbitofrontal cortex was positive correlation with the cigarette per day (CPD) in young smokers. We revealed the abnormal topological organization of WM network in young smokers, which may improve our understanding of the neural mechanism of young smokers form WM topological organization level.

Characterisation of smoking behaviour across the life course and its impact on decline in lung function and all-cause mortality: evidence from a British birth cohort

PubMed Central

Clennell, S; Kuh, D; Guralnik, J M; Patel, K V; Mishra, G D

2008-01-01

Objectives: To describe smoking trajectories from early adolescence into mid-life and to examine the effects of these trajectories on health and all-cause mortality. Methods: A nationally representative birth cohort study including 3387 men and women followed up since their birth in 1946 in England, Scotland and Wales. The main outcome measure is all-cause mortality by age 60 years and rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Results: Eighteen per cent of the sample were categorised as lifelong smokers (smokers at all six waves at ages 20, 25, 31, 36, 43, 53 years), of whom 90% had begun smoking by age 18 years. By age 60 years, 10% of all lifelong smokers had died. They had a threefold increase in mortality rate compared with never smokers (hazard ratio (HR) 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1 to 4.8). For predominantly smokers (smokers for at least four of the six data collections), mortality rate remained higher than never smokers (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.5). Predominantly non-smokers did not differ from those who never smoked (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.0). Using the most recent smoking status available, current smokers had more than double the risk of mortality compared with never smokers (HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6 to 3.5). Lifelong smokers and predominantly smokers had a greater rate of decline in lung function than never smokers (regression coefficients −18 ml/year, 95% CI −22 to −13; −6, 95% CI −10.3 to −1.7 respectively). For current smokers, the decline was 8.4 ml/year (95% CI −12.0 to −5.0) faster than never smokers. Conclusions: The strength and differentiation of adverse effects identified by using simplified smoking behaviours has highlighted the advantages of obtaining further information on lifelong smoking behaviour from former smokers, rather than just current smoking status. PMID:18450766

Factors Affecting the Perceived Effectiveness of Pictorial Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages in Gulf Countries: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Mansour, Ameerah Y; Bakhsh, Zuhair

2017-01-01

To explore the perceived effectiveness of pictorial health warning (PHW) labels required by the Gulf Cooperation Council, to compare them with the Food and Drug Administration-approved PHW labels, and to determine factors affecting their perceived effectiveness. A cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of adult smokers and nonsmokers was conducted. The data were collected through a self-administered online questionnaire. The perceived effectiveness scores of PHW labels were calculated and compared among different subgroups using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Dunn multiple comparison test at a .05 significance level. Of the 90 people invited to participate in the survey, 77 (86%) completed it, with 39 (50%) nonsmokers, 22 (29%) smokers, and 16 (21%) former smokers. Overall, labels having graphic images of illness or pathology are perceived to be most effective. Smokers generally perceived labels significantly less effective compared with former smokers and nonsmokers. Also, 55 respondents (71%) suggested that the presence of a telephone quit-line would be effective. Smoking status and image type had the most effect on the perceived effectiveness of the PHW labels on cigarette packs. Pictorial health warning labels with graphic images of pathology and a telephone quit-line are perceived to be most effective.

Cigarette smoking and the oral microbiome in a large study of American adults

PubMed Central

Wu, Jing; Peters, Brandilyn A; Dominianni, Christine; Zhang, Yilong; Pei, Zhiheng; Yang, Liying; Ma, Yingfei; Purdue, Mark P; Jacobs, Eric J; Gapstur, Susan M; Li, Huilin; Alekseyenko, Alexander V; Hayes, Richard B; Ahn, Jiyoung

2016-01-01

Oral microbiome dysbiosis is associated with oral disease and potentially with systemic diseases; however, the determinants of these microbial imbalances are largely unknown. In a study of 1204 US adults, we assessed the relationship of cigarette smoking with the oral microbiome. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on DNA from oral wash samples, sequences were clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using QIIME and metagenomic content was inferred using PICRUSt. Overall oral microbiome composition differed between current and non-current (former and never) smokers (P<0.001). Current smokers had lower relative abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria (4.6%) compared with never smokers (11.7%) (false discovery rate q=5.2 × 10−7), with no difference between former and never smokers; the depletion of Proteobacteria in current smokers was also observed at class, genus and OTU levels. Taxa not belonging to Proteobacteria were also associated with smoking: the genera Capnocytophaga, Peptostreptococcus and Leptotrichia were depleted, while Atopobium and Streptococcus were enriched, in current compared with never smokers. Functional analysis from inferred metagenomes showed that bacterial genera depleted by smoking were related to carbohydrate and energy metabolism, and to xenobiotic metabolism. Our findings demonstrate that smoking alters the oral microbiome, potentially leading to shifts in functional pathways with implications for smoking-related diseases. PMID:27015003

Evaluating nicotine dependence levels in e-cigarette users.

PubMed

González Roz, Alba; Secades Villa, Roberto; Weidberg, Sara

2017-01-11

Despite the fact that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are rapidly growing in popularity and use worldwide, there is scarce scientific data on abuse liability among e-cigarette users, and about whether e-cigarette use is related to nicotine dependence or not. The aim of this study is to explore nicotine dependence levels in a sample of experienced e-cigarette users (n= 39) and to compare them with current tobacco cigarette smokers (n=42). We conducted several face-to-face interviews in order to assess sociodemographic and dependence related characteristics in both e-cigarette users and in smokers. Adapted versions of both the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and the nicotine dependence syndrome scale (NDSS) were used to analyze nicotine dependence in each of the groups. Biochemical markers of carbon monoxide and urinary cotinine analysis were also collected. Results showed that e-cigarette users scored lower than cigarette smokers in both FTND and all NDSS subscales. Our findings extend previous research on e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction and suggest that e-cigarette users are less dependent on nicotine than current tobacco cigarette smokers. Further prospective studies are needed to better ascertain their addictiveness potential, comparing those smokers who switched to e-cigarettes from smoking cigarettes, and those who had never been tobacco cigarette smokers.

Assessment of Tobacco-Related Approach and Attentional Biases in Smokers, Cravers, Ex-Smokers, and Non-Smokers

PubMed Central

Woud, Marcella L.; Maas, Joyce; Wiers, Reinout W.; Becker, Eni S.; Rinck, Mike

2016-01-01

According to theories of addictive behaviors, approach and attentional biases toward smoking-related cues play a crucial role in tobacco dependence. Several studies have investigated these biases by using various paradigms in different sample types. However, this heterogeneity makes it difficult to compare and evaluate the results. The present study aimed to address this problem, via (i) a structural comparison of different measures of approach-avoidance and a measure of smoking-related attentional biases, and (ii) using within one study different representative samples in the context of tobacco dependence. Three measures of approach-avoidance were employed: an Approach Avoidance Task (AAT), a Stimulus Response Compatibility Task (SRC), and a Single Target Implicit Association Test (ST-IAT). To assess attentional biases, a modified Stroop task including smoking-related words was administered. The study included four groups: n = 58 smokers, n = 57 non-smokers, n = 52 cravers, and n = 54 ex-smokers. We expected to find strong tobacco-related approach biases and attentional biases in smokers and cravers. However, the general pattern of results did not confirm these expectations. Approach responses assessed during the AAT and SRC did not differ between groups. Moreover, the Stroop did not show the expected interference effect. For the ST-IAT, cravers had stronger approach associations toward smoking-related cues, whereas non-smokers showed stronger avoidance associations. However, no such differences in approach-avoidance associations were found in smokers and ex-smokers. To conclude, these data do not provide evidence for a strong role of implicit approach and attentional biases toward smoking-related cues in tobacco dependency. PMID:26955359

Impact of periodontitis on chemokines in smokers.

PubMed

Haytural, O; Yaman, D; Ural, E C; Kantarci, A; Demirel, Korkud

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemokine expression profiles in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum in patients with advanced chronic periodontitis and to assess the impact of smoking on local and systemic levels of chemokines. Thirty patients with chronic periodontitis (CP; 20 smokers and 10 non-smokers) and 20 periodontally healthy subjects (10 smokers and 10 non-smokers) were recruited. Clinical parameters included the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted chemokine (RANTES) were measured in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum using a multiplex immunoassay. MIP-1α levels were significantly lower (10.15 ± 1.48; p = 0.039) while MIP-1β levels were significantly higher (42.05 ± 8.21; p = 0.005) in sera from non-smoker patients with CP compared to non-smoker healthy subjects. MCP-1 concentration in sera was significantly higher in smoker periodontitis patients (8.89 ± 1.65) compared to non-smoker patients with periodontitis (8.14 ± 0.97; p = 0.004). MIP-1α and RANTES were significantly higher in GCF of the patients with CP (p = 0.001) while there were no statistically significant correlations between the GCF levels of these analytes and the smoking status. Periodontal inflammation increases the chemokine concentrations in the GCF while smoking suppresses chemokine levels in serum suggesting that different local and systemic mechanisms are involved during the response to periodontitis in smokers. Understanding the local and systemic chemokine responses in smokers will enable the development of biologically-based treatment methods for chronic periodontitis.

Lower age at first myocardial infarction in female compared to male smokers.

PubMed

Bähler, Caroline; Gutzwiller, Felix; Erne, Paul; Radovanovic, Dragana

2012-10-01

Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for myocardial infarction. Smokers usually suffer their first myocardial infarction earlier in life compared to non-smokers. This age difference seems to be greater in women than in men. The aim of this study was to examine the age and sex differences in terms of smoking in patients with first myocardial infarction who were enrolled in the Swiss National Registry of myocardial infarction, AMIS Plus. Data of 15,711 patients admitted to an AMIS Plus hospital between 1999 and 2008 with a first myocardial infarction were analysed. Several multivariate regression, interaction and sensitivity analyses were conducted. The mean age at first myocardial infarction was 68.5 ± 12.2 years for non-smokers and 56.6 ± 11.7 years for smokers (P < 0.001). After stratification by sex the difference between non-smokers and smokers was 10.2 years in men and 13.1 years in women. Even after adjustment for risk factors (overweight, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes), comorbidities (peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lung disease), regular cardiovascular medication intake before admission, Killip classification and ECG on admission, male smokers were 8.7 years younger than male non-smokers at first myocardial infarction. In women, the age difference between smokers and non-smokers was 10.8 years, giving a sex-specific difference of 2.1 years (P < 0.001). In the AMIS Plus cohort, smoking was associated with younger age at first myocardial infarction and this was much more pronounced in women. Public health campaigns should take into account the impact of smoking on premature first myocardial infarction, especially in women.

Characteristics of American Indian light smokers

PubMed Central

Nazir, Niaman; Bevil, Bambi; Pacheco, Christina M.; Faseru, Babalola; McCloskey, Charlotte; Greiner, K. Allen; Choi, Won S.; Daley, Christine Makosky

2013-01-01

Introduction American Indians (AI) have the highest smoking rates of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and have more difficulty quitting smoking. Little is known about the smoking characteristics of AI smokers. The present study compared the demographic and smoking characteristics of light (≤10 cigarettes per day; N = 206) and moderate/heavy (11+ cigarettes per day; N = 86) AI smokers participating in a cross-sectional survey about smoking and health. Methods Multiple methods were used to recruit participants in attendance at powwows, health and career fairs, and conferences. A total of 998 AI (76% cooperation rate) completed a survey assessing general health, sociodemographics, traditional and commercial tobacco use, knowledge and attitudes related to cancer, source of health information and care and other health-related behaviors. Results AI light smokers were younger and less likely to be married or living with a partner compared to moderate/heavy smokers. AI light smokers were less dependent on smoking and more likely to have home smoking restrictions. There were no differences with respect to number of quit attempts in the past year or the average length of their most recent quit attempt by light vs. moderate/heavy smoking. In addition, a similar proportion of light and heavy smokers reported using tobacco for traditional purposes such as ceremonial, spiritual and prayer. Conclusions These findings highlight important differences between AI light and heavier smokers. Differences related to smoking characteristics such as level of dependence and home smoking restrictions have important implications for the treatment of AI smokers. PMID:24157425

The association between active smoking, smokeless tobacco, second-hand smoke exposure and insufficient sleep.

PubMed

Sabanayagam, Charumathi; Shankar, Anoop

2011-01-01

Studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with sleep disorders in the general population. But studies examining the association between smokeless tobacco use, second-hand smoke exposure and insufficient rest/sleep are limited. We examined the association between smoking, smokeless tobacco use (n=83,072), second-hand smoke exposure (n=28,557) and insufficient rest/sleep among adults aged ≥20 years in the state-based 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Exposure to second-hand smoke was defined as >1 day of exposure to cigarette smoking either at home or in the workplace in the preceding 7 days. Insufficient rest/sleep was defined as not getting enough rest/sleep everyday in the preceding 30 days. Compared to never smokeless tobacco users, the odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval [CI]) of insufficient rest/sleep was 1.16 (1.00-1.36) and 1.74 (1.37-2.22) among former and current users. Compared to non-smokers/non-smokeless tobacco users, the OR (95% CI) of insufficient rest/sleep for those who were both current smokers and current smokeless tobacco users was 2.21 (1.66-2.94). Regarding second-hand smoke exposure among non-smokers, those with second-hand smoke exposure had higher odds for insufficient rest/sleep than those without. In contrast, the odds of insufficient rest/sleep were similar among current smokers with or without second-hand smoke exposure. In a multiethnic sample of US adults, compared to non-smokers/non-smokeless tobacco users, those who were both current smokers and current smokeless tobacco users had twice the odds of insufficient sleep. Second-hand smoke exposure was associated with insufficient rest/sleep among non-smokers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is antimicrobial photodynamic therapy an effective treatment for chronic periodontitis in diabetes mellitus and cigarette smokers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Al-Hamoudi, Nawwaf

2017-09-01

To determine whether treatment with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) improves clinical, microbiological and immunological outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cigarette smokers with chronic periodontitis (CP). Databases (MEDLINE, PubMed; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register) were searched up to and including May 2017. The addressed PICO question was: "Does aPDT as an adjunct to SRP improves clinical, microbiological and immunological outcomes in T2DM and smokers with CP?" Six randomized clinical trials were included. All studies reporting clinical periodontal, microbiological, and immunological parameters showed that aPDT was effective in the treatment of CP in T2DM and smokers at follow up. When compared with SRP alone, none of the studies showed additional benefits of aPDT at follow up. Considering the effects of adjunctive aPDT as compared to SRP on clinical signs of CP in T2DM and smokers, no difference could be observed for all evaluated parameters (PD: Z=-0.81, P=0.41; CAL: Z=-0.19, P=0.84) except IL-1β (Z=4.57, P<0.001). Due to limited evidence, it remains debatable whether aPDT as an adjunct to SRP is effective in improving clinical, microbiological and immunological outcomes compared to SRP alone in T2DM and smokers with CP. Further well-designed, large-scale clinical trials with microbiological parameters and long follow up periods are needed in order to assess the efficacy of adjunctive aPDT in T2DM and cigarette smokers with CP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lack of association between increased mitochondrial DNA4977 deletion and ATP levels of sputum cells from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients versus healthy smokers.

PubMed

Karimova, A; Oltulu, Y M; Azaklı, H; Kara, M; Ustek, D; Tutluoglu, B; Onaran, I

2017-05-01

In this study we looked at smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in order to evaluate the incidence of 4977 base pair (bp) mtDNA (mtDNA 4977 ) deletion and mtDNA copy number in sputum cells and in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) in relation to mitochondrial function and oxidative stress status. Twenty-five COPD patients who were current smokers, 22 smokers and 23 healthy nonsmokers (for only PBLs studies) participated in this study. The 4977-bp deletion was detected in all examined samples within 40 cyles of PCR amplification, using a quantitative real time PCR. The frequency of the mtDNA 4977 was significantly higher in the sputum cells of patients with COPD compared to smokers without COPD (p < 0.0001). This difference was not observed in PBLs. Levels of cellular oxidative stress were significantly higher in the sputum cells of subjects with COPD than in the smoker group. However, mtDNA copy number, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and cellular ATP levels in PBLs and sputum cells were not significantly different between the studied groups. The Pearson analysis revealed no correlations between the accumulation of mtDNA 4977 , and intracellular ATP content and ΔΨm values of the sputum cells, although there was a positive correlation between the increase in the percentage of deleted mtDNA 4977 and the levels of cellular oxidative stress in COPD patients (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001). Our studies may suggest that the accumulation of mtDNA 4977 in the sputum cells of smokers with COPD does not seem to have an important impact on mitochondrial dysfunction in relation to ATP production and ΔΨm when compared to those of healthy smokers.

Network Analysis of Intrinsic Functional Brain Connectivity in Male and Female Adult Smokers: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Moran-Santa Maria, Megan M; Vanderweyen, Davy C; Camp, Christopher C; Zhu, Xun; McKee, Sherry A; Cosgrove, Kelly P; Hartwell, Karen J; Brady, Kathleen T; Joseph, Jane E

2018-06-07

The goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary network analysis (using graph-theory measures) of intrinsic functional connectivity in adult smokers, with an exploration of sex differences in smokers. Twenty-seven adult smokers (13 males; mean age = 35) and 17 sex and age-matched controls (11 males; mean age = 35) completed a blood oxygen level-dependent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment. Data analysis involved preprocessing, creation of connectivity matrices using partial correlation, and computation of graph-theory measures using the Brain Connectivity Toolbox. Connector hubs and additional graph-theory measures were examined for differences between smokers and controls and correlations with nicotine dependence. Sex differences were examined in a priori regions of interest based on prior literature. Compared to nonsmokers, connector hubs in smokers emerged primarily in limbic (parahippocampus) and salience network (cingulate cortex) regions. In addition, global influence of the right insula and left nucleus accumbens was associated with higher nicotine dependence. These trends were present in male but not female smokers. Network communication was altered in smokers, primarily in limbic and salience network regions. Network topology was associated with nicotine dependence in male but not female smokers in regions associated with reinforcement (nucleus accumbens) and craving (insula), consistent with the idea that male smokers are more sensitive to the reinforcing aspects of nicotine than female smokers. Identifying alterations in brain network communication in male and female smokers can help tailor future behavioral and pharmacological smoking interventions. Male smokers showed alterations in brain networks associated with the reinforcing effects of nicotine more so than females, suggesting that pharmacotherapies targeting reinforcement and craving may be more efficacious in male smokers.

Determinants of smoking-induced deprivation in China

PubMed Central

Yao, Tingting; Huang, Jidong; Sung, Hai-Yen; Ong, Michael K; Mao, Zhengzhong; Jiang, Yuan; Fong, Geoffrey T; Max, Wendy

2015-01-01

Objective Spending on cigarettes may deprive households of other items like food. The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with this smoking-induced deprivation among adult smokers in China. Methods The data came from waves 1–3 of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey, conducted from 2006 to 2009 among urban adults aged 18 years or older in China. We focus on the samples of current smokers from six cities (N=7981). Smoking-induced deprivation was measured with the survey question, “In the last six months, have you spent money on cigarettes that you knew would be better spent on household essentials like food?” We examined whether sociodemographic factors, smoking intensity and price paid per pack of cigarettes were associated with smoking-induced deprivation using generalised estimating equations modelling. Findings 7.3% of smokers reported smoking-induced deprivation due to purchasing cigarettes. Low-income and middle-income smokers were more likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with high-income smokers (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.06, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.31; AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.69); smokers living in Shenyang (AOR=1.68, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.24) and Yinchuan (AOR=2.50, 95% CI 1.89 to 3.32) were more likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with smokers living in Beijing. Retired smokers were less likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with employed smokers (AOR=0.67, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.87). There was no statistically significant relationship between smoking intensity, price paid per pack of cigarettes and smoking-induced deprivation. Conclusions Our findings indicate that certain groups of smokers in China acknowledge spending money on cigarettes that could be better spent on household essentials. Tobacco control policies that reduce smoking in China may improve household living standards by reducing smoking-induced deprivation. PMID:24827978

The association between smoking and blood pressure in men: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Li, Guoju; Wang, Hailing; Wang, Ke; Wang, Wenrui; Dong, Fen; Qian, Yonggang; Gong, Haiying; Hui, Chunxia; Xu, Guodong; Li, Yanlong; Pan, Li; Zhang, Biao; Shan, Guangliang

2017-10-10

Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the association between smoking and blood pressure is unclear. Thus, the current study examined the association between cigarette smoking and blood pressure in men. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) were examined using digital blood pressure measuring device, and smoking status was determined with China National Health Survey. The ANCOVA showed that the adjusted DBP and MAP were lower in current smokers versus nonsmokers and the adjusted SBP was lower in current smokers versus former smokers (P < 0.05). Additionally, the adjusted PP tend to be decreased steadily as the pack·years increased in current smokers. In a fully adjusted logistic regression model, former smokers had increased ORs (95% CI) of 1.48 (1.01, 2.18) of hypertension and current smokers had not increased ORs (95% CI) of 0.83 (0.61, 1.12), compared with never smokers. The findings revealed that the adjusted blood pressure were lower in current smokers versus nonsmokers and former smokers. No significant dose-dependent effect of current smoking on blood pressure indices except PP was observed. Smoking cessation was significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension. However, current smoking was not a risk factor of hypertension.

Share2Quit: Online Social Network Peer Marketing of Tobacco Cessation Systems

PubMed Central

Cutrona, Sarah L.; Luger, Tana M.; Volz, Erik; Kinney, Rebecca; Rao, Sowmya R.; Allison, Jeroan J.; Houston, Thomas K.

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Although technology-assisted tobacco interventions (TATIs) are effective, they are underused due to recruitment challenges. We tested whether we could successfully recruit smokers to a TATI using peer marketing through a social network (Facebook). Methods: We recruited smokers on Facebook using online advertisements. These recruited smokers (seeds) and subsequent waves of smokers (peer recruits) were provided the Share2Quit peer recruitment Facebook app and other tools. Smokers were incentivized for up to seven successful peer recruitments and had 30 days to recruit from date of registration. Successful peer recruitment was defined as a peer recruited smoker completing the registration on the TATI following a referral. Our primary questions were (1) whether smokers would recruit other smokers and (2) whether peer recruitment would extend the reach of the intervention to harder-to-reach groups, including those not ready to quit and minority smokers. Results: Overall, 759 smokers were recruited (seeds: 190; peer recruits: 569). Fifteen percent (n = 117) of smokers successfully recruited their peers (seeds: 24.7%; peer recruits: 7.7%) leading to four recruitment waves. Compared to seeds, peer recruits were less likely to be ready to quit (peer recruits 74.2% vs. seeds 95.1%), more likely to be male (67.1% vs. 32.9%), and more likely to be African American (23.8% vs. 10.8%) (p < .01 for all comparisons). Conclusions: Peer marketing quadrupled our engaged smokers and enriched the sample with not-ready-to-quit and African American smokers. Peer recruitment is promising, and our study uncovered several important challenges for future research. Implications: This study demonstrates the successful recruitment of smokers to a TATI using a Facebook-based peer marketing strategy. Smokers on Facebook were willing and able to recruit other smokers to a TATI, yielding a large and diverse population of smokers. PMID:27613918

Share2Quit: Online Social Network Peer Marketing of Tobacco Cessation Systems.

PubMed

Sadasivam, Rajani S; Cutrona, Sarah L; Luger, Tana M; Volz, Erik; Kinney, Rebecca; Rao, Sowmya R; Allison, Jeroan J; Houston, Thomas K

2017-03-01

Although technology-assisted tobacco interventions (TATIs) are effective, they are underused due to recruitment challenges. We tested whether we could successfully recruit smokers to a TATI using peer marketing through a social network (Facebook). We recruited smokers on Facebook using online advertisements. These recruited smokers (seeds) and subsequent waves of smokers (peer recruits) were provided the Share2Quit peer recruitment Facebook app and other tools. Smokers were incentivized for up to seven successful peer recruitments and had 30 days to recruit from date of registration. Successful peer recruitment was defined as a peer recruited smoker completing the registration on the TATI following a referral. Our primary questions were (1) whether smokers would recruit other smokers and (2) whether peer recruitment would extend the reach of the intervention to harder-to-reach groups, including those not ready to quit and minority smokers. Overall, 759 smokers were recruited (seeds: 190; peer recruits: 569). Fifteen percent (n = 117) of smokers successfully recruited their peers (seeds: 24.7%; peer recruits: 7.7%) leading to four recruitment waves. Compared to seeds, peer recruits were less likely to be ready to quit (peer recruits 74.2% vs. seeds 95.1%), more likely to be male (67.1% vs. 32.9%), and more likely to be African American (23.8% vs. 10.8%) (p < .01 for all comparisons). Peer marketing quadrupled our engaged smokers and enriched the sample with not-ready-to-quit and African American smokers. Peer recruitment is promising, and our study uncovered several important challenges for future research. This study demonstrates the successful recruitment of smokers to a TATI using a Facebook-based peer marketing strategy. Smokers on Facebook were willing and able to recruit other smokers to a TATI, yielding a large and diverse population of smokers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Cardiovascular risk in Spanish smokers compared to non-smokers: RETRATOS study].

PubMed

Fernández de Bobadilla, Jaime; Sanz de Burgoa, Verónica; Garrido Morales, Patricio; López de Sá, Esteban

2011-11-01

To evaluate the level of cardiovascular risk in smokers seenin Primary Care clinics. Epidemiologic, cross-sectional and multicentre study. Primary Care. Every investigator included 4 consecutive patients (3 smokers, 1 non-smoker) aged 35-50 years, who came to the clinic for any reason. A total of 2,184 patients were included; 2,124 (1,597 smokers; 527 non-smokers) were evaluated and 60 patients were excluded because they did not meet with selection criteria. The 10-year risk of suffering from a fatal cardiovascular disease (CVDR) was calculated according to the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation) model. The 10-year lethal CVR according SCORE model, was classified as: very high (> 15%), high (10-14%), slightly high (5-9%), average (3-4%), low (2%), very low (1%) and negligible (< 1%). A logistical regression model was used to estimate the relationship between smoking and prior cardiovascular events. 10-year fatal CVDR according to the SCORE model was significantly higher in smokers (40±5.3) vs. non-smokers (1.9±2.5) (P<.0001). low (< 3%) [78.0% non-smokers vs. 60.7% smokers (P<.0001)]; intermediate (3-5%) [11.1% non-smokers vs. 12.6% smokers (P<.001)]; high (> 5%) [10.9% non-smokers vs. 26.7% smokers (P<.001)]. The logistical regression model showed that non-smokers vs. smokers had less probability of suffering myocardial infarction (OR 0.3; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.1-0.8; P<.0001), peripheral vascular disease (OR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-1.0; P=.0180) and chronic obstructive lung disease (OR 0.18; 95% CI: 0.1-0.2; P=.0507). Smoking is related to a high risk of fatal cardiovascular disease. Active promotion in Primary Care clinics of measures aimed at reducing the prevalence of the smoking habit would lead to a lowering of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of the effects of hubble-bubble (Sheesha) and cigarette smoking on respiratory and metabolic parameters in hubble-bubble and cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Al Mutairi, Sana S; Shihab-Eldeen, Aida A; Mojiminiyi, Olusegun A; Anwar, Alia Aisha

2006-07-01

Hazard of smoking tobacco is believed to be minimized by smoking hubble-bubble (HB) instead of cigarettes. Our aims were to (i) develop an assay for estimating nicotine and cotinine; and (ii) evaluate the effect of smoking on respiratory and metabolic parameters in cigarette and HB smokers. Urine samples were collected from 152 volunteer smokers (75 cigarette and 77 HB) as well as from 16 healthy controls. We optimized an HPLC method for the determination of nicotine and cotinine. Subjects were asked to complete a chronic respiratory symptoms questionnaire and to undergo spirometry. Fasting blood samples were collected for the determination of their lipid profile. The intra-assay coefficients of variation for nicotine and cotinine were 16.6% and 6.6%, respectively. The mean of cotinine in cigarette smokers (1321.4 ng/mL) was significantly (P = 0.008) higher than the mean cotinine (677.6 ng/mL) in HB smokers. The mean nicotine level in cigarette smokers (1487.3 ng/mL) was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than the mean nicotine (440.5 ng/mL) in HB smoker. The urinary cotinine and nicotine levels of the control subjects were lower than the detection levels of the assay. The mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was lower in cigarette smokers (0.99 mmol/L) compared with HB smoker smokers (1.02 mmol/L) but this was not significant (P = 0.28). Spirometric values were comparable among the three groups but the chronic respiratory symptoms in the smoking groups appeared at an earlier age in the HB smokers compared with the cigarettes smokers (P < 0.05). Smoking HB does not reduce the risk of tobacco exposure and it's potentially harmful metabolites on health.

Cigarette smokers, never-smokers, and transitions: implications for successful aging.

PubMed

Pruchno, Rachel; Hahn, Sarah; Wilson-Genderson, Maureen

2012-01-01

One of the social identities held by people is defined by whether or not they smoke cigarettes. Although this identity can and does change for many people over the course of their lives, most research has not examined the effects of transitioning from a smoker to a non-smoker. Using a life span perspective, our analyses contrasted the extent to which successful aging is experienced by: (1) persons who ever smoked and those who never smoked; (2) former smokers and current smokers; and (3) persons who transitioned from being a smoker to being a non-smoker at different ages. Using data from a random sample of 5688 persons between the ages of 50 and 74 living in New Jersey, we found that persons who never smoked were most likely to age successfully; there were no differences in patterns of successful aging when all former smokers were compared to current smokers; and persons who quit smoking before age 30 experienced modest benefits compared with those who continued to smoke.

Smoking status and cognitive performance among vocational school students in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Hu, Pengjuan; Huang, Lili; Zhou, Shuang; Shi, Qiang; Xiao, Dan; Wang, Chen

2018-02-01

In countries where smoking is associated with lower socioeconomic status, smokers tend to perform worse on cognitive tasks than non-smokers. China is now undergoing a similar process with a recent study showing that there is a reduced cognitive performance in middle aged but not in elderly smokers. We examined the links between smoking status and cognitive functioning among vocational school students in Beijing, China. A total of 213 students aged 16-20 (98 smokers and 115 non-smokers) were recruited from three vocational schools in Beijing. Participants completed three subtests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) (information, arithmetic, digit span) and Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). Smokers also completed a cigarette smoking questionnaire and Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Smokers performed worse than non-smokers in tests of arithmetic and digit span forward (t = 4.25, 2.05, both P < .05). Scores on digit span backward did not differentiate smokers and non-smokers, but among smokers, the performance on this subtest was related to the age of starting smoking (r = 0.26, p < .001). Cognitive performance in smokers was not related to tobacco dependence or intensity of smoking. Compared to non-smokers, smokers had a higher total DEX score and higher scores on three of its five subscales (Inhibition, Knowing-doing dissociation and Social regulation, all p < .05). Another subscale, In-resistance, did not differentiate smokers and non-smokers, but differentiated smokers with lower and higher levels of nicotine dependence (t = -2.12, p < .05). Smokers performed worse on some cognitive tasks than non-smokers and scored higher on a questionnaire assessing executive dysfunction. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Neural mechanisms underlying visual attention to health warnings on branded and plain cigarette packs.

PubMed

Maynard, Olivia M; Brooks, Jonathan C W; Munafò, Marcus R; Leonards, Ute

2017-04-01

To (1) test if activation in brain regions related to reward (nucleus accumbens) and emotion (amygdala) differ when branded and plain packs of cigarettes are viewed, (2) test whether these activation patterns differ by smoking status and (3) examine whether activation patterns differ as a function of visual attention to health warning labels on cigarette packs. Cross-sectional observational study combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with eye-tracking. Non-smokers, weekly smokers and daily smokers performed a memory task on branded and plain cigarette packs with pictorial health warnings presented in an event-related design. Clinical Research and Imaging Centre, University of Bristol, UK. Non-smokers, weekly smokers and daily smokers (n = 72) were tested. After exclusions, data from 19 non-smokers, 19 weekly smokers and 20 daily smokers were analysed. Brain activity was assessed in whole brain analyses and in pre-specified masked analyses in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. On-line eye-tracking during scanning recorded visual attention to health warnings. There was no evidence for a main effect of pack type or smoking status in either the nucleus accumbens or amygdala, and this was unchanged when taking account of visual attention to health warnings. However, there was evidence for an interaction, such that we observed increased activation in the right amygdala when viewing branded as compared with plain packs among weekly smokers (P = 0.003). When taking into account visual attention to health warnings, we observed higher levels of activation in the visual cortex in response to plain packaging compared with branded packaging of cigarettes (P = 0.020). Based on functional magnetic resonance imaging and eye-tracking data, health warnings appear to be more salient on 'plain' cigarette packs than branded packs. © 2016 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Neural correlates of cigarette health warning avoidance among smokers.

PubMed

Stothart, George; Maynard, Olivia; Lavis, Rosie; Munafò, Marcus

2016-04-01

Eye-tracking technology has indicated that daily smokers actively avoid pictorial cigarette package health warnings. Avoidance may be due to a pre-cognitive perceptual bias or a higher order cognitive bias, such as reduced emotional processing. Using electroencephalography (EEG), this study aimed to identify the temporal point at which smokers' responses to health warnings begin to differ. Non-smokers (n=20) and daily smokers (n=20) viewed pictorial cigarette package health warnings and neutral control stimuli. These elicited Event Related Potentials reflecting early perceptual processing (visual P1), pre-attentive change detection (visual Mismatch Negativity), selective attentional orientation (P3) and a measure of emotional processing, the Late Positive Potential (LPP). There was no evidence for a difference in P1 responses between smokers and non-smokers. There was no difference in vMMN and P3 amplitude but some evidence for a delay in vMMN latency amongst smokers. There was strong evidence for delayed and reduced LPP to health warning stimuli amongst smokers compared to non-smokers. We find no evidence for an early perceptual bias in smokers' visual perception of health warnings but strong evidence that smokers are less sensitive to the emotional content of cigarette health warnings. Future health warning development should focus on increasing the emotional salience of pictorial health warning content amongst smokers. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in responses to cues presented in the natural environment of cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Wray, Jennifer M; Gray, Kevin M; McClure, Erin A; Carpenter, Matthew J; Tiffany, Stephen T; Saladin, Michael E

2015-04-01

Although the evidence is mixed, female smokers appear to have more difficulty quitting smoking than male smokers. Craving, stress, and negative affect have been hypothesized as potential factors underlying gender differences in quit rates. In the current study, the cue-reactivity paradigm was used to assess craving, stress, and negative affect in response to cues presented in the natural environment of cigarette smokers using ecological momentary assessment. Seventy-six daily smokers (42% female) responded to photographs (smoking, stress, and neutral) presented 4 times per day on an iPhone over the course of 2 weeks. Both smoking and stress cues elicited stronger cigarette craving and stress responses compared to neutral cues. Compared with males, females reported higher levels of post-stress cue craving, stress, and negative affect, but response to smoking cues did not differ by gender. Findings from this project were largely consistent with results from laboratory-based research and extend previous work by measuring response to cues in the natural environment of cigarette smokers. This study extends previous cue reactivity ecological momentary assessment research by using a new platform and by measuring response to stress cues outside of the laboratory. Findings from this project highlight the importance of addressing coping in response to stress cues in clinical settings, especially when working with female smokers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smoking and relative body weight: an international perspective from the WHO MONICA Project.

PubMed

Molarius, A; Seidell, J C; Kuulasmaa, K; Dobson, A J; Sans, S

1997-06-01

To investigate the magnitude and consistency of the associations between smoking and body mass index (BMI) in different populations. A cross sectional study. About 69,000 men and women aged 35-64 years from 42 populations participating in the first WHO MONICA survey in the early and mid 1980s. Compared to never smokers, regular smokers had significantly (p < 0.05) lower median BMI in 20 (men) and 30 (women) out of 42 populations (range -2.9 to 0.5 kg/m2). There was no population in which smokers had a significantly higher BMI than never smokers. Among men, the association between leanness and smoking was less apparent in populations with relatively low proportions of regular smokers and high proportions of ex-smokers. Ex-smokers had significantly higher BMI than never smokers in 10 of the male populations but in women no consistent pattern was observed. Adjustment for socioeconomic status did not affect these results. Although in most populations the association between smoking and BMI is similar, the magnitude of this association may be affected by the proportions of smokers and ex-smokers in these populations.

Winning and losing: differences in reward and punishment sensitivity between smokers and nonsmokers.

PubMed

Martin, Laura E; Cox, Lisa S; Brooks, William M; Savage, Cary R

2014-01-01

Smokers show increased brain activation in reward processing regions in response to smoking-related cues, yet few studies have examined secondary rewards not associated with smoking (i.e., money). Inconsistencies exist in the studies that do examine secondary rewards with some studies showing increased brain activation in reward processing brain regions, while others show decreased activation or no difference in activation between smokers and nonsmokers. The goal of the current study is to see if smokers process the evaluation and delivery of equally salient real world rewards similarly or differently than nonsmokers. The current study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain responses in smokers and nonsmokers during the evaluation and delivery of monetary gains and losses. In comparison to nonsmokers, smokers showed increased activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to the evaluation of anticipated monetary losses and the brain response. Moreover, smokers compared to nonsmokers showed decreased activation in the inferior frontal gyrus to the delivery of expected monetary gains. Brain activations to both the evaluation of anticipated monetary losses and the delivery of expected monetary gains correlated with increased self-reported smoking craving to relieve negative withdrawal symptoms and craving related to positive aspects of smoking, respectively. Together these results indicate that smokers are hyperresponsive to the evaluation of anticipated punishment and hyporesponsive to the delivery of expected rewards. Although further research is needed, this hypersensitivity to punishments coupled with increased craving may negatively impact quit attempts as smokers anticipate the negative withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting.

Reduction of the Nailfold Capillary Blood Velocity in Cigarette Smokers

PubMed Central

Kim, Kwang-Min; Lee, Duck-Joo

2012-01-01

Background Cigarette smoking causes cardiovascular disease and activates markers of endothelial dysfunction or injury. We investigated the nailfold capillary blood velocity (NCV) in cigarette smokers compared to non-smokers. Methods Forty-eight men (eighteen non-smokers and thirty smokers) were recruited. We measured NCV using nailfold capillary microscopy and exhaled carbon monoxide (ECO) concentration three times (before smoking; NCV0min and ECO0min, and after smoking; NCV5min, ECO5min, NCV30min, and ECO30min), in a condition of fasting in the case of smokers. In non-smokers, the same measurements were taken without smoking. Additionally, personal cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking history were acquired by a self-administrated questionnaire. Results Mean age, waist circumference, ECO0min, ECO5min, and ECO30min was higher and NCV5min and NCV30min were significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. Total smoking years were negatively correlated with NCV5min. Average pack of the daily smoking, total pack-years, as well as total smoking years were also negatively correlated with NCV30min by regression analysis. After adjustment of significantly different variables, NCV30min was significantly lower in smokers. In the subgroup analysis, the interleukin-6 level was significantly increased in subjects with a long period of cigarette smoking compared with non-smokers. Conclusion Reduction of NCV in smokers is associated with personal smoking history, not with body composition or certain oxidative stress markers. PMID:23267426

Risky business: a longitudinal study examining cigarette smoking initiation among susceptible and non-susceptible e-cigarette users in Canada

PubMed Central

Aleyan, Sarah; Cole, Adam; Qian, Wei; Leatherdale, Scott T

2018-01-01

Objectives Given that many adolescent e-cigarette users are never-smokers, the possibility that e-cigarettes may act as a gateway to future cigarette smoking has been discussed in various studies. Longitudinal data are needed to explore the pathway between e-cigarette and cigarette use, particularly among different risk groups including susceptible and non-susceptible never-smokers. The objective of this study was to examine whether baseline use of e-cigarettes among a sample of never-smoking youth predicted cigarette smoking initiation over a 2-year period. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Setting 89 high schools across Ontario and Alberta, Canada. Participants A sample of grade 9–11 never-smoking students at baseline (n=9501) who participated in the COMPASS study over 2 years. Primary and secondary outcome measures Participants completed in-class questionnaires that assessed smoking susceptibility and smoking initiation. Results Among the baseline sample of non-susceptible never-smokers, 45.2% of current e-cigarette users reported trying a cigarette after 2 years compared with 13.5% of non-current e-cigarette users. Among the baseline sample of susceptible never-smokers, 62.4% of current e-cigarette users reported trying a cigarette after 2 years compared with 36.1% of non-current e-cigarette users. Overall, current e-cigarette users were more likely to try a cigarette 2 years later. This association was stronger among the sample of non-susceptible never-smokers (AOR=5.28, 95% CI 2.81 to 9.94; p<0.0001) compared with susceptible never-smokers (AOR=2.78, 95% CI 1.84 to 4.20; p<0.0001). Conclusions Findings from this large, longitudinal study support public health concerns that e-cigarette use may contribute to the development of a new population of cigarette smokers. They also support the notion that e-cigarettes are expanding the tobacco market by attracting low-risk youth who would otherwise be unlikely to initiate using cigarettes. Careful consideration will be needed in developing an appropriate regulatory framework that prevents e-cigarette use among youth. PMID:29804064

Misperceptions of harm among Natural American Spirit smokers: results from wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study (2013-2014).

PubMed

Pearson, Jennifer L; Johnson, Amanda; Villanti, Andrea; Glasser, Allison M; Collins, Lauren; Cohn, Amy; Rose, Shyanika W; Niaura, Raymond; Stanton, Cassandra A

2017-03-01

This study estimated differences in cigarette harm perceptions among smokers of the Natural American Spirit (NAS) brand-marketed as 'natural', 'organic' and 'additive-free'-compared to other smokers, and examined correlates of NAS use. Data were drawn from wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a nationally representative study of US adults (2013-2014). Weighted analyses using a subset of current adult smokers (n=10 565) estimated the prevalence of NAS use (vs all other brands) and examined associations between NAS use and sociodemographics, tobacco/substance use, tobacco harm perceptions, quit intentions, quit attempts and mental/behavioural health. Overall, 2.3% of adult smokers (920 000 people in the USA) reported NAS as their usual brand. Nearly 64% of NAS smokers inaccurately believed that their brand is less harmful than other brands compared to 8.3% of smokers of other brands, after controlling for potential confounders (aOR 22.82). Younger age (18-34 vs 35+; aOR 1.54), frequent thinking about tobacco harms (aOR 1.84), past 30-day alcohol use (aOR 1.57), past 30-day marijuana use (aOR 1.87) and sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual, 'other' or 'questioning' vs heterosexual; aOR 2.07) were also associated with increased odds of smoking NAS. The majority of NAS smokers inaccurately believes that their cigarettes are less harmful than other brands. Given the brand's rapid growth and its more common use in vulnerable groups (eg, young adults, lesbian, gay, bisexual, 'other' or 'questioning' adults), corrective messaging and enforcement action are necessary to correct harm misperceptions of NAS cigarettes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Association between smoking at diagnosis and cause-specific survival in patients with rectal cancer: Results from a population-based analysis of 10,794 cases.

PubMed

Sharp, Linda; McDevitt, Joseph; Brown, Christopher; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Comber, Harry

2017-07-01

Currently, the 5-year survival rate for rectal cancer remains at <60%. The identification of potentially modifiable prognostic factors would be of considerable public health importance. A few studies have suggested associations between smoking and survival in rectal cancer; however, the evidence is inconsistent, and most of these studies were relatively small. In a large population-based cohort study, we investigated whether smoking at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival in rectal cancer and whether the association varies by sex, age, or treatment. Rectal cancers (ICD10 C19-20) diagnosed between 1994 and 2012 were abstracted from the National Cancer Registry Ireland and classified by smoking status at diagnosis. Follow-up was for 5 years or until December 31, 2012. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare cancer-specific death rates in current smokers, ex-smokers, and never smokers. Subgroup analyses by age at diagnosis, sex, and treatment were conducted. A total of 10,794 rectal cancers were diagnosed. At diagnosis, 25% were current smokers, 24% were ex-smokers, and 51% were never smokers. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had a significantly greater rate of death from cancer (multivariable hazard ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.24), but ex-smokers did not (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94-1.11). The association was slightly stronger in men (current versus never smokers: HR = 1.13, 95% CI, 1.02-1.24) than females (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.90-1.23), but the test for interaction was not significant (P = .75). The effect of smoking was not modified by age or receipt of tumor-directed surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. Rectal cancer patients who smoke at diagnosis have a statistically significant increased cancer death rate. Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms is urgently required. Cancer 2017;123:2543-50. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Is a Price Increase Policy Enough for Adolescent Smokers?: Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Increasing Cigarette Prices Among Korean Adolescent Smokers.

PubMed

Lee, Yong Suk; Kim, Hong-Suk; Kim, Hyung-Do; Yoo, Ki-Bong; Jang, Sung-In; Park, Eun-Cheol

2016-10-01

Cigarette pricing policy is one tool for controlling smoking behavior on a national scale. It is unclear, however, what effects such policy has on adolescents and which characteristic subgroups of adolescents are more or less sensitive to cigarette pricing policy. Our data came from the 2013 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The dependent variable was whether or not a participant was classified as a "persistent smokers," defined as a smoker who would continue smoking despite any price increase. Other variables of interest were smoking days (quantity), previous attempts to stop smoking, and previous education on smoking cessation. The statistical analysis was performed using weighted data and the SURVEYFREQ and SURVEYLOGISTIC procedures in SAS 9.3. Among 7094 adolescent smokers (5349 males and 1745 females), 19.9% of males and 25.1% of females reported as persistent smokers. Compared with light smokers, heavy smokers are more likely to be persistent smokers (male: odds ratio [OR] = 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.04-2.95, P value < .001; female: OR = 3.23, 95% CI = 2.44-4.27, P value < .001). When we stratified the data by household income, previous attempts to stop smoking, and previous education on smoking cessation, that trend remained statistically significant. Because heavier smokers with higher risk of health-related consequences were less sensitive to pricing policy than mild smokers, pricing policy alone is not enough to reduce the societal burden caused by smoking. We suggest that additional cessation policy is needed along with pricing policy for adolescents with heavier smoking behavior in Korea. This study shows that heavy smokers are more likely to be persistent smokers despite the cigarette price increase policy, compared with light smokers in Korean adolescents. Because heavier smokers were less sensitive to pricing policy than mild smokers, pricing policy alone is not enough to reduce the societal burden caused by smoking. We suggest that additional tobacco control policies should be evaluated and effective ones implemented in addition to cigarette prices to reduce smoking among regular adolescent smokers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Subjective and physiological effects, and expired carbon monoxide concentrations in frequent and occasional cannabis smokers following smoked, vaporized, and oral cannabis administration.

PubMed

Newmeyer, Matthew N; Swortwood, Madeleine J; Abulseoud, Osama A; Huestis, Marilyn A

2017-06-01

Although smoking is the most common cannabis administration route, vaporization and consumption of cannabis edibles are common. Few studies directly compare cannabis' subjective and physiological effects following multiple administration routes. Subjective and physiological effects, and expired carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated in frequent and occasional cannabis users following placebo (0.001% Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]), smoked, vaporized, and oral cannabis (6.9% THC, ∼54mg). Participants' subjective ratings were significantly elevated compared to placebo after smoking and vaporization, while only occasional smokers' ratings were significantly elevated compared to placebo after oral dosing. Frequent smokers' maximum ratings were significantly different between inhaled and oral routes, while no differences in occasional smokers' maximum ratings between active routes were observed. Additionally, heart rate increases above baseline 0.5h after smoking (mean 12.2bpm) and vaporization (10.7bpm), and at 1.5h (13.0bpm) and 3h (10.2bpm) after oral dosing were significantly greater than changes after placebo, with no differences between frequent and occasional smokers. Finally, smoking produced significantly increased expired CO concentrations 0.25-6h post-dose compared to vaporization. All participants had significant elevations in subjective effects after smoking and vaporization, but only occasional smokers after oral cannabis, indicating partial tolerance to subjective effects with frequent exposure. There were no differences in occasional smokers' maximum subjective ratings across the three active administration routes. Vaporized cannabis is an attractive alternative for medicinal administrations over smoking or oral routes; effects occur quickly and doses can be titrated with minimal CO exposure. These results have strong implications for safety and abuse liability assessments. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Examining Daily Electronic Cigarette Puff Topography Among Established and Non-established Cigarette Smokers in their Natural Environment.

PubMed

Lee, Youn Ok; Nonnemaker, James M; Bradfield, Brian; Hensel, Edward C; Robinson, Risa J

2017-10-04

Understanding exposures and potential health effects of ecigarettes is complex. Users' puffing behavior, or topography, affects function of ecigarette devices (e.g., coil temperature) and composition of their emissions. Users with different topographies are likely exposed to different amounts of any harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs). In this study, we compare ecigarette topographies of established cigarette smokers and non-established cigarette smokers. Data measuring e-cigarette topography were collected using a wireless hand-held monitoring device in users' everyday lives over 1 week. Young adult (aged 18-25) participants (N=20) used disposable e-cigarettes with the monitor as they normally would and responded to online surveys. Topography characteristics of established versus non-established cigarette smokers were compared. On average, established cigarette smokers in the sample had larger first puff volume (130.9ml vs. 56.0ml, p<.05) and larger puff volume per session (1,509.3ml vs. 651.7ml, p<.05) compared with non-established smokers. At marginal significance, they had longer sessions (566.3s vs. 279.7s, p=.06) and used e-cigarettes more sessions per day (5.3s vs. 3.5s, p=.14). Established cigarette smokers also used ecigarettes for longer puff durations (3.3s vs. 1.8s, p<.01) and had larger puff volume (110.3ml vs. 54.7ml, p<.05) compared with non-established smokers. At marginal significance, they had longer puff interval (38.1s vs. 21.7s, p=.05). Our results demonstrate that topography characteristics differ by level of current cigarette smoking. This suggests that exposures to constituents of e-cigarettes depends on user characteristics and that specific topography parameters may be needed for different user populations when assessing ecigarette health effects. A user's topography affects his or her exposure to HPHCs. As this study demonstrates, user characteristics, such as level of smoking, can influence topography. Thus, it is crucial to understand the topography profiles of different user types to assess the potential for population harm and to identify potentially vulnerable populations. This study only looked at topography of cigarette smokers using disposable e-cigarettes. Further research is needed to better understand potential variation in ecigarette topography and resulting exposures to HPHCs among users of different e-cigarette devices and liquids. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How do impulsivity and education relate to smoking initiation and cessation among young adults?

PubMed

Kvaavik, Elisabeth; Rise, Jostein

2012-09-01

This study examined the predictive value of impulsivity for starting and quitting smoking and whether education had an independent effect on smoking careers or moderated the impulsivity-smoking association. Two waves of the cohort study Young in Norway were used in the present study (third wave: 1999, age range: 19-32 years; fourth wave: 2005, age range: 25-38 years). Postal questionnaires were used for data collection. Subjects participating in 1999 and 2005 were eligible (N = 2,562). Stable smokers (daily smokers in 1999 and 2005) and nonsmokers (never smokers in 1999 and 2005), quitters (daily smokers in 1999, nonsmokers in 2005), and starters (never smokers in 1999, daily smokers in 2005) constituted the analytical sample (1,776 men and women). The associations between self-reported impulsivity and education and smoking were investigated using logistic regression analyses. The odds ratio (OR) for a 1-unit increase in the impulsivity score was 2.16 (95% CI [1.09, 4.30]) for smoking initiation, whereas the OR [95% CI] for low compared with high education was 2.55 (95% CI [1.36, 4.77]). Education, but not impulsivity, emerged as a significant determinant for smoking cessation compared with continued smoking. The OR for quitting smoking by low compared with high education was 0.61 (95% CI [0.42, 0.90]). Mutual adjustment for education and impulsivity did not change any of the results. The interaction term between impulsivity and education was not significantly related to smoking. Because impulsivity emerged as important for smoking initiation regardless of educational level, it should be considered when planning and implementing smoking prevention programs for both low and high socioeconomic groups.

Lower expressions of the human bitter taste receptor TAS2R in smokers: reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis.

PubMed

Aoki, Mieko; Takao, Tetsuya; Takao, Kyoichi; Koike, Fumihiko; Suganuma, Narufumi

2014-01-01

Despite the fact that smokers have deficit in detecting taste, particularly bitter taste, no study has investigated its biological correlate. In this context, we compared the expression of the bitter taste receptor gene, taste 2 receptor (TAS2R) in the tongues of smokers and non-smokers. Tissue samples were collected from the lateral portion of the tongues of 22 smokers and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (19 males and three females) with no history of smoking. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the expression of TAS2R in the two groups, and the effect of aging on TAS2R expression was also assessed. TAS2R expression was significantly lower among smokers than non-smokers (t = 6.525, P < .0001, 11.36 ± 6.0 vs. 2.09 ± 2.8, mean ± SD, non-smokers vs. smokers). Further, a positive correlation between age and expression of TAS2R was observed in non-smokers (r = .642, P = .001), but not smokers (r = .124, P = .584). This correlation difference was significant (Z = 1.96, P = .0496). Smokers showed a significantly lower expression of the bitter taste receptor gene than non-smokers, which is potentially caused by their inability to acquire such receptors with age because of cigarette smoking, in contrast to non-smokers.

The relationship between omega-3 and smoking habit: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Scaglia, Nóris; Chatkin, José; Chapman, Kenneth R; Ferreira, Ivone; Wagner, Mario; Selby, Peter; Allard, Johane; Zamel, Noe

2016-03-22

Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are related to several diseases, including smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between omega-3 intake and tobacco smoking, taking into account the qualitative differences in dietary intake between smokers and non-smokers, the amount of the ingested PUFA and their red blood (RBC) contents. We also looked for an association between omega-3 RBC content and smoking, and also between omega3 intake and the level of nicotine dependence. Using a cross-sectional study, we included 50 current smokers (group I) and 50 lifetime non-smokers (group II), aged 18-75 years. We screened them at the Toronto Western Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Toronto, Canada). The subjects completed a questionnaire with demographic data, lifestyle habits and details of food intake. The PUFAs measured in the RBC membranes were alphalinolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In order to perform an adjusted comparison between smokers and non-smokers we used the ANCOVA model. After adjusting for confounding factors, non-smokers showed higher consumption of PUFAs, especially salmon: 800 g (0-7.740) than smokers 430 g (0-2.150) P < 0.001. They also had higher DHA levels compared to smokers: 4.81% (2.79-10.21) and 4.13% (2.33-7.73), respectively, p < 0.05. The other PUFAs showed no significant differences between the two groups. Smokers ate less fish rich in omega3 fatty acids than non-smokers, showing and inverse and significant relationship between omega3 intake and smoking. Smokers had lower levels of DHA and EPA, a not previously reported finding. Considering that PUFAs probably interfere in smoking habit, the increase in omega-3 consumption may become a perspective in prevention or treatment of smoking. However, this inference must be evaluated through specific studies.

The influence of the occupational exposure to heavy metals and tobacco smoke on the selected oxidative stress markers in smelters.

PubMed

Sciskalska, Milena; Zalewska, Marta; Grzelak, Agnieszka; Milnerowicz, Halina

2014-06-01

The aim of the study was to verify if there is any association between exposure to Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, As and the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and whether in this process cigarette smoking plays a role. The investigations were performed in the 352 smelters occupationally exposed to heavy metals and 73 persons of control group. Metals concentration was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. MDA and AOPP concentrations were determined by spectrophotometric methods. The concentration of 8-OHdG was determined by ELISA method. It was demonstrated an increased Cu concentration in smoking smelters compared to non-smoking control group. It was noted no differences in Zn and Mg concentrations between the examined groups. Pb concentration was more than sixfold higher in the group of smoking smelters and about fivefold higher in the group of non-smoking smelters compared to the control groups (smokers and non-smokers). It was shown that Cd concentration in the blood was nearly fivefold higher in the smoking control group compared to the non-smoking control group and more than threefold higher in the group of smoking smelters compared to non-smoking. It was shown an increased As concentration (more than fourfold) and decreased Ca concentration in both groups of smelters compared to control groups. In groups of smelters (smokers and non-smokers), twofold higher MDA and AOPP concentrations, and AOPP/albumin index compared to control groups (smokers and non-smokers) were shown. Tobacco smoke is the major source of Cd in the blood of smelters. Occupational exposure causes accumulation of Pb in the blood. Occupational exposure to heavy metals causes raise of MDA concentration and causes greater increase in AOPP concentration than tobacco smoke.

Comparisons of three nicotine dependence scales in a multiethnic sample of young adult menthol and non-menthol smokers

PubMed Central

Fagan, Pebbles; Pohkrel, Pallav; Herzog, Thaddeus; Pagano, Ian; Vallone, Donna; Trinidad, Dennis R.; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn; Sterling, Kymberle; Fryer, Craig S.; Moolchan, Eric

2016-01-01

Background Few studies have compared nicotine dependence among menthol and non-menthol cigarette smokers in a multiethnic sample of young adult daily cigarette smokers. This study examines differences in nicotine dependence among menthol and non-menthol daily smokers and the associations of nicotine dependence with quitting behaviors among Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and White cigarette smokers aged 18–35. Methods Craigslist.org, newspaper advertisements, and peer-to-peer referrals were used to recruit daily smokers (n = 186) into a lab-based study. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS), and the brief Wisconsin Inventory for Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine differences in nicotine dependence between menthol and non-menthol smokers and the relationship between each nicotine dependence scale with self-efficacy to quit, quit attempt in the past 12 months, and number of attempts. Results Menthol smokers were more likely to report difficulty refraining from smoking in places where forbidden (p = .04) and had higher scores on social/environmental goads subscale of the WISDM (p = . 0005). Two-way interaction models of the FTND and menthol status showed that menthol smokers with higher levels of dependence were more likely to have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months (p = .02), but were less likely to have had multiple quit attempts (p =.01). Conclusions Components of the FTND and WISDM distinguish levels of dependence between menthol and non-menthol smokers. Higher FTND scores were associated with having a quit attempt, but fewer quit attempts among menthol smokers. PMID:25744873

Secondhand smoke exposure and serum cotinine levels among current smokers in the USA.

PubMed

Lindsay, Ryan P; Tsoh, Janice Y; Sung, Hai-Yen; Max, Wendy

2016-03-01

Secondhand smoke (SHS) likely provides additional exposure to nicotine and toxins for smokers, but has been understudied. Our objective was to determine whether SHS exposure among smokers yields detectable differences in cotinine levels compared with unexposed smokers at the population level. Using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 1999-2012, we compared serum cotinine levels of 4547 current adult cigarette smokers stratified by self-reported SHS exposure sources (home and/or work) and smoking intensity. A weighted multivariable linear regression model determined the association between SHS exposure and cotinine levels among smokers. Smokers with SHS exposure at home (43.8%) had higher cotinine levels (β=0.483, p≤0.001) compared with those with no SHS exposure at home after controlling for the number of cigarettes smoked per day and number of days smoked in the previous 5 days, survey year, age, gender and education. Smokers with SHS exposure at work (20.0%) did not have significantly higher cotinine levels after adjustment. The adjusted geometric mean cotinine levels of light smokers (1-9 cigarettes per day) with no SHS exposure, exposure at work only, home only, and both home and work were 52.0, 62.7, 67.2, 74.4 ng/mL, respectively, compared with 219.4, 220.9, 255.2, 250.5 ng/mL among moderate/heavy smokers (≥10 cigarettes per day). Smokers living in residences where others smoke inside the home had significantly higher cotinine levels than smokers reporting no SHS exposure, regardless of individual smoking intensity. Future research should target the role that SHS exposure may have in nicotine dependence, cessation outcomes and other health impacts among smokers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Tobacco demand, delay discounting, and smoking topography among smokers with and without psychopathology.

PubMed

Farris, Samantha G; Aston, Elizabeth R; Abrantes, Ana M; Zvolensky, Michael J

2017-10-01

Tobacco demand (i.e., relative value attributed to a given reinforcer) and delay discounting (i.e., relative preference for smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards) are two behavioral economic processes that are linked to the progression of problematic substance use. These processes have not been studied among those with psychopathology, a vulnerable group of smokers. The current study examined differences in tobacco demand and delay discounting, and their association with smoking topography among smokers with (n=43) and without (n=64) past-year psychopathology. Adult daily smokers (n=107,M age =43.5; SD=9.7) participated in a study on "smoking behavior." Past-year psychological disorders were assessed via a clinician-administered diagnostic assessment. All subjects participated in an ad libitum smoking trial and then completed an assessment of delay discounting (Monetary Choice Questionnaire) and tobacco demand (Cigarette Purchase Task) approximately 45-60min post-smoking. Smokers with psychopathology, compared to those without, had significantly higher demand intensity and maximum expenditure on tobacco (O max ), but did not differ on other demand indices or delay discounting. Smokers with psychopathology had shorter average inter-puff intervals and shorter time to cigarette completion than smokers without psychopathology. Tobacco demand and delay discounting measures were significantly intercorrelated among smokers with psychopathology, but not those without. Both behavioral economic measures were associated with specific aspects of smoking topography in smokers with psychopathology. The association between tobacco demand and delay discounting is evident among smokers with psychopathology and both measures were most consistently related to smoking behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does "smoker's paradox" exist in clopidogrel-treated Turkish patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Edem, Efe; Kirdök, Ali Hikmet; Kınay, Ahmet Ozan; Tekin, Ümit İlker; Taş, Sedat; Alpaslan, Erkan; Pabuccu, Mustafa Türker; Akdeniz, Bahri

2016-01-01

Previously conducted studies revealed that smoking enhanced the efficacy of clopidogrel by increasing formation of the active metabolite (AM) from the prodrug through induction of the cytochrome CYP1A2. The expression of cytochrome enzymes depends on genotype and no data exists in literature conducted in Turkish patients comparing the clopidogrel responsiveness between active smokers and non-active smokers treated with clopidogrel. In this study, our aim was to investigate the clopidogrel responsiveness in clopidogrel-treated Turkish acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients according to their smoking status. We retrospectively enrolled 258 patients who were hospitalized due to ACS. Clinical variables of the patients, especially smoking status were recorded. Clopidogrel resistance was evaluated by using adenosine diphosphate (ADP) induced platelet aggregometry. Clopidogrel resistance was detected as a change in maximal aggregation ≤20% from baseline. A total of 139 patients were active smokers while 12 were former smokers. 107 patients did not have a history of smoking. Ten of the smokers were hyporesponsive to clopidogrel, whereas 36 of non-smokers were hyporesponsive to clopidogrel (p < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that Au-min value >612.5 predicted the clopidogrel resistance with a sensitivity of 60% (OR: 100.65, %95 CI = 19.996-506.615 p < 0.001). Results of this study demonstrated that ADP responses were lower in smokers receiving clopidogrel and aspirin than in non-smokers receiving the same drug regimen. This finding indicates that smoking was related to an enhanced clopidogrel responsiveness in Turkish patients hospitalized due to ACS, suggesting that "smoker's paradox" probably exists in Turkish ACS patients.

The Associations Between Smoking Habits and Serum Triglyceride or Hemoglobin A1c Levels Differ According to Visceral Fat Accumulation

PubMed Central

Koda, Michiko; Kitamura, Itsuko; Okura, Tomohiro; Otsuka, Rei; Ando, Fujiko; Shimokata, Hiroshi

2016-01-01

Background Whether smokers and former smokers have worse lipid profiles or glucose levels than non-smokers remains unclear. Methods The subjects were 1152 Japanese males aged 42 to 81 years. The subjects were divided according to their smoking habits (nonsmokers, former smokers, and current smokers) and their visceral fat area (VFA) (<100 cm2 and ≥100 cm2). Results The serum triglyceride (TG) levels of 835 males were assessed. In the VFA ≥100 cm2 group, a significantly greater proportion of current smokers (47.3%) exhibited TG levels of ≥150 mg/dL compared with former smokers (36.4%) and non-smokers (18.8%). The difference in TG level distribution between former smokers and non-smokers was also significant. However, among the subjects with VFA of <100 cm2, the TG levels of the three smoking habit groups did not differ. The serum hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels of 877 males were also assessed. In the VFA <100 cm2 group, significantly higher proportions of current smokers (17.9%) and former smokers (14.9%) demonstrated HbA1c levels of ≥5.6% compared with non-smokers (6.3%). In contrast, in the VFA ≥100 cm2 group, significantly fewer former smokers displayed HbA1c levels of ≥5.6% compared with non-smokers and current smokers. Furthermore, the interaction between smoking habits and VFA was associated with the subjects’ TG and HbA1c concentrations, and the associations of TG and HbA1c concentrations and smoking habits varied according to VFA. Conclusions Both smoking habits and VFA exhibited associations with TG and HbA1c concentrations. The associations between smoking habits and these parameters differed according to VFA. PMID:26616395

Personal motivation, exercise, and smoking behaviors among young adults.

PubMed

Scioli, Erica Rose; Biller, Henry; Rossi, Joseph; Riebe, Deborah

2009-01-01

This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have higher rates of physical and emotional distress. Those participants who exercise and do not smoke are more likely to exhibit intrinsic factors for exercise. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 614) completed an Internet survey on exercise and smoking behavior as well as motivational factors for exercise. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that intrinsic motivational factors for exercise were significantly higher for the active nonsmokers than for the active smokers. Interventions promoting consistent exercise and smoking abstinence should continue to be directed toward young adults, focusing on fostering intrinsic motivational factors for exercise.

[Tobacco smoking and psychiatric intensive care unit: Impact of the strict smoking ban on the risk of violence].

PubMed

Boumaza, S; Lebain, P; Brazo, P

2015-06-01

Tobacco smoking is the main cause of death among mentally ill persons. Since February 2007, smoking has been strictly forbidden in French covered and closed psychiatric wards. The fear of an increased violence risk induced by tobacco withdrawal is one of the most frequent arguments invoked against this tobacco ban. According to the literature, it seems that the implementation of this ban does not imply such a risk. All these studies compared inpatients' violence risk before and after the tobacco ban in a same psychiatric ward. We aimed to analyse the strict tobacco withdrawal consequences on the violence risk in a retrospective study including patients hospitalised in a psychiatric intensive care unit of the university hospital of Caen during the same period. We compared clinical and demographic data and the violence risk between the smoker group (strict tobacco withdrawal with proposed tobacco substitution) and the non-smoker group (control group). In order to evaluate the violence risk, we used three indicators: a standardised scale (the Bröset Violence Checklist) and two assessments specific to the psychiatric intensive care setting ("the preventing risk protocol" and the "seclusion time"). The clinical and demographic data were compared using the Khi2 test, Fisher test and Mann-Whitney test, and the three violence risk indicators were compared with the Mann-Whitney test. Firstly, comparisons were conducted in the total population, and secondly (in order to eliminate a bias of tobacco substitution) in the subgroup directly hospitalised in the psychiatric intensive care setting. Finally, we analysed in the smoker group the statistical correlation between tobacco smoking intensity and violence risk intensity using a regression test. A population of 72 patients (50 male) was included; 45 were smokers (62.5%) and 27 non-smokers. No statistically significant differences were found in clinical and demographic data between smoker and non-smoker groups in the whole population, as well as in the subgroup directly hospitalised in the psychiatric intensive care setting. Whatever the violence risk indicators, no statistically significant difference was found between the smoker group and the non-smoker group in the total population, as well as the subgroup directly hospitalised in the psychiatric intensive care setting. Moreover, no correlation was found between the tobacco smoking intensity and the violence risk intensity in the smoker group. Strict tobacco withdrawal does not appear to constitute a violence risk factor in psychiatric intensive care unit inpatients. However, further studies are needed to confirm these results. They should be prospective and they should take into account larger samples including patients hospitalised in non-intensive care psychiatric wards. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of smoking on heart rate at rest and during exercise, and on heart rate recovery, in young adults.

PubMed

Papathanasiou, George; Georgakopoulos, Dimitris; Papageorgiou, Effie; Zerva, Efthimia; Michalis, Lampros; Kalfakakou, Vasiliki; Evangelou, Angelos

2013-01-01

There is an established link between smoking, abnormal heart rate (HR) values, and impaired cardiovascular health in middle-aged or older populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on resting HR and on HR responses during and after exercise in young adults. A sample of 298 young adults (159 men), aged 20-29 years old, were selected from a large population of health-science students based on health status, body mass index, physical activity, and smoking habit. All subjects underwent a maximal Bruce treadmill test and their HR was recorded during, at peak, and after termination of exercise. Smokers had significantly higher resting HR values than non-smokers. Both female and male smokers showed a significantly slower HR increase during exercise. Female smokers failed to reach their age-predicted maximum HR by 6.0 bpm and males by 3.6 bpm. The actual maximum HR achieved (HRmax) was significantly lower for both female smokers (191.0 bpm vs.198.0 bpm) and male smokers (193.2 bpm vs.199.3 bpm), compared to non-smokers. Heart rate reserve was also significantly lower in female (114.6 bpm vs. 128.1 bpm) and male smokers (120.4 bpm vs. 133.0 bpm). During recovery, the HR decline was significantly attenuated, but only in female smokers. Females had a higher resting HR and showed a higher HR response during sub-maximal exercise compared to males. Smoking was found to affect young smokers' HR, increasing HR at rest, slowing HR increase during exercise and impairing their ability to reach the age-predicted HRmax. In addition, smoking was associated with an attenuated HR decline during recovery, but only in females.

E-smoking among students of medicine - frequency, pattern and motivations.

PubMed

Brożek, Grzegorz; Jankowski, Mateusz; Zejda, Jan; Jarosińska, Agnieszka; Idzik, Agnieszka; Bańka, Piotr

2017-01-01

E-smoking has become a public health problem. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of e-cigarette and tobacco cigarette use; to compare the patterns of smoking; to assess the attitudes and motivations for e-cigarette use. All 1,700 students from Faculty of Medicine (Medical University of Silesia) were invited to questionnaire based cross-sectional study about the frequency and attitudes towards the use of traditional and electronic cigarettes. The data were obtained from 1,318 medical students (response 77.5%) aged 22.1 ± 2.2 years. Traditional tobacco smoked 18.1%, e-cigarettes 1.3% and 2.2% were dual smokers. The overall frequency of e-smokers was 4.9% among men and 2.8% among women (p = 0.05). Compared to tobacco users in e-smokers duration of smoking was shorter (p < 0.001), the intensity of smoking was larger (p = 0.01), the number of e-cigarettes smoked daily was higher (p < 0.001). Dual smokers more frequently used tobacco cigarettes than e-cigarettes (p = 0.01) but smoked more e-cigarettes daily (p = 0.003). The choice of e-liquid depended on the flavour (50.0%), nicotine concentration (21.7%) and price (7.6%). No-nicotine e-cigarettes were used by 6.5% smokers. Dual smokers more frequently chose e-liquids with high nicotine concentration (p = 0.01). Motivations leading to e-smoking were: quitting tobacco (58.7%), less harmful impact on health (43.5%) and the price (34.8%). E-smoking as safe for health was perceived by 6.0% of respondents (35.5% in e-smokers vs. 4.9% in non e-smokers; p < 0.001). Among students of medicine, e-smoking is apparently less popular than smoking tobacco cigarettes. Respondents considered e-cigarettes to be harmful and addictive.

Smoking, activity level and exercise test outcomes in a young population sample without cardiopulmonary disease.

PubMed

Vozoris, N T; O'donnell, D E

2015-01-01

Whether reduced activity level and exercise intolerance precede the clinical diagnosis of cardiopulmonary disorders in smokers is not known. We examined activity level and exercise test outcomes in a young population-based sample without overt cardiopulmonary disease, differentiating by smoking history. This was a multiyear cross-sectional study using United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999-2004. Self-reported activity level and incremental exercise treadmill testing were obtained on survey participants ages 20-49 years, excluding individuals with cardio-pulmonary disease. Three thousand seven hundred and one individuals completed exercise testing. Compared to never smokers, current smokers with >10 pack years reported significantly higher odds of little or no recreation, sport, or physical activity (adjusted OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.12-2.35). Mean perceived exertion ratings (Borg 6-20) at an estimated standardized workload were significantly greater among current smokers (18.3-18.6) compared to never (17.3) and former smokers (17.9) (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the proportions of individuals across estimated peak oxygen uptake categories among the groups after adjusting for age and sex. Among former smokers, increasing duration of smoking abstinence was associated with significantly lower likelihood of low estimated peak oxygen uptake categorization (p<0.05). Among young individuals without overt cardiopulmonary disease, current smokers had reduced daily activity and higher perceived exertion ratings. Besides supporting early smoking cessation, these results set the stage for future studies that examine mechanisms of activity restriction in young smokers and the utility of measures of activity restriction in the earlier diagnosis of smoking-related diseases.

Cigarette smoking, androgen levels, and hot flushes in midlife women.

PubMed

Cochran, Chrissy J; Gallicchio, Lisa; Miller, Susan R; Zacur, Howard; Flaws, Jodi A

2008-11-01

To test the hypothesis that cigarette smoking is associated with hot flushes through a mechanism involving androgen levels, progesterone levels, sex hormone-binding globulin levels, or the ratio of androgens to estrogens. Women with and without hot flushes were recruited from Baltimore, Maryland, and the surrounding counties. Women were between 45 and 54 years of age, with at least three menstrual periods in the previous 12 months, and were not postmenopausal. Study participants completed a questionnaire and gave a blood sample for hormone measurements. Current smokers had significantly higher androstenedione levels and a higher androgen-to-estrogen ratio than never smokers. Current smokers had significantly lower progesterone levels compared with never smokers. Former and current cigarette smokers had increased odds of experiencing hot flushes compared with never smokers (former: odds ratio [OR] 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-2.01; current: OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.28-4.62). This association, however, was not attenuated by the addition of hormones to the smoking and hot-flush model. Cigarette smoking is associated with hot flushes through a mechanism that may not involve alterations in hormone levels or their ratios. II.

Smoking and anal high-risk human papillomavirus DNA loads in HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Wieland, Ulrike; Hellmich, Martin; Wetendorf, Janna; Potthoff, Anja; Höfler, Daniela; Swoboda, Jochen; Fuchs, Wolfgang; Brockmeyer, Norbert; Pfister, Herbert; Kreuter, Alexander

2015-10-01

HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) have an increased risk for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, anal high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and anal cancer. Smoking is associated with abnormal anal cytology and with an increased risk for anal cancer. We collected 3736 intraanal swabs from 803 HIV-positive MSM who participated in an anal cancer screening program between October 2003 and August 2014. HPV prevalence, anal cytology and HPV DNA load of high-risk (HR) HPV-types 16, 18, 31 and 33 of non-smokers and smokers were compared. HPV-typing was performed by alpha-HPV genus-specific PCR and hybridization with 38 type-specific probes using a multiplex genotyping assay. In samples positive for HPV16, 18, 31, or 33, HPV DNA loads were determined by type-specific real-time PCRs and expressed as HPV DNA copies per betaglobin gene copy. At baseline, HR-HPV DNA (80.5 vs. 89.0%, p=0.001), HPV16 DNA (41.6 vs. 52.3%, p=0.003), HPV18 DNA (15.5 vs. 26.0%, p<0.001), anal dysplasia (LSIL+HSIL; 51.5 vs. 58.4%, p=0.045) and HSIL (17.2 vs. 22.7%, p=0.048) were detected more frequently in smokers compared to non-smokers. Throughout the study period 32.7% of non-smokers and 39.9% of smokers developed HSIL (p=0.011), and three smokers developed anal cancer. Considering swabs from the entire study period (median HPV load value per patient per cytology grade), smokers with normal anal cytology had significantly higher HPV16 loads (median 0.29 vs. 0.87, n=201, p=0.007) and cumulative high-risk-HPV loads (median 0.53 vs. 1.08, n=297, p=0.004) than non-smokers. Since elevated HR-HPV DNA loads are associated with an increased risk for HPV-induced anogenital cancers, HPV-infected HIV-positive MSM should be counseled to refrain from smoking. Additionally, for smokers, shorter anal cancer screening intervals than for non-smokers may be appropriate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Salivary immunoglobulin classes in Nigerian smokers with periodontitis.

PubMed

Olayanju, Olatunde A; Rahamon, Sheu K; Joseph, Ijeboime O; Arinola, Olatunbosun G

2012-10-26

To determine the levels of salivary immunoglobulin classes in Nigerian smokers and non-smokers with periodontitis. Sixty-nine individuals were recruited into this study after obtaining informed consent. They were subdivided into three groups that consisted of 20 (aged 46 ± 11 years) cigarette smokers with periodontitis (S+P); 24 (40 ± 12 years) smokers without periodontitis (S-P); and 25 (53 ± 11 years) non-smokers with periodontitis (NS+P). An oral and maxillofacial surgeon used radiographs for periodontal probing for the diagnosis of periodontitis. The smokers included subjects who smoked at least six cigarettes per day and all the periodontitis patients were newly diagnosed. About 5 mL of unstimulated saliva was expectorated by each subject into plain sample bottles. Salivary immunoglobulin levels were estimated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Student's t test was used to determine significant differences between the means. Values of P < 0.05 were regarded as significant. No significant differences were observed in the mean salivary levels of the immunoglobulin classes (IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE) when S+P was compared with S-P. Mean salivary levels of IgA (520.0 ± 155.1 ng/mL vs 670.0 ± 110 ng/mL, P = 0.000) and IgM (644.5 ± 160.0 ng/mL vs 791.4 ± 43.7 ng/mL, P = 0.000) were significantly lower in the S+P compared with NS+P group. Salivary IgA (570.4 ± 145.6 ng/mL vs 670.0 ± 110 ng/mL, P = 0.008) and IgM (703.1 ± 169.3 ng/mL vs 791.4 ± 43.7 ng/mL, P = 0.012) levels were significantly lower in the S-P compared with NS+P group. Only one (5%) periodontal patient had detectable levels of salivary IgE (0.20 IU/mL). Similarly, only one smoker (4.17%) had detectable levels of salivary IgE (0.04 IU/mL) and two non-smokers (9.52%) had detectable levels of IgE (0.24 IU/mL). Our study suggests that reduced salivary IgA and IgM levels in smokers with periodontitis could enhance increased susceptibility to periodontitis.

Safety of nicotine replacement therapy in critically ill smokers: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Kerr, A; McVey, J T; Wood, A M; Van Haren, Fmp

2016-11-01

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a common first-line treatment to prevent nicotine withdrawal in smokers. However, available literature reports conflicting results regarding its efficacy and safety in critically ill patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between NRT in smokers in the intensive care unit (ICU) and outcomes. This case-control study was conducted in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital ICU. Over a period of five years, 126 active smokers who received transdermal NRT were matched to 126 active smokers who did not receive NRT. The groups were case-matched for sex, age and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score. The primary outcome was administration of antipsychotic medication. Secondary outcomes included use of physical restraints, 30-day mortality, and ventilation requirements. Antipsychotic medication was prescribed in 43 (34.1%) patients who received NRT compared to 14 (11.1%) in controls ( P <0.01). Physical restraints were used in 37 (29.4%) patients who received NRT, compared to 12 (9.5%) of controls ( P <0.01). The 30-day mortality and number of patients intubated was not statistically different between groups. Average length of intubation time was greater in the NRT group (2.56 days; standard deviation 4.16) compared to the control group (1.44 days; standard deviation 2.68) ( P =0.012). The use of NRT to prevent nicotine withdrawal in ICU patients is associated with increased use of antipsychotic medication and physical restraint, and with prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Electronic Cigarettes Efficacy and Safety at 12 Months: Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Fiore, Maria; La Vecchia, Carlo; Marzuillo, Carolina; Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Liguori, Giorgio; Cicolini, Giancarlo; Capasso, Lorenzo; D'Amario, Claudio; Boccia, Stefania; Siliquini, Roberta; Ricciardi, Walter; Villari, Paolo

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy as a tool of smoking cessation of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), directly comparing users of e-cigarettes only, smokers of tobacco cigarettes only, and smokers of both. Design Prospective cohort study. Final results are expected in 2019, but given the urgency of data to support policies on electronic smoking, we report the results of the 12-month follow-up. Data Sources Direct contact and structured questionnaires by phone or via internet. Methods Adults (30–75 years) were included if they were smokers of ≥1 tobacco cigarette/day (tobacco smokers), users of any type of e-cigarettes, inhaling ≥50 puffs weekly (e-smokers), or smokers of both tobacco and e-cigarettes (dual smokers). Carbon monoxide levels were tested in a sample of those declaring tobacco smoking abstinence. Main Outcome Measures Sustained smoking abstinence from tobacco smoking at 12 months, reduction in the number of tobacco cigarettes smoked daily. Data Synthesis We used linear and logistic regression, with region as cluster unit. Results Follow-up data were available for 236 e-smokers, 491 tobacco smokers, and 232 dual smokers (overall response rate 70.8%). All e-smokers were tobacco ex-smokers. At 12 months, 61.9% of the e-smokers were still abstinent from tobacco smoking; 20.6% of the tobacco smokers and 22.0% of the dual smokers achieved tobacco abstinence. Adjusting for potential confounders, tobacco smoking abstinence or cessation remained significantly more likely among e-smokers (adjusted OR 5.19; 95% CI: 3.35–8.02), whereas adding e-cigarettes to tobacco smoking did not enhance the likelihood of quitting tobacco and did not reduce tobacco cigarette consumption. E-smokers showed a minimal but significantly higher increase in self-rated health than other smokers. Non significant differences were found in self-reported serious adverse events (eleven overall). Conclusions Adding e-cigarettes to tobacco smoking did not facilitate smoking cessation or reduction. If e-cigarette safety will be confirmed, however, the use of e-cigarettes alone may facilitate quitters remaining so. Registration Number NCT01785537. PMID:26061661

Craving and Withdrawal Symptoms During Smoking Cessation: Comparison of Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Smokers.

PubMed

Berlin, Ivan; Singleton, Edward G; Heishman, Stephen J

2016-04-01

Although pregnant smokers are aware of the negative peri- and postnatal health consequences of smoking, the cessation rate in pregnancy is low, raising the question of why pregnant smokers have difficulty quitting. Reasons might be that pregnant smokers experience more intense craving and withdrawal symptoms than non-pregnant smokers. We compared craving and withdrawal in 306 pregnant smokers versus 93 non-pregnant women using data from two smoking cessation trials. Complete data were analyzed using pre-quit and post-quit (2 weeks after quit date) craving and withdrawal measured by the 12-item French Tobacco Craving Questionnaire (FTCQ-12) and French Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (FMNWS). Pregnant smokers started smoking and smoked regularly earlier and succeeded far less at quitting smoking by week 2 than the general population of smokers (11% versus 43%). Post-quit date FTCQ-12 general score was higher in pregnant smokers compared to comparison groups, and was driven by elevated emotionality and expectancy. FMNWS decreased significantly less among pregnant smokers than among non-pregnant smokers. Insufficient reduction of craving and withdrawal symptoms in response to a quit attempt may partially explain why pregnant smokers may have more difficulty quitting than non-pregnant smokers. Because this was a historical comparison, findings are preliminary; however, they might foster further investigation of differences in craving and withdrawal symptoms in pregnant versus non-pregnant smokers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Colorectal cancer occurs earlier in those exposed to tobacco smoke: implications for screening

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Martin C.; Cummings, K. Michael; Michalek, Arthur M.; Reid, Mary E.; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Hyland, Andrew

2011-01-01

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the USA. While various lifestyle factors have been shown to alter the risk for colorectal cancer, recommendations for the early detection of CRC are based only on age and family history. Methods This case-only study examined the age at diagnosis of colorectal cancer in subjects exposed to tobacco smoke. Subjects included all patients who attended RPCI between 1957 and 1997, diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and completed an epidemiologic questionnaire. Adjusted linear regression models were calculated for the various smoking exposures. Results Of the 3,540 cases of colorectal cancer, current smokers demonstrated the youngest age of CRC onset (never: 64.2 vs. current: 57.4, P < 0.001) compared to never smokers, followed by recent former smokers. Among never smokers, individuals with past second-hand smoke exposure were diagnosed at a significantly younger age compared to the unexposed. Conclusion This study found that individuals with heavy, long-term tobacco smoke exposure were significantly younger at the time of CRC diagnosis compared to lifelong never smokers. The implication of this finding is that screening for colorectal cancer, which is recommended to begin at age 50 years for persons at average risk should be initiated 5–10 years earlier for persons with a significant lifetime history of exposure to tobacco smoke. PMID:18264728

Implicit and explicit selective attention to smoking cues in smokers indexed by brain potentials.

PubMed

Littel, Marianne; Franken, Ingmar H A

2011-04-01

Substance use disorders are characterized by cognitive processing biases, such as automatically detecting and orienting attention towards drug-related stimuli. However, it is unclear how, when and what kind of attention (i.e. implicit, explicit) interacts with the processing of these stimuli. In addition, it is unclear whether smokers are hypersensitive to emotionally significant cues in general or to smoking-related cues in particular. The present event-related potential study aimed to enhance insight in drug-related processing biases by manipulating attention for smoking and other motivationally relevant (emotional) cues in smokers and non-smokers using a visual oddball task. Each of the stimulus categories served as a target (explicit attention; counting) or as a non-target (implicit attention; oddball) category. Compared with non-smokers, smokers' P300 (350-600 ms) was enhanced to smoking pictures under both attentional conditions. P300 amplitude did not differ between groups in response to positive, negative, and neutral cues. It can be concluded from this study that attention manipulation affects the P300 differently in smokers and non-smokers. Smokers display a specific bias to smoking-related cues, and this bias is present during both explicit and implicit attentional processing. Overall, it can be concluded that both explicit and implicit attentional processes appear to play an important role in drug-related processing bias.

Urinary cotinine levels of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users.

PubMed

Göney, Gülşen; Çok, İsmet; Tamer, Uğur; Burgaz, Sema; Şengezer, Tijen

2016-07-01

The popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is rapidly increasing in many countries. These devices are designed to imitate regular cigarettes, delivering nicotine via inhalation without combusting tobacco but currently, there is a lack of scientific evidence on the presence or absence of nicotine exposure. Such research relies on evidence from e-cigarette users urine samples. In this study, we aimed to determine the levels and compare the amount of nicotine to which e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers and passive smokers are exposed. Therefore, urine samples were collected from e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers, passive smokers, and healthy nonsmokers. The urinary cotinine levels of the subjects were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mean (±SD) urinary cotinine levels were determined as 1755 ± 1848 ng/g creatinine for 32 e-cigarette users, 1720 ± 1335 ng/g creatinine for 33 cigarette smokers and 81.42 ± 97.90 ng/g creatinine for 33 passive smokers. A significant difference has been found between cotinine levels of e-cigarette users and passive smokers (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between e-cigarette users and cigarette smokers (p > 0.05). This is a seminal study to demonstrate the e-cigarette users are exposed to nicotine as much as cigarette smokers.

The effectiveness of the Allen Carr smoking cessation training in companies tested in a quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Arie; Zuidema, Rixt; Vos, Diederick; van Kalken, Marike

2014-09-13

The Allen Carr training (ACt) is a popular one-session smoking cessation group training that is provided by licensed organizations that have the permission to use the Allen Carr method. However, few data are available on the effectiveness of the training. In a quasi-experimental design the effects of the existing practice of providing the ACt to smokers (n = 124) in companies on abstinence, were compared to changes in abstinence in a cohort of similar smokers in the general population (n = 161). To increase comparability of the smokers in both conditions, smokers in the control condition were matched on the group level on baseline characteristics (fourteen variables) to the smokers in the ACt. The main outcome measure was self-reported continuous abstinence after 13 months, which was validated using a CO measurement in the Act condition. Logistic regression analyses showed that when baseline characteristics were comparable, significantly more responding smokers were continuously abstinent in the ACt condition compared to the control condition, Exp(B) = 6.52 (41.1% and 9.6%, respectively). The all-cases analysis was also significant, Exp(B) = 5.09 (31.5% and 8.3%, respectively). Smokers following the ACt in their company were about 6 times more likely to be abstinent, assessed after 13 months, compared to similar smokers in the general population. Although smokers in both conditions did not differ significantly on 14 variables that might be related to cessation success, the quasi-experimental design allows no definite conclusion about the effectiveness of the ACt. Still, these data support the provision of the ACt in companies.

Smoking modulates language lateralization in a sex-specific way.

PubMed

Hahn, Constanze; Pogun, Sakire; Güntürkün, Onur

2010-12-01

Smoking affects a widespread network of neuronal functions by altering the properties of acetylcholinergic transmission. Recent studies show that nicotine consumption affects ascending auditory pathways and alters auditory attention, particularly in men. Here we show that smoking affects language lateralization in a sex-specific way. We assessed brain asymmetries of 90 healthy, right-handed participants using a classic consonant-vowel syllable dichotic listening paradigm in a 2×3 experimental design with sex (male, female) and smoking status (non-smoker, light smoker, heavy smoker) as between-subject factors. Our results revealed that male smokers had a significantly less lateralized response pattern compared to the other groups due to a decreased response rate of their right ear. This finding suggests a group-specific impairment of the speech dominant left hemisphere. In addition, decreased overall response accuracy was observed in male smokers compared to the other experimental groups. Similar adverse effects of smoking were not detected in women. Further, a significant negative correlation was detected between the severity of nicotine dependency and response accuracy in male but not in female smokers. Taken together, these results show that smoking modulates functional brain lateralization significantly and in a sexually dimorphic manner. Given that some psychiatric disorders have been associated with altered brain asymmetries and increased smoking prevalence, nicotinergic effects need to be specifically investigated in this context in future studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blunted striatal responses to favorite-food cues in smokers.

PubMed

Jastreboff, Ania M; Sinha, Rajita; Lacadie, Cheryl M; Balodis, Iris M; Sherwin, Robert; Potenza, Marc N

2015-01-01

Although tobacco-smoking is associated with relatively leaner body mass and smoking cessation with weight gain, the brain mechanisms underlying these relationships are not well understood. Smokers compared to non-smokers have shown diminished neural responses to non-tobacco rewarding stimuli (e.g., monetary rewards), but brain responses to favorite-food cues have not been investigated relative to smoking status. We hypothesized that smokers would exhibit diminished neural responses compared to non-smokers in response to favorite-food cues in motivation-reward and emotion-regulating regions of the brain. Twenty-three smokers and 23 non-smokers matched based on body mass index (BMI), age, and gender listened to personalized favorite-food cue, stress, and neutral-relaxing audiotapes during fMRI. During favorite-food cue exposure, smokers versus non-smokers exhibited diminished activations in the caudate, putamen, insula, and thalamus. Neural responses during stress and neutral-relaxing conditions were similar across groups. Subjective food-craving ratings were similar across groups. The relatively diminished neural responses to favorite-food cues in smokers may contribute to lower BMI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blunted Striatal Responses to Favorite Food Cues in Smokers*

PubMed Central

Jastreboff, Ania M.; Sinha, Rajita; Lacadie, Cheryl M.; Balodis, Iris M.; Sherwin, Robert; Potenza, Marc N.

2014-01-01

Background Although tobacco-smoking is associated with relatively leaner body mass and smoking cessation with weight gain, the brain mechanisms underlying these relationships are not well understood. Smokers compared to non-smokers have shown diminished neural responses to non-tobacco rewarding stimuli (e.g., monetary rewards), but brain responses to favorite-food cues have not been investigated relative to smoking status. We hypothesized that smokers would exhibit diminished neural responses compared to non-smokers in response to favorite-food cues in motivation-reward and emotion-regulating regions of the brain. Methods Twenty-three smokers and 23 non-smokers matched based on body mass index (BMI), age, and gender listened to personalized favorite-food-cue, stress, and neutral-relaxing audiotapes during fMRI. Results During favorite-food-cue exposure, smokers versus non-smokers exhibited diminished activations in the caudate, putamen, insula, and thalamus. Neural responses during stress and neutral-relaxing conditions were similar across groups. Subjective food-craving ratings were similar across groups. Conclusions The relatively diminished neural responses to favorite-food cues in smokers may contribute to lower BMI. PMID:25444233

[Smoking cessation support among persons in situation of precariousness].

PubMed

Deschenau, A; Le Faou, A-L; Touzeau, D

2017-01-01

Underprivileged people smoke more frequently, present with a more severe smoking profile and stop less often than wealthier smokers. They can have difficulties to afford smoking cessation treatments as the French medical insurance coverage system requires smokers to pay it in advance with a later reimbursement. The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics, treatment plans and cessation rates of smokers from disadvantaged population in comparison with smokers in wealthier condition. Study population concerned smokers received for a first visit in the smoking cessation service at Georges-Pompidou European Hospital (Paris, France) in 2013. The EPICES score was used to define precariousness. The national file of smoking cessation consultation (CDT) was completed and the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) prescriptions were detailed, as treatment could be given for free to precarious smokers on a weekly basis. Data were registered in CDTnet, the French national database of smoking cessation services. Precarious smokers (36.8%) presented with a more severe smoking profile and suffered more often from psychiatric disorders than wealthier smokers. They benefited most often from a combination NRT with patch and oral forms. The followed-up precarious smokers attended a greater number of consultations (4.7 against 3.4) and, if they were less often abstainers (22.2% against 41.3%), they were able to significantly reduce their consumption. Precarious smokers adhere to structured care with aid for access to TSN with a positive consequent impact on consumption. Copyright © 2016 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Nicotine craving: ERPs correlates after VR exposure to smoking cues.

PubMed

Gamito, Pedro; Oliveira, Jorge; Baptista, André; Morais, Diogo; Lopes, Paulo; Saraiva, Tomaz; Rosa, Pedro; Santos, Nuno; Soares, Fábio; Sottomayor, Catarina; Barata, Filipa

2012-01-01

Even though it is diminishing in Europe, smoking is still a serious health problem. The craving of Nicotine is one of the hardest behaviours to tackle when a smoking cessation programme is implemented. Following on previous work [1], which aimed at evaluating the possibility of inducing smoking craving in smokers using a VR platform, the present study was devised to assess the role of craving in cognitive processing through event related potentials (ERP). From an initial sample of 89 university students (smokers and non-smokers), which was randomly exposed to VR smoking cues and VR non-smoking cue scenarios, a subsample of 13 smokers and non-smokers was drawn. This subsample (M = 23.08; SD = 4.39), which had previously been immersed in the VR smoking cues environment, was presented to a rapid (1 sec) serial of smoking and neutral images. Data on brain activity was recorded through an EEG during this task to further estimate ERPs. When compared to non-smokers, smokers showed higher frontal activation when watching smoking related images.

Theophylline kinetics in relation to age: the importance of smoking.

PubMed Central

Cusack, B; Kelly, J G; Lavan, J; Noel, J; O'Malley, K

1980-01-01

1 Single dose studies of theophylline kinetics were compared in groups of young and elderly smokers and non-smokers to assess the effect of age on theophylline absorption and the effect of smoking on drug metabolising enzyme activity in old age. 2 The rate and extent of absorption was not affected by age. Distribution and elimination kinetics were similar in young and elderly non-smokers. 3 In young subjects the elimination half-life of theophylline was shorter and clearance was significantly greater in smokers than in non-smokers. 4 In the elderly mean elimination half-life was significantly shorter in smokers and their plasma clearance was 40% higher than in non-smokers. The statistical difference for clearance was at the 7% level of significance. 5 These data indicate that ageing per se does not affect theophylline elimination and also that induction of theophylline metabolism due to smoking occurs in old age. Smoking is a variable that should be taken account of when assessing drug metabolism in elderly patients. PMID:7426272

Smoking, Physical Activity, and Eating Habits Among Adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Bokim; Yi, Yunjeong

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare physical activity and eating habits of adolescent smokers with those of adolescent non-smokers in South Korea. This was a secondary analysis of data collected from the 2012 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. The sample included 72,229 adolescents aged 12 to 18. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between smoking status and physical activity and between smoking status and eating habits, while controlling for other factors. Boys and girls were analyzed separately for all analyses. The proportion of self-reporting smokers was 11%. Surprisingly, girl smokers exercised significantly more frequently than non-smokers. Adolescent smokers were significantly less likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and milk/dairy products, and they ate significantly more fast-food than non-smokers. Health care professionals who plan smoking cessation programs should pay attention to South Korean adolescents' specific characteristics and cultural values in terms of health behavior. © The Author(s) 2014.

Phantom smoking among young adult bar patrons

PubMed Central

Guillory, Jamie; Lisha, Nadra; Lee, Youn Ok; Ling, Pamela M

2016-01-01

Objective To explore the prevalence and sociodemographic makeup of smokers who do not self-identify as smokers (ie, phantom smokers) compared with self-identifying smokers in a sample of bar-going young adults aged 18–30 years to more accurately assess young adult prevalence of smoking and inform cessation message targeting. Methods Cross-sectional surveys of smokers (n=3089) were conducted in randomly selected bars/nightclubs in seven US cities. Logistic regression models assessed associations between phantom smoking ( past 30-day smoking and denial of being a smoker), tobacco and alcohol use behaviours (eg, social smoking, nicotine dependence, smoking while drinking, past 30-day alcohol use) and demographics. Results Compared with smokers, phantom smokers were more likely to be college graduates (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.98) and to identify themselves as social smokers (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.12). Phantom smokers had lower odds of smoking while drinking (OR=0.28, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.32), being nicotine dependent (OR=0.36, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.76) and having quit for at least 1 day in the last year (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.69) compared with smokers. Conclusions This research extends phantom smoking literature on college students to provide a broader picture of phantom smoking among young adults in high-risk contexts and of varying levels of educational attainment. Phantom smokers may be particularly sensitive to social pressures against smoking, suggesting the importance of identifying smoking as a behaviour (rather than identity) in cessation messaging to ensure that phantom smokers are reached. PMID:27048205

A low-cost, practical method for increasing smokers' interest in smoking cessation programs.

PubMed

McDonald, Paul W

2004-01-01

Low participation rates reduce the public health impact of smoking cessation programs. Two barriers for improving participation are the cost of media campaigns and the proportion of smokers motivated to quit smoking. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of using classified newspaper ads and messages aimed at each stage of change to enhance participation in smoking cessation programs. Three classified ads were run concurrently in a local daily newspaper for five consecutive days. The ads were designed to engage smokers in each of Prochaska's five stages of change. Each ad invited smokers or former smokers to call the local health department to participate in a paid focus group to design a new health department program. Calls were received from 181 eligible smokers, including 124 who provided data for the study. Thirty-seven, 34, and 29 percent of smoking respondents were in precontemplation, contemplation and preparation respectively. Half of ex-smokers were in the action stage. Ads cost 174 dollars (Cdn), thus the cost per recruit was less than a dollar. Classified ads can recruit smokers from all stages of change. Compared to traditional mass media, classified ads may also be a highly cost-efficient promotional strategy. Results provide justification for further research.

Smoking habit and gastritis histology.

PubMed

Namiot, A; Kemona, A; Namiot, Z

2007-01-01

Long-term cigarette smoking may increase the risk of digestive tract pathologies, however, what is the influence smoking habit on gastric mucosa histology is still poorly elicited. The aim of the study was to compare histological evaluation of gastritis in smoker and non-smoker groups. A total of 236 patients of various H. pylori status (109 infected, 127 non-infected), clinical diagnosis (107 duodenal ulcer disease, 129 dyspepsia), and smoking habit (92 smokers, 144 non-smokers) were included. Subjects were classified as smokers if they smoked 5 or more cigarettes per day for at least 3 years. A histological examination of endoscopically obtained samples was performed by two experienced pathomorphologists blinded to the diagnoses and smoking habit. Microscopic slices of the gastric mucosa were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Giemsa. Apart from histological diagnosis, H. pylori status was additionally confirmed by an urease test (CLO-test) at least in one of two gastric locations (antrum or corpus). In the H. pylori infected population, H. pylori density, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells infiltration in the gastric corpus mucosa were lower in smokers than non-smokers, while in the antrum the differences were not significant. In the non-infected population, no significant differences in neutrophils and mononuclear cells infiltration between smokers and non-smokers were found. Since the significant differences in studied parameters of chronic gastritis between smokers and non-smokers were found in the corpus mucosa of H. pylori infected subjects, smoking should be taken into account when a histological evaluation of the gastric mucosa in the H. pylori infected population is performed.

Effect of diet and physical exercise intervention programmes on coronary heart disease risk in smoking and non-smoking men in Sweden.

PubMed Central

Näslund, G K; Fredrikson, M; Hellénius, M L; de Faire, U

1996-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences between smokers and non-smokers in health behaviour, cardiovascular risk factors, coronary heart disease (CHD) risks, health knowledge, health attitudes, and compliance with a CHD prevention programme. DESIGN: Differences between smokers and non-smokers were studied via medical examinations, questionnaires, physical exercise activity logs, and food record sheets. Data were analysed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The five and 10 year CHD risks were assessed using the Framingham CHD risk estimate. SETTING: The Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, and Sollentuna Primary Health Centre, Sollentuna, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: The analyses were based on 158 healthy smoking and non-smoking men aged 35-60 years with raised cardiovascular risk factors who enrolled in controlled, randomised six month diet and exercise programmes. MAIN RESULTS: Discriminant analysis suggested that smokers, compared with non-smokers, were characterised by a higher alcohol energy percent, lower HDL cholesterol concentration, lower systolic blood pressure, and a higher plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) value. Knowledge of the risk factors for CHD was not a discriminating factor. Both smokers and non-smokers increased the exercise taken, improved their diet, and lowered their CHD risk. Before, as well as after the intervention, smokers had a higher CHD risk than non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The best CHD prevention action that could be taken by smokers would of course be to quit smoking. Those who cannot stop should be encouraged to improve their diet and increase the amount of physical exercise they take in order to reduce the health hazards of their smoking behaviour. PMID:8762375

Reasons for Smoking Among Tri-Ethnic Daily and Nondaily Smokers

PubMed Central

Scheuermann, Taneisha S.; Emami, Ashley S.; Basora, Brittany; Luo, Xianghua; Khariwala, Samir S.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Nondaily smokers experience adverse effects from tobacco use, yet they have been understudied compared to daily smokers. Understanding how reasons for smoking (RS) differ by smoking level, gender, and race/ethnicity could inform tailored interventions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered through an online panel survey service to 2,376 current smokers who were at least 25 years of age. The sample was stratified to obtain equal numbers of 3 racial/ethnic groups (African American [AA], Latino, and White) across smoking level (native nondaily, converted nondaily, daily light, and daily moderate/heavy). Results: A 7-factor structure of a 20-item Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS) was confirmed (each subscale alpha > 0.80). Each factor of the MRSS varied by smoking level, with nondaily smokers endorsing all RS less frequently than daily smokers (p < .0001). The 4 smoker subgroups incrementally differed from one another (p < .05) with several exceptions between converted nondaily and daily light smokers. Males reported stronger RS on 5 out of 7 reasons (p < .05). Females had higher scores on tension reduction/relaxation (p < .0001). Latinos reported stronger RS than Whites and AAs on all reasons (p < .05) except for tension reduction/relaxation (p > .05). AAs and Whites were comparable on all RS (p > .05). Conclusions: The present study highlights considerable variability across smoking level, gender, and race/ethnicity in strength of RS. Addressing subgroup differences in RS may contribute to more sensitive and effective prevention and treatment efforts. PMID:25011469

Smoking Status and the Five-Factor Model of Personality: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Poland.

PubMed

Buczkowski, Krzysztof; Basinska, Małgorzata A; Ratajska, Anna; Lewandowska, Katarzyna; Luszkiewicz, Dorota; Sieminska, Alicja

2017-01-27

Tobacco smoking is the single most important modifiable factor in increased morbidity and premature mortality. Numerous factors-including genetics, personality, and environment-affect the development and persistence of tobacco addiction, and knowledge regarding these factors could improve smoking cessation rates. This study compared personality traits between never, former, and current smokers, using the Five-Factor Model of Personality in a country with a turbulent smoking reduction process. : In this cross-sectional study, 909 Polish adults completed the Revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory. Our results showed that current smokers' scores for extraversion, one of the five global dimensions of personality, were higher relative to never smokers. Neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness did not differ significantly according to smoking status. Facet analysis, which described each dimension in detail, showed that current smokers' activity and excitement seeking (facets of extraversion) scores were higher relative to those of never and former smokers. In turn, current smokers' dutifulness and deliberation (facets of conscientiousness) scores were lower than those found in former and never smokers. Never smokers scored the highest in self-consciousness (a facet of neuroticism) and compliance (a component of agreeableness). The study conducted among Polish individuals showed variation in personality traits according to their smoking status; however, this variation differed from that reported in countries in which efforts to reduce smoking had begun earlier relative to Poland. Knowledge regarding personality traits could be useful in designing smoking prevention and cessation programs tailored to individuals' needs.

Newsagents' daily personal exposures to benzo(a)pyrene in Genoa, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piccardo, Maria Teresa; Stella, Anna; Redaelli, Anna; Minoia, Claudio; Valerio, Federico

Daily personal exposures to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) of 31 newsagents working in Genoa, Italy, were evaluated throughout 1998 during two different seasonal periods (February-April and May-June). Exposures of smoker and non-smoker subjects were compared. The highest BaP exposures were those of smokers during the cold period (2.20±0.84 ng/m 3). During this same period, the BaP exposure for non-smoker subjects was 1.00±0.32 ng/m 3. Both smoker and non-smoker exposures showed a seasonal dependence, with the lowest values occurring in the warm period (smokers: 1.46±0.72 ng/m 3, non-smokers: 0.65±0.25 ng/m 3). Compared to the cold period, the warm period produced a nearly 35% reduction in BaP exposures in both smoker and non-smoker subjects. A linear correlation was observed between personal exposures and number of cigarettes smoked daily. An increase in average daily BaP exposure of 0.071±0.009 ng/m 3 for every cigarette, due to passive smoke, was calculated. Mean BaP concentrations calculated from fixed monitoring stations were nearly 40% higher than mean personal exposures of non-smoker newsagents.

Trends in Daily Cannabis Use Among Cigarette Smokers: United States, 2002-2014.

PubMed

Goodwin, Renee D; Pacek, Lauren R; Copeland, Jan; Moeller, Scott J; Dierker, Lisa; Weinberger, Andrea; Gbedemah, Misato; Zvolensky, Michael J; Wall, Melanie M; Hasin, Deborah S

2018-01-01

To estimate changes in the prevalence of daily cannabis use among current, former, and never cigarette smokers from 2002 to 2014 in the United States. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health is a nationally representative cross-sectional study conducted annually among persons aged 12 years and older in the United States. Daily cannabis use occurs nearly exclusively among nondaily and daily cigarette smokers compared with former and never smokers (8.03%, 9.01%, 2.79%, 1.05%, respectively). Daily cannabis use increased over the past decade among both nondaily (8.03% [2014] vs 2.85% [2002]; linear trend P < .001) and daily smokers (9.01% [2014]; 4.92% [2002]; linear trend P < .001). Daily cannabis use increased most rapidly among former cigarette smokers (2.79% [2014] vs 0.98% [2002]; linear trend P < .001). Daily cannabis use occurs predominantly among cigarette smokers in the United States. Daily cannabis use increased among current, former, and never smokers over the past decade, with particularly rapid increases among youth and female cigarette smokers. Future research is needed to monitor the observed increase in daily cannabis use, especially among youths and adults who smoke cigarettes.

The Late Positive Potential (LPP) in Response to Varying Types of Emotional and Cigarette Stimuli in Smokers: A Content Comparison

PubMed Central

Minnix, Jennifer A.; Versace, Francesco; Robinson, Jason D.; Lam, Cho Y.; Engelmann, Jeffrey M.; Cui, Yong; Brown, Victoria L.; Cinciripini, Paul M.

2013-01-01

Identifying neural mechanisms associated with addiction has substantially improved the overall understanding of addictive processes. Indeed, research suggests that drug-associated cues may take advantage of neural mechanisms originally intended for emotional processing of stimuli relevant to survival. In this study, we investigated cortical responses to several categories of emotional cues (erotic, romance, pleasant objects, mutilation, sadness, unpleasant objects) as well as two types of smoking-related cues (people smoking and cigarette-related objects). We recorded ERPs from 180 smokers prior to their participation in a smoking cessation clinical trial and assessed emotional salience by measuring the amplitude of the late positive potential (LPP; 400 to 600 ms after picture onset). As expected, emotional and cigarette-related pictures prompted a significantly larger LPP than neutral pictures. The amplitude of the LPP increased as a function of picture arousal level, with high-arousing erotic and mutilation pictures showing the largest response in contrast to low-arousing pleasant and unpleasant objects, which showed the smallest response (other than neutral). Compared to females, male participants showed larger LPPs for high-arousing erotic and mutilation pictures. However, unlike emotional pictures, no difference was noted for the LPP between cigarette stimuli containing people versus those containing only objects, suggesting that in contrast to emotional objects, cigarette-related objects are highly relevant for smokers. We also compared the smokers to a small (N=40), convenience sample of never-smokers. We found that never-smokers had significantly smaller LPPs in response to erotic and cigarette stimuli containing only objects compared to smokers. PMID:23643564

Cigarette smoking is associated with amplified age-related volume loss in subcortical brain regions.

PubMed

Durazzo, Timothy C; Meyerhoff, Dieter J; Yoder, Karmen K; Murray, Donna E

2017-08-01

Magnetic resonance imaging studies of cigarette smoking-related effects on human brain structure have primarily employed voxel-based morphometry, and the most consistently reported finding was smaller volumes or lower density in anterior frontal regions and the insula. Much less is known about the effects of smoking on subcortical regions. We compared smokers and non-smokers on regional subcortical volumes, and predicted that smokers demonstrate greater age-related volume loss across subcortical regions than non-smokers. Non-smokers (n=43) and smokers (n=40), 22-70 years of age, completed a 4T MRI study. Bilateral total subcortical lobar white matter (WM) and subcortical nuclei volumes were quantitated via FreeSurfer. In smokers, associations between smoking severity measures and subcortical volumes were examined. Smokers demonstrated greater age-related volume loss than non-smokers in the bilateral subcortical lobar WM, thalamus, and cerebellar cortex, as well as in the corpus callosum and subdivisions. In smokers, higher pack-years were associated with smaller volumes of the bilateral amygdala, nucleus accumbens, total corpus callosum and subcortical WM. Results provide novel evidence that chronic smoking in adults is associated with accelerated age-related volume loss in subcortical WM and GM nuclei. Greater cigarette quantity/exposure was related to smaller volumes in regions that also showed greater age-related volume loss in smokers. Findings suggest smoking adversely affected the structural integrity of subcortical brain regions with increasing age and exposure. The greater age-related volume loss in smokers may have implications for cortical-subcortical structural and/or functional connectivity, and response to available smoking cessation interventions. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Chinese and Vietnamese adult male smokers' perspectives regarding facilitators of tobacco cessation behavior.

PubMed

Spigner, Clarence; Yip, Mei-Po; Huang, Bu; Tu, Shin Ping

2007-01-01

National surveys show a low prevalence of tobacco cigarette smoking within the Asian American/Pacific Islander population. However, smoking rates loom higher when data is disaggregated by ethnicity and gender. Nevertheless, few data are available on how smokers in this population quit smoking. The aim of this study was to collect first-hand perspectives from adult male Chinese and Vietnamese current and former smokers who were patients at a community clinic in Seattle, Washington, in order to understand the facilitators toward smoking cessation and the methods that they might use to quit smoking. A telephone survey was administered to age-eligible male Chinese and Vietnamese clinic patients who were current or former smokers. A total of 196 Chinese and 198 Vietnamese (N=394) adult male current and former smokers were contacted from a pool culled from the clinic database. Descriptive analysis using SPSS software revealed ethnicity-specific differences between current and former smokers regarding influences on smoking cessation behavior as well as uptake and endorsement of cessation methods. Family encouragement and physician recommendations were significant facilitators on the cessation process. Will power and self-determination were frequently mentioned by both Vietnamese and Chinese smokers as helpful methods to quit smoking. Vietnamese smokers were more resourceful than Chinese smokers in their use of smoking cessation methods. Even with access to cessation classes at a health clinic, half of current smokers indicated that they had no intention to quit. Such attitudes underscore the need for promotion of effective smoking cessation programs as well as successful strategies for reaching smokers. These conclusions are particularly important for Chinese smokers, who were comparatively less resourceful in their use of smoking cessation methods. Future studies should explore integrating the concept of will power with current mainstream state-of-the-art smoking cessation programs.

Legalizing Cannabis: A physician's primer on the pulmonary effects of marijuana.

PubMed

Lutchmansingh, Denyse; Pawar, Leena; Savici, Dana

2014-01-01

Habitual smoking of marijuana is associated with multiple respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production, and wheezing .These symptoms are not significantly different from those exhibited by tobacco smokers. Furthermore, endobronchial biopsies of habitual smokers of marijuana and /or tobacco have shown that both marijuana and cigarette smoking cause significant bronchial mucosal histopathology and that these effects are additive. Although marijuana smokers have minimal changes in pulmonary function studies as compared to tobacco smokers, they may develop bullous disease and spontaneous pneumothoraces. The relationship between marijuana smoking and lung cancer remains unclear due to design limitations of the studies published so far. These findings should warn individuals that marijuana smoking may result in serious short-term and long-term respiratory complications, and habitual marijuana use should be viewed with caution. The medical literature so far does not support routine evaluation by pulmonary function tests or imaging studies; until more definitive data is available, we do not recommend the regular use of these tests in the evaluation of habitual marijuana smokers.

E-cigarettes and smoking cessation in real-world and clinical settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kalkhoran, Sara; Glantz, Stanton A

2016-02-01

Smokers increasingly use e-cigarettes for many reasons, including attempts to quit combustible cigarettes and to use nicotine where smoking is prohibited. We aimed to assess the association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking cessation among adult cigarette smokers, irrespective of their motivation for using e-cigarettes. PubMed and Web of Science were searched between April 27, 2015, and June 17, 2015. Data extracted included study location, design, population, definition and prevalence of e-cigarette use, comparison group (if applicable), cigarette consumption, level of nicotine dependence, other confounders, definition of quitting smoking, and odds of quitting smoking. The primary endpoint was cigarette smoking cessation. Odds of smoking cessation among smokers using e-cigarettes compared with smokers not using e-cigarettes were assessed using a random effects meta-analysis. A modification of the ACROBAT-NRSI tool and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool were used to assess bias. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (number CRD42015020382). 38 studies (of 577 studies identified) were included in the systematic review; all 20 studies with control groups (15 cohort studies, three cross-sectional studies, and two clinical trials) were included in random effects meta-analysis and sensitivity analyses. Odds of quitting cigarettes were 28% lower in those who used e-cigarettes compared with those who did not use e-cigarettes (odds ratio [OR] 0·72, 95% CI 0·57-0·91). Association of e-cigarette use with quitting did not significantly differ among studies of all smokers using e-cigarettes (irrespective of interest in quitting cigarettes) compared with studies of only smokers interested in cigarette cessation (OR 0·63, 95% CI 0·45-0·86 vs 0·86, 0·60-1·23; p=0·94). Other study characteristics (design, population, comparison group, control variables, time of exposure assessment, biochemical verification of abstinence, and definition of e-cigarette use) were also not associated with the overall effect size (p≥0·77 in all cases). As currently being used, e-cigarettes are associated with significantly less quitting among smokers. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, FDA Center for Tobacco Products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recruiting unmotivated smokers into a smoking induction trial.

PubMed

Harris, Kari Jo; Bradley-Ewing, Andrea; Goggin, Kathy; Richter, Kimber P; Patten, Christi; Williams, Karen; Lee, Hyoung S; Staggs, Vincent S; Catley, Delwyn

2016-06-01

Little is known about effective methods to recruit unmotivated smokers into cessation induction trials, the reasons unmotivated smokers agree to participate, and the impact of those reasons on study outcomes. A mixed-method approach was used to examine recruitment data from a randomized controlled cessation induction trial that enrolled 255 adult smokers with low motivation to quit. Over 15 months, 33% of smokers who inquired about the study were enrolled. Common recruitment methods included word-of-mouth, print advertisements and clinic referrals. Frequently mentioned reasons for participating included to: gain financial incentives (44.7%), learn about research or help others quit (43%), learn about smoking and risks (40%) and help with future quits (i.e. Quit Assistance, 23.9%). Separate regression models predicting study outcomes at 26 weeks indicated that smokers who said they participated for Quit Assistance reported higher motivation to quit (B 1.26) and were more likely to have made a quit attempt (OR 2.03) compared to those not mentioning this reason, when baseline characteristics were controlled. Understanding reasons for unmotivated smokers' interest in treatment can help practitioners and researchers design effective strategies to engage this population. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smoking and subsequent risk of acute myeloid leukaemia: A pooled analysis of 9 cohort studies in Japan.

PubMed

Ugai, Tomotaka; Matsuo, Keitaro; Oze, Isao; Ito, Hidemi; Wakai, Kenji; Wada, Keiko; Nagata, Chisato; Nakayama, Tomio; Liu, Rong; Kitamura, Yuri; Tamakoshi, Akiko; Tsuji, Ichiro; Sugawara, Yumi; Sawada, Norie; Sadakane, Atsuko; Tanaka, Keitaro; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Inoue, Manami; Tsugane, Shoichiro; Shimazu, Taichi

2018-02-01

Smoking has been identified as a significant risk factor for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, epidemiological evidence for the effect of smoking on the risk of AML among Asians is scarce. Here, we investigated the impact of smoking habits on the risk of AML by conducting a pooled analysis of 9 population-based prospective cohort studies in Japan. We analysed original data on smoking habits at baseline from 9 cohort studies. Hazard ratios (HRs) in the individual studies were calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for potential confounders and combined using a random-effects model. During 4 808 175 person-years of follow-up for a total of 344 676 participants (165 567 men and 179 109 women), 245 AML cases (139 men and 106 women) were identified. For both sexes combined, current smokers had a marginally significant increased risk of AML compared to never smokers (HR = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-2.14). Ever smokers with more than 30 pack-years had a statistically significant increased risk of AML compared to never smokers among both sexes combined (HR = 1.66, 95% CI, 1.06-2.63). By sex, this significant association was observed only among men, with an HR of 1.69 (95% CI, 1.00-2.87) for ever smokers with more than 30 pack-years relative to never smokers. In conclusion, this study confirmed that cigarette smoking increases the risk of AML in Japanese. This study provides important evidence that smoking increases the risk of AML among Asians, which has already been shown in Western populations. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neural correlates of 12-h abstinence-induced craving in young adult smokers: a resting-state study.

PubMed

Li, Yangding; Yuan, Kai; Bi, Yanzhi; Guan, Yanyan; Cheng, Jiadong; Zhang, Yajuan; Shi, Sha; Lu, Xiaoqi; Yu, Dahua; Tian, Jie

2017-06-01

Studying the neural correlates of craving to smoke in young adulthood is of great importance to improve treatment outcomes in nicotine dependence. Previous nicotine dependence studies mainly focused on the neural substrates of craving elicited by smoking-related cues. More explicit attention to abstinence-induced craving during resting state in nicotine dependence has the potential to yield valuable information about craving, and characterizing this kind of craving is critical for developing effective interventions. Twenty-five young male smokers were enrolled in the present study. A within-subject experiment design was carried out to compare regional homogeneity (ReHo) between 12-h smoking abstinence and smoking satiety conditions during resting state in young adult smokers. Then, the ReHo changes associated with smoking abstinence (compared with satiety) were further examined for correlations with abstinence-induced changes in subjective craving. We found young adult smokers in abstinence state (compared with satiety) had higher ReHo in brain regions in fronto-striatal circuits including bilateral caudate, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), as well as brain regions in default mode network (DMN) including posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus and angular gyrus. Additionally, we found the ReHo changes of the ACC and the bilateral caudate were positively correlated with the changes in craving induced by abstinence (i.e., abstinence minus satiety) in young adult smokers. The present findings improve the understanding of the effects of acute smoking abstinence on spontaneous brain activity and may contribute new insights into the neural mechanism of abstinence-induced craving in nicotine dependence.

Different profiles of carcinogen exposure in Chinese compared with US cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Benowitz, Neal L; Gan, Quan; Goniewicz, Maciej L; Lu, Wei; Xu, Jiying; Li, Xinjian; Jacob, Peyton; Glantz, Stanton

2015-12-01

Differences in carcinogen exposure from different cigarette products could contribute to differences in smoking-associated cancer incidence among Chinese compared with US smokers. Urine concentrations of metabolites of nicotine, the tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (PAHs) were compared in 238 Chinese and 203 US daily smokers. Comparing Chinese versus US smokers, daily nicotine intake and nicotine intake per cigarette smoked were found to be similar. When normalised for cigarettes per day, urine NNAL excretion was fourfold higher in US smokers, while the excretion of urine metabolites of the PAHs fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene metabolites was 50% to fourfold higher in Chinese smokers (all, p<0.0001). Similar results were seen when NNAL and PAHs excretion was normalised for daily nicotine intake. Patterns of carcinogen exposure differ, with lower exposure to TSNA and higher exposure to PAHs in Chinese compared with US smokers. These results most likely reflect country differences in cigarette tobacco blends and manufacturing processes, as well as different environmental exposures. NCT00264342. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Majority of never-smokers with airflow limitation do not have asthma: the Copenhagen General Population Study.

PubMed

Çolak, Yunus; Afzal, Shoaib; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Lange, Peter

2016-07-01

A substantial proportion of individuals with airflow limitation are never-smokers. However, whether never-smokers with airflow limitation have undiagnosed asthma is unknown. We hypothesised that the majority of never-smokers with respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation but without known asthma have undiagnosed asthma by comparing characteristics and prognosis in never-smokers with airflow limitation and asthma (NS+AFL+A) with never-smokers with airflow limitation but without asthma (NS+AFL-A). Among 94 079 participants aged 20-100 years from the general population, 39 102 (42%) were never-smokers. In this group, 13 719 (35%) reported to have respiratory symptoms of whom 1610 (12%) had airflow limitation. We investigated characteristics and risk of complications (asthma or COPD exacerbations, pneumonias and all-cause mortality) and comorbidities (lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, deep venous thrombosis and PE) during 4.5 years median follow-up. NS+AFL-A compared with NS+AFL+A reported less allergy and respiratory symptoms, and had higher FEV1 and lower levels of eosinophils and IgE in peripheral blood. NS+AFL+A had increased risk of asthma and COPD exacerbations, but not of pneumonias; adjusted HRs in NS+AFL+A compared with NS+AFL-A were 16 (95% CI 3.7 to 73) for asthma exacerbations and 15 (2.8 to 80) for COPD exacerbations. Still, NS+AFL-A had increased risk of COPD exacerbations and pneumonias, but not of asthma exacerbations; adjusted HRs in NS+AFL-A compared with never-smokers without airflow limitation or asthma (NS-AFL-A) were 7.7 (2.8 to 21) for COPD exacerbations and 1.7 (1.3 to 2.3) for pneumonias. Risk of comorbidities or all-cause mortality was not increased in NS+AFL-A or NS+AFL+A compared with NS-AFL-A. Majority of NS+AFL-A do not seem to have undiagnosed asthma and may instead have airflow limitation caused by other risk factors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The relation between number of smoking friends, and quit intentions, attempts, and success: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey.

PubMed

Hitchman, Sara C; Fong, Geoffrey T; Zanna, Mark P; Thrasher, James F; Laux, Fritz L

2014-12-01

Smokers who inhabit social contexts with a greater number of smokers may be exposed to more positive norms toward smoking and more cues to smoke. This study examines the relation between number of smoking friends and changes in number of smoking friends, and smoking cessation outcomes. Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2002) and Wave 2 (2003) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Project Four Country Survey, a longitudinal cohort survey of nationally representative samples of adult smokers in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and United States (N = 6,321). Smokers with fewer smoking friends at Wave 1 were more likely to intend to quit at Wave 1 and were more likely to succeed in their attempts to quit at Wave 2. Compared with smokers who experienced no change in their number of smoking friends, smokers who lost smoking friends were more likely to intend to quit at Wave 2, attempt to quit between Wave 1 and Wave 2, and succeed in their quit attempts at Wave 2. Smokers who inhabit social contexts with a greater number of smokers may be less likely to successfully quit. Quitting may be particularly unlikely among smokers who do not experience a loss in the number of smokers in their social context.

Smoking affects diagnostic salivary periodontal disease biomarker levels in adolescents.

PubMed

Heikkinen, Anna Maria; Sorsa, Timo; Pitkäniemi, Janne; Tervahartiala, Taina; Kari, Kirsti; Broms, Ulla; Koskenvuo, Markku; Meurman, Jukka H

2010-09-01

The effects of smoking on periodontal biomarkers in adolescents are unknown. This study investigates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase levels in saliva together with periodontal health indices accounting for body mass index and smoking in a birth cohort from Finland. The oral health of boys (n = 258) and girls (n = 243) aged 15 to 16 years was examined clinically. Health habits were assessed by questionnaire. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed by immunofluorometric and peptide assays for MMP-8 levels and polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase activities, and investigated statistically with the background factors. Median MMP-8 values of male smokers were 112.03 microg/l compared to 176.89 microg/l of non-smokers (P = 0.05). For female smokers corresponding values were 170.88 microg/l versus 177.92 microg/l in non-smokers (not statistically significant). Elastase values in male smokers were 5.88 x 10(-3) Delta OD(405)/h versus 11.0 x 10(-3) Delta OD(405)/h in non-smokers (P = 0.02), and in female smokers 9.16 x 10(-3) Delta OD(405)/h versus 10.88 x 10(-3) Delta OD(405)/h in non-smokers (P = 0.72). The effect was strengthened by high pack-years of smoking (MMP-8, P = 0.04; elastase, P = 0.01). Both biomarkers increased with gingival bleeding. However, statistically significant associations were observed with bleeding on probing and MMP-8 (P = 0.04); MMP-8 was suggestively associated with probing depth (P = 0.09) in non-smoking boys. In smokers with calculus, MMP-8 increased after adjusting with body mass index (P = 0.03). No corresponding differences were seen in girls. Smoking significantly decreased both biomarkers studied. Compared to girls, boys seem to have enhanced susceptibility for periodontitis as reflected in salivary MMP-8 values.

E-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness: prevalence and associations with smoking-cessation outcomes.

PubMed

Tan, Andy S L; Bigman, Cabral A

2014-08-01

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are increasingly advertised as replacements for regular cigarettes or cessation aids for smokers. To describe the prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness among U.S. adults and analyze whether these variables are associated with smokers' past-year quit attempts and intention to quit. Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 4 Cycle 2), conducted from October 2012 to January 2013. Data analyses were performed from June to August 2013. Overall, 77% of respondents were aware of e-cigarettes. Of these, 51% believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes. Younger, white (compared with Hispanic), more educated respondents and current or former smokers (compared with non-smokers) were more likely to be aware of e-cigarettes. Among those who were aware of e-cigarettes, younger; men (compared with women); white (compared with African-American); more educated respondents; and current smokers (compared with former and non-smokers) were more likely to believe that e-cigarettes were less harmful. [corrected]. Overall e-cigarette awareness increased whereas the proportion of smokers who perceived less harm of e-cigarettes declined compared with earlier surveys. However, awareness and perceived harm of e-cigarettes did not show evidence of promoting smoking cessation at the population level. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

History of cigarette smoking in cognitively-normal elders is associated with elevated cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of oxidative stress.

PubMed

Durazzo, Timothy C; Mattsson, Niklas; Weiner, Michael W; Korecka, Magdalena; Trojanowski, John Q; Shaw, Leslie M

2014-09-01

Cigarette smoking in adults is associated with abnormalities in brain neurobiology. Smoking-induced central nervous system oxidative stress (OxS) is a potential mechanism associated with these abnormalities. The goal of this study was to compare cognitively-normal elders on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of F2-isoprostane biomarkers of OxS. Elders with a lifetime history of smoking (smokers; n=50; 75±5 years of age; 34±28 pack-years; approximately 12% were actively smoking at the time of study) were compared to never-smokers (n=61; 76±6 years of age) on CSF iPF2α-III and 8,12, iso-iPF2α-VI F2-isoprostanes levels. F2-isoprostanes levels were quantitated with HPLC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Associations between F2-isoprostanes levels, hippocampal volumes, and cigarette exposure measures were also evaluated. Smokers showed higher iPF2α-III level than never-smokers. An age×smoking status interaction was observed for 8,12, iso-iPF2α-VI, where smokers demonstrate a significantly greater concentration with increasing age than never-smokers. In smokers only, higher 8,12, iso-iPF2α-VI concentration was associated with smaller hippocampal volume, and greater iPF2α-III level was related to greater pack years. This is the first study to demonstrate that a history of cigarette smoking in cognitively-normal elders was associated with significantly elevated CSF F2-isoprostane levels and greater age-related increases in F2-isoprostanes, and that higher F2-isoprostane levels in smokers were related to smaller hippocampal volume. These findings provide additional novel evidence that a history of chronic smoking during adulthood is associated with adverse effects on the human brain that are potentially enduring even with extended smoking cessation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between Self-Reported Smoking and Hemoglobin A1c in a Korean Population without Diabetes: The 2011–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

PubMed Central

Hong, Jae Won; Ku, Cheol Ryong; Noh, Jung Hyun; Ko, Kyung Soo; Rhee, Byoung Doo; Kim, Dong-Jun

2015-01-01

Background Several Western studies have revealed that among non-diabetics, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels are higher in smokers than non-smokers. While studies conducted in Western populations consistently support this association, a recent meta-analysis reported that studies carried out in non-Western populations, including studies of Chinese, Egyptian, and Japanese-Americans, did not detect any significant differences in HbA1c levels between smokers and non-smokers. Objectives We assessed the association between smoking habits and HbA1c levels in the general Korean adult population using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) performed in 2011–2012. Methods A total of 10,241 participants (weighted n=33,946,561 including 16,769,320 men and 17,177,241 women) without diabetes were divided into four categories according to their smoking habits: never smokers (unweighted n/ weighted n= 6,349/19,105,564), ex-smokers (unweighted n/ weighted n= 1,912/6,207,144), current light smokers (<15 cigarettes per day, unweighted n/ weighted n=1,205/5,130,073), and current heavy smokers (≥15 cigarettes per day, unweighted n/ weighted n=775/3,503,781). Results In age- and gender-adjusted comparisons, the HbA1c levels of each group were 5.52 ± 0.01% in non-smokers, 5.49 ± 0.01% in ex-smokers, 5.53 ± 0.01% in light smokers, and 5.61 ± 0.02% in heavy smokers. HbA1c levels were significantly higher in light smokers than in ex-smokers (p = 0.033), and in heavy smokers compared with light smokers (p < 0.001). The significant differences remained after adjusting for age, gender, fasting plasma glucose, heavy alcohol drinking, hematocrit, college graduation, and waist circumference. Linear regression analyses for HbA1c using the above-mentioned variables as covariates revealed that a significant association between current smoking and HbA1c (coefficient 0.021, 95% CI 0.003–0.039, p = 0.019). Conclusions Current smoking was independently associated with higher HbA1c levels in a cigarette exposure-dependent manner in a representative population of Korean non-diabetic adults. In this study, we have observed an association between smoking status and HbA1c levels in non-diabetics drawn from a non-Western population, consistent with previous findings in Western populations. PMID:26011526

Smoking, obesity and risk of sarcoidosis: A population-based nested case-control study.

PubMed

Ungprasert, Patompong; Crowson, Cynthia S; Matteson, Eric L

2016-11-01

Smoking and obesity might alter the risk of sarcoidosis. However, the data remained inconclusive. A cohort of Olmsted County, Minnesota residents diagnosed with sarcoidosis between January 1, 1976 and December 31, 2013 was identified based on individual medical record review. For each sarcoidosis subject, one sex and aged-matched control without sarcoidosis was randomly selected from the same underlying population. Medical records of cases and controls were reviewed for smoking status at index date and body mass index (BMI) within 1 year before to 3 months after index date. 345 incident cases of sarcoidosis and 345 controls were identified. The odds ratio of sarcoidosis comparing current smokers with never smokers adjusted for age and sex was 0.34 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.23-0.50). The odds ratio of sarcoidosis comparing current smokers with never smokers and former smokers adjusted for age and sex was 0.38 (95% CI, 0.26-0.56). The odds ratio of sarcoidosis comparing overweight subjects (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 but < 30 kg/m 2 ) with subjects with normal/low BMI was 1.12 (95% CI, 0.72-1.75). The odds ratio of sarcoidosis comparing obese subjects (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) with subjects with normal/low BMI was 2.54 (95% CI, 1.58-4.06). The odds ratio of sarcoidosis comparing obese subjects with non-obese subjects was 2.38 (95% CI, 1.60-3.56). In this population, current smokers have a lower risk of developing sarcoidosis while subjects with obesity have a higher risk of developing sarcoidosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adolescents' perceptions about smokers in Karnataka, India.

PubMed

Bhojani, Upendra M; Elias, Maya A; Devadasan, N

2011-07-14

Prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in India is very high. Despite many epidemiological studies exploring tobacco use among youth, there is no published data on adolescents' perceptions about smokers in Indian society and its implications on tobacco control. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a stratified random sampling with probability proportional to school-type (government or private owned). Data was collected using a pretested, self-administered, anonymous questionnaire with a mix of close and open-ended questions from a sample of 1087 students. Chi-square test was used to measure associations. Qualitative data was analysed through inductive coding. The response rate for the study was 82.5% and the sample population had a mean age of 16.9 years (SD = 1.9) with 57.8% male students. Majority of respondents (84.6%) reported negative perceptions about smokers while 20.4% of respondents reported positive perceptions. Female students reported significantly higher disapproval rate (negative perceptions) for smoking compared to male students (89.7% Vs 71.6% in case of male smoker; 81.2% Vs 67.3% in case of female smoker). Dominant themes defining perceptions about smokers included 'hatred/hostility/Intolerance', 'against family values/norms', 'not aware of tobacco harms' and 'under stress/emotional trauma'. Themes like 'culture', 'character' and 'power' specifically described negative social image of female smoker but projected a neutral or sometimes even a positive image of male smoker. There was a significant association between adolescents' positive perceptions of smokers and tobacco use by themselves as well as their close associates. Adolescents' stereotypes of smokers, especially female smokers are largely negative. We suggest that tobacco control interventions targeting adolescents should be gender specific, should also involve their peers, family and school personnel, and should go beyond providing knowledge on harmful effects of smoking to interventions that influence adolescents' social construct of smoking/smoker.

Characteristics of current and recent former smokers associated with the use of new potential reduced-exposure tobacco products.

PubMed

Parascandola, Mark; Augustson, Erik; Rose, Allison

2009-12-01

To identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with having tried a potentialy reduced-exposure tobacco product (PREP) and to compare the smoking and quitting behaviors and attitudes of smokers who have tried a PREP product with non-PREP users. Analysis is based on a sample of 43,419 current and recent former smokers from the 2003 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Overall, PREP use is low (2.5%). Current daily and someday only smokers have higher rates of use (2.9% and 2.4%, respectively) compared with former smokers (1.5%). PREP use is higher in southern states and among younger smokers, non-Hispanic Whites, and those with some college education. Smokers who have tried a PREP product are more likely to smoke light or ultra-light cigarettes, report more symptoms of nicotine dependence, smoke more cigarettes per day, report a higher number of quit attempts, and seek quitting assistance from pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapies compared with non-PREP users. These findings support the concern that current smokers who are highly dependent yet motivated to quit smoking may seek PREPs as an alternative strategy to smoking cessation.

Reduced frontal cortical thickness and increased caudate volume within fronto-striatal circuits in young adult smokers.

PubMed

Li, Yangding; Yuan, Kai; Cai, Chenxi; Feng, Dan; Yin, Junsen; Bi, Yanzhi; Shi, Sha; Yu, Dahua; Jin, Chenwang; von Deneen, Karen M; Qin, Wei; Tian, Jie

2015-06-01

Smoking during early adulthood results in neurophysiological and brain structural changes that may promote nicotine dependence later in life. Previous studies have revealed the important roles of fronto-striatal circuits in the pathology of nicotine dependence; however, few studies have focused on both cortical thickness and subcortical striatal volume differences between young adult smokers and nonsmokers. Twenty-seven young male adult smokers and 22 age-, education- and gender-matched nonsmokers were recruited in the present study. The cortical thickness and striatal volume differences of young adult smokers and age-matched nonsmokers were investigated in the present study and then correlated with pack-years and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). The following results were obtained: (1) young adult smokers showed significant cortical thinning in the frontal cortex (left caudal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)), left insula, left middle temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, and right parahippocampus; (2) in regards to subcortical striatal volume, the volume of the right caudate was larger in young adult smokers than nonsmokers; and (3) the cortical thickness of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and OFC were associated with nicotine dependence severity (FTND) and cumulative amount of nicotine intake (pack-years) in smokers, respectively. This study revealed reduced frontal cortical thickness and increased caudate volume in the fronto-striatal circuits in young adult smokers compared to nonsmokers. These deficits suggest an imbalance between cognitive control (reduced protection factors) and reward drive behaviours (increased risk factors) associated with nicotine addiction and relapse. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association of warthin tumor with salivary ductal inclusions in intra and periparotid lymph nodes.

PubMed

Cope, W; Naugler, C; Taylor, S M; Trites, J; Hart, R D; Bullock, M J

2014-03-01

A predominant theory of the much debated histogenesis of Warthin tumor (WT) is that it arises from heterotopic salivary ductal inclusions (SDI) in parotid lymph nodes (LN). If this were the case, we might expect to see an increased number of SDI in the lymph nodes of patients with WT compared to controls. To test this, we compared the prevalence of SDI in patients with WT versus those with pleomorphic adenoma (PA). Cases of WT and PA were retrieved from the case files of the Department of Pathology at the QEII Health Science Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada. We then compared the prevalence of SDI in parotid LN between patients diagnosed with WT versus PA. 46 WT and 52 PA met our inclusion criteria. WT was significantly associated with an older age at surgery (62.5 years vs 50.2 years, p = 0.001). 71.7 % of WT and 32.7 % of PA had inclusions in any LN. The presence of inclusion is a significant predictor for WT versus PA (p = 0.019). Where smoking status was available, 92.5 % of WT patients were smokers/ex-smokers, versus. 55.1 % of PA (p = 0.034 for current smokers). Among PA, 44 % of smokers had inclusions compared with 22.7 % of non-smokers. SDIs are more frequent in parotid LN from patients with WT than PA. The high proportion of smokers among WT patients is consistent with prior studies. The results support the hypothesis that WT arises from SDIs. Individuals with more SDIs may be predisposed to WT.

Tobacco Smoking During Radiation Therapy for Head-and-Neck Cancer Is Associated With Unfavorable Outcome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Allen M., E-mail: allen.chen@ucdmc.ucdavis.ed; Chen, Leon M.; Vaughan, Andrew

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of continued cigarette smoking among patients undergoing radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer by comparing the clinical outcomes among active smokers and quitters. Methods and Materials: A review of medical records identified 101 patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who continued to smoke during radiation therapy. Each active smoker was matched to a control patient who had quit smoking before initiation of radiation therapy. Matching was based on tobacco history (pack-years), primary site, age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Status, disease stage, radiation dose, chemotherapy use, year of treatment, and whether surgicalmore » resection was performed. Outcomes were compared by use of Kaplan-Meier analysis. Normal tissue effects were graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for the Treatment of Cancer toxicity criteria. Results: With a median follow-up of 49 months, active smokers had significantly inferior 5-year overall survival (23% vs. 55%), locoregional control (58% vs. 69%), and disease-free survival (42% vs. 65%) compared with the former smokers who had quit before radiation therapy (p < 0.05 for all). These differences remained statistically significant when patients treated by postoperative or definitive radiation therapy were analyzed separately. The incidence of Grade 3 or greater late complications was also significantly increased among active smokers compared with former smokers (49% vs. 31%, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Tobacco smoking during radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer is associated with unfavorable outcomes. Further studies analyzing the biologic and molecular reasons underlying these differences are planned.« less

Determinants of smoking-induced deprivation in China.

PubMed

Yao, Tingting; Huang, Jidong; Sung, Hai-Yen; Ong, Michael K; Mao, Zhengzhong; Jiang, Yuan; Fong, Geoffrey T; Max, Wendy

2015-11-01

Spending on cigarettes may deprive households of other items like food. The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with this smoking-induced deprivation among adult smokers in China. The data came from Waves 1-3 of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey, conducted from 2006 to 2009 among urban adults aged 18 years or older in China. We focus on the samples of current smokers from six cities (N=7981). Smoking-induced deprivation was measured with the survey question, "In the last six months, have you spent money on cigarettes that you knew would be better spent on household essentials like food?" We examined whether sociodemographic factors, smoking intensity and price paid per pack of cigarettes were associated with smoking-induced deprivation using generalised estimating equations modelling. 7.3% of smokers reported smoking-induced deprivation due to purchasing cigarettes. Low-income and middle-income smokers were more likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with high-income smokers (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.06, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.31; AOR=1.44, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.69); smokers living in Shenyang (AOR=1.68, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.24) and Yinchuan (AOR=2.50, 95% CI 1.89 to 3.32) were more likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with smokers living in Beijing. Retired smokers were less likely to have smoking-induced deprivation compared with employed smokers (AOR=0.67, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.87). There was no statistically significant relationship between smoking intensity, price paid per pack of cigarettes and smoking-induced deprivation. Our findings indicate that certain groups of smokers in China acknowledge spending money on cigarettes that could be better spent on household essentials. Tobacco control policies that reduce smoking in China may improve household living standards by reducing smoking-induced deprivation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Bone density loss on computed tomography at 3-year follow-up in current compared to former male smokers.

PubMed

Pompe, E; Bartstra, J; Verhaar, H J; de Koning, H J; van der Aalst, C M; Oudkerk, M; Vliegenthart, R; Lammers, J-W J; de Jong, P A; Mohamed Hoesein, F A A

2017-04-01

Cigarette smoking negatively affects bone quality and increases fracture risk. Little is known on the effect of smoking cessation and computed tomography (CT)-derived bone mineral density (BMD) decline in the spine. We evaluated the association of current and former smoking with BMD decline after 3-year follow-up. Male current and former smokers participating in a lung cancer screening trial who underwent baseline and 3-year follow-up CT were included. BMD was measured by manual placement of a region of interest in the first lumbar vertebra and expressed in Hounsfield Unit (HU). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between pack years smoked and smoking status with BMD decline. 408 participants were included with median (25th-75th percentile) age of 59.4 (55.9-63.5) years. At the start of the study, 197 (48.3%) participants were current smokers and 211 (51.7%) were former smokers and had a similar amount of pack years. Current smokers had quit smoking for 6 (4-8) years prior to inclusion. There was no difference in BMD between current and former smokers at baseline (109±34 HU vs. 108±32 HU, p=0.96). At 3-year follow-up, current smokers had a mean BMD decline of -3±13 HU (p=0.001), while BMD in former smokers did not change as compared to baseline (1±13 HU, p=0.34). After adjustment for BMD at baseline and body mass index, current smoking was independently associated with BMD decline (-3.8 HU, p=0.003). Age, pack years, and the presence of a fracture at baseline did not associate with BMD decline. Current smokers showed a more rapid BMD decline over a 3-year period compared to former smokers. This information might be important to identify subjects at risk for osteoporosis and emphasizes the importance of smoking cessation in light of BMD decline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Whole-genome sequencing of asian lung cancers: second-hand smoke unlikely to be responsible for higher incidence of lung cancer among Asian never-smokers.

PubMed

Krishnan, Vidhya G; Ebert, Philip J; Ting, Jason C; Lim, Elaine; Wong, Swee-Seong; Teo, Audrey S M; Yue, Yong G; Chua, Hui-Hoon; Ma, Xiwen; Loh, Gary S L; Lin, Yuhao; Tan, Joanna H J; Yu, Kun; Zhang, Shenli; Reinhard, Christoph; Tan, Daniel S W; Peters, Brock A; Lincoln, Stephen E; Ballinger, Dennis G; Laramie, Jason M; Nilsen, Geoffrey B; Barber, Thomas D; Tan, Patrick; Hillmer, Axel M; Ng, Pauline C

2014-11-01

Asian nonsmoking populations have a higher incidence of lung cancer compared with their European counterparts. There is a long-standing hypothesis that the increase of lung cancer in Asian never-smokers is due to environmental factors such as second-hand smoke. We analyzed whole-genome sequencing of 30 Asian lung cancers. Unsupervised clustering of mutational signatures separated the patients into two categories of either all the never-smokers or all the smokers or ex-smokers. In addition, nearly one third of the ex-smokers and smokers classified with the never-smoker-like cluster. The somatic variant profiles of Asian lung cancers were similar to that of European origin with G.C>T.A being predominant in smokers. We found EGFR and TP53 to be the most frequently mutated genes with mutations in 50% and 27% of individuals, respectively. Among the 16 never-smokers, 69% had an EGFR mutation compared with 29% of 14 smokers/ex-smokers. Asian never-smokers had lung cancer signatures distinct from the smoker signature and their mutation profiles were similar to European never-smokers. The profiles of Asian and European smokers are also similar. Taken together, these results suggested that the same mutational mechanisms underlie the etiology for both ethnic groups. Thus, the high incidence of lung cancer in Asian never-smokers seems unlikely to be due to second-hand smoke or other carcinogens that cause oxidative DNA damage, implying that routine EGFR testing is warranted in the Asian population regardless of smoking status. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Can we measure daily tobacco consumption in remote indigenous communities? Comparing self-reported tobacco consumption with community-level estimates in an Arnhem Land study.

PubMed

Clough, Alan R; MacLaren, David J; Robertson, Jan A; Ivers, Rowena G; Conigrave, Katherine M

2011-03-01

In remote Indigenous Australian communities measuring individual tobacco use can be confounded by cultural expectations, including sharing. We compared self-reported tobacco consumption with community-level estimates in Arnhem Land (Northern Territory). In a cross-sectional survey in three communities (population 2319 Indigenous residents, aged ≥16 years), 400 Indigenous residents were interviewed (206 men, 194 women). Eight community stores provided information about tobacco sold during the survey. To gauge the impact of 255 non-Indigenous residents on tobacco turnover, 10 were interviewed (five men, five women). Breath carbon monoxide levels confirmed self-reported smoking. Self-reported number of cigarettes smoked per day was compared with daily tobacco consumption per user estimated using amounts of tobacco sold during 12 months before the survey (2007-2008). 'Lighter smokers' (<10 cigarettes per day) and 'heavier smokers' (≥10 cigarettes per day) in men and women were compared. Of 400 Indigenous study participants, 305 (76%) used tobacco; four chewed tobacco. Of 301 Indigenous smokers, 177 (58%) provided self-reported consumption information; a median of 11-11.5 cigarettes per day in men and 5.5-10 cigarettes per day in women. Men were three times (odds ratio=2.9) more likely to be 'heavier smokers'. Store turnover data indicated that Indigenous tobacco users consumed the equivalent of 9.2-13.1 cigarettes per day; very similar to self-reported levels. Sixty per cent (=6/10) of non-Indigenous residents interviewed were smokers, but with little impact on tobacco turnover overall (2-6%). Smoking levels reported by Indigenous Australians in this study, when sharing tobacco was considered, closely reflected quantities of tobacco sold in community stores. © 2010 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Attitudes towards screening for lung cancer among smokers and their non-smoking counterparts.

PubMed

Silvestri, Gerard A; Nietert, Paul J; Zoller, James; Carter, Cindy; Bradford, David

2007-02-01

There has been resurgence of interest in lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography. The implications of directing a screening programme at smokers has been little explored. A nationwide telephone survey was conducted. Demographics, certain clinical characteristics and attitudes about screening for lung cancer were ascertained. Responses of current, former and never smokers were compared. 2001 people from the US were interviewed. Smokers were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely than never smokers to be male, non-white, less educated, and to report poor health status or having had cancer, and less likely to be able to identify a usual source of healthcare. Compared with never smokers, current smokers were less likely to believe that early detection would result in a good chance of survival (p < 0.05). Smokers were less likely to be willing to consider computed tomography screening for lung cancer (71.2% (current smokers) v 87.6% (never smokers) odds ratio (OR) 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32 to 0.71). More never smokers as opposed to current smokers believed that the risk of disease (88% v 56%) and the accuracy of the test (92% v 71%) were important determinants in deciding whether to be screened (p < 0.05). Only half of the current smokers would opt for surgery for a screen-diagnosed cancer. The findings suggest that there may be substantial obstacles to the successful implementation of a mass-screening programme for lung cancer that will target cigarette smokers.

The relation of obesity with serum resistin levels in smoker and nonsmokers

PubMed Central

Gürsoy, Gül; Eşbah, Onur; Kirnap, Nazli Gülsoy; Çetiner, Hacer; Acar, Yaşar; Demirbaş, Berrin; Öztürk, Abidin; Kiliç, Zuhal

2012-01-01

Background: The demonstration that adipose tissue produces numerous cytokines increases interest of investigators in their role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Resistin is one of those cytokines. There are conflicing reports as cigarette smoking impairs insulin secretion, augments insulin resistance, or has no effect on glucose metabolism. In our study, we intended to examine the relationship of obesity with resistin levels in smokers and nonsmokers. Patients and Methods: The study included 52 male smokers and 34 age matched nonsmoker male control subjects. We classified smoker and nonsmoker groups according to their body mass index as BMI < 27 and ≥27. As well as making physical and anthropometric examinations, fasting plasma glucose and insulin, postprandial plasma glucose, lipid profile, and resistin levels were measured in all male subjects. We compared all parameters in smoker and nonsmokers either having BMI < 27 or ≥27. Results: In both BMI levels, resistin levels were higher in smoker groups than nonsmoker ones (P<0.01 all), we did not find any difference in other parameters. Conclusion: in conclusion we may speculate that if someone smokes resistin levels increase. PMID:23264782

Effect of Smoking on Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Subsets of Patients With Chronic Renal Failure.

PubMed

Düvenci Birben, Özlem; Akçay, Şule; Sezer, Siren; Şirvan, Şale; Haberal, Mehmet

2016-11-01

Smoking is known to suppress the immune system. It is also known that chronic renal failure affects the immune system. However, the number of studies investigating the effects of chronic renal failure and smoking together is limited. In our study, we examined whether smoking affects the diminished response of the immune system in patients with chronic renal failure. We compared peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in smoking and nonsmoking patients with chronic renal failure. We also used the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence to evaluate its correlation with the lymphocyte subset count in patients who are current smokers. Our study included 126 patients with chronic renal failure. According to their smoking habits, patients were divided into 2 groups: smokers and nonsmokers. The average age of patients who were smokers was 53.2 ± 1.5 years, with average age of nonsmokers being 59.2 ± 2.2 years. The average duration of smoking in smokers was 30.7 ± 2.7 packyears. We found that the percentage of cluster of differentiation 16-56 cells (natural killer cells) and lymphocyte percentage were significantly lower among smokers in our study (P < .05). We compared the lymphocyte subset panel to pack-years and found that the rate of cluster of differentiation 16-56 cells decreased as smoking duration increased. Our study revealed that smoking suppresses the immune system, as measured by lymphocyte subsets, in patients with chronic renal failure, similar to that shown in healthy smokers. According to our findings, patients with chronic renal failure, where infection is the primary reason for mortality and morbidity, must be questioned for smoking and referred to smoking cessation clinics. Because of its immunosuppressive effects, smoking behaviors must be solved preoperatively in transplant candidates.

Aspergillus sensitisation in bidi smokers with and without chronic obstructive lung disease.

PubMed

Agarwal, Ritesh; Bhogal, Sumita; Choudhary, Hansraj; Aggarwal, Ashutosh N; Sehgal, Inderpaul S; Dhooria, Sahajal; Behera, Digambar; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke

2017-06-01

Recent studies have described fungal sensitisation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, no study has evaluated fungal sensitisation specifically in bidi smokers. Herein, we evaluate the prevalence of Aspergillus sensitisation in bidi smokers. Bidi smokers with and without COPD underwent chest radiography, spirometry, Aspergillus skin test, A. fumigatus precipitins, A. fumigatus-specific IgE and total IgE. Aspergillus sensitisation was defined as the presence of either immediate cutaneous hyperreactivity to Aspergillus antigen or raised A. fumigatus-specific IgE level >0.35 kUA/L. Bidis were obtained from a subset of cases and controls and cultured for the growth of any fungus. Two hundred subjects with COPD and 72 chronic bidi smokers without COPD were included in the study (258 men; mean age, 56.8 years). Aspergillus sensitisation was found to be significantly higher in bidi smokers without COPD (27.8%) compared to the COPD cases (16%). Age, COPD, lung function, severity of smoking and current smoking were not associated with Aspergillus sensitisation, on a multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found a high prevalence of Aspergillus sensitisation in bidi-smoking subjects. More studies are required to confirm the findings of our study. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Altered affective response in marijuana smokers: an FMRI study.

PubMed

Gruber, Staci A; Rogowska, Jadwiga; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah A

2009-11-01

More than 94 million Americans have tried marijuana, and it remains the most widely used illicit drug in the nation. Investigations of the cognitive effects of marijuana report alterations in brain function during tasks requiring executive control, including inhibition and decision-making. Endogenous cannabinoids regulate a variety of emotional responses, including anxiety, mood control, and aggression; nevertheless, little is known about smokers' responses to affective stimuli. The anterior cingulate and amygdala play key roles in the inhibition of impulsive behavior and affective regulation, and studies using PET and fMRI have demonstrated changes within these regions in marijuana smokers. Given alterations in mood and perception often observed in smokers, we hypothesized altered fMRI patterns of response in 15 chronic heavy marijuana smokers relative to 15 non-marijuana smoking control subjects during the viewing of masked happy and fearful faces. Despite no between-group differences on clinical or demographic measures, smokers demonstrated a relative decrease in both anterior cingulate and amygdalar activity during masked affective stimuli compared to controls, who showed relative increases in activation within these regions during the viewing of masked faces. Findings indicate that chronic heavy marijuana smokers demonstrate altered activation of frontal and limbic systems while viewing masked faces, consistent with autoradiographic studies reporting high CB-1 receptor density in these regions. These data suggest differences in affective processing in chronic smokers, even when stimuli are presented below the level of conscious processing, and underscore the likelihood that marijuana smokers process emotional information differently from those who do not smoke, which may result in negative consequences.

Support and correlates of support for banning smoking in cars with children: findings from the ITC Four Country Survey*

PubMed Central

Fong, Geoffrey T.; Zanna, Mark P.; Hyland, Andrew; Bansal-Travers, Maansi

2011-01-01

Background: Since 2006, banning smoking in cars with children has become a rapidly growing tobacco control policy. However, to date, there have been few studies examining support and correlates of support for car smoking bans, and none of the existing studies have been international in nature. We conducted such a study among smokers in four countries. Methods: 6716 adult current smokers from the 2007 Wave of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort telephone survey of smokers in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Controlling for demographics, heaviness of smoking, smoking health knowledge/beliefs and quit intentions, we compared support and correlates of support for banning smoking in cars with children across the four countries. Results: The majority of smokers supported banning smoking in cars with children. Support was highest in Australia (83%), followed by the UK (75%) and Canada (74%); support was lower—but still high—in the USA (60%). Support was highest among smokers who: had stronger quit intentions, were lighter smokers, had lower education, had no children in the home, believed that cigarette smoke is dangerous to non-smokers and could cause asthma in children, and were concerned about modelling smoking to children. Conclusions: These findings indicate that a majority of smokers in the four countries support banning smoking in cars with children, and lend support to banning smoking in cars with children. Additionally, they suggest that support may be increased by educating smokers about the dangers of cigarette smoke exposure. PMID:20630910

Support and correlates of support for banning smoking in cars with children: findings from the ITC Four Country Survey.

PubMed

Hitchman, Sara C; Fong, Geoffrey T; Zanna, Mark P; Hyland, Andrew; Bansal-Travers, Maansi

2011-06-01

Since 2006, banning smoking in cars with children has become a rapidly growing tobacco control policy. However, to date, there have been few studies examining support and correlates of support for car smoking bans, and none of the existing studies have been international in nature. We conducted such a study among smokers in four countries. 6716 adult current smokers from the 2007 Wave of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort telephone survey of smokers in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Controlling for demographics, heaviness of smoking, smoking health knowledge/beliefs and quit intentions, we compared support and correlates of support for banning smoking in cars with children across the four countries. The majority of smokers supported banning smoking in cars with children. Support was highest in Australia (83%), followed by the UK (75%) and Canada (74%); support was lower-but still high-in the USA (60%). Support was highest among smokers who: had stronger quit intentions, were lighter smokers, had lower education, had no children in the home, believed that cigarette smoke is dangerous to non-smokers and could cause asthma in children, and were concerned about modelling smoking to children. These findings indicate that a majority of smokers in the four countries support banning smoking in cars with children, and lend support to banning smoking in cars with children. Additionally, they suggest that support may be increased by educating smokers about the dangers of cigarette smoke exposure.

Mental health status of varenicline and bupropion users during a quit attempt compared to current smokers, other quitters, and non-smokers.

PubMed

Shewale, Anand R; Borse, Mrudula S; Brown, Joshua D; Li, Chenghui

2015-09-01

Varenicline and bupropion are commonly prescribed non-nicotine containing smoking cessation agents. Post-marketing reports suggest an increased incidence of psychiatric disturbances associated with varenicline and bupropion. However, pre-existing psychiatric disorders may confound the association between these smoking cessation agents and psychiatric disturbances. We compared the mental health status of individuals using varenicline or bupropion to that of people quitting without medication, current smokers, and non-smokers while controlling for pre-existing conditions. A cross-sectional design was used. Data were from 2006-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Mental health status was assessed using the mental component summary (MCS) from the 12-item Short Form survey (SF-12v2), 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), and Kessler 6 Scale (K6). Differences in MCS score were compared using linear regression. Logistic regressions were used to compare positive screenings for depression using PHQ-2 and for psychological distress using K6. Of 578 use episodes, 453 (78.38%) were bupropion and 125 (21.62%) were varenicline. After adjusting for potential confounders, mental health status of varenicline users was not different from current smokers or people who quit smoking without medication, but worse than non-smokers; bupropion was strongly associated with lower mental health status relative to all groups across all three measures. Varenicline was not associated with worse mental health compared to smokers or those who quit without medication, after adjusting for pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Bupropion was associated with worse mental health status than smokers, former smokers who quit without medication, and nonsmokers, even after adjusting for pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multimodal Neuroimaging Differences in Nicotine Abstinent vs. Satiated Smokers.

PubMed

Chaarani, Bader; Spechler, Philip A; Ivanciu, Alexandra; Snowe, Mitchell; Nickerson, Joshua P; Higgins, Stephen T; Garavan, Hugh

2018-04-06

Research on cigarette smokers suggests cognitive and behavioral impairments. However, much remains unclear how the functional neurobiology of smokers is influenced by nicotine state. Therefore, we sought to determine which state, be it acute nicotine abstinence or satiety, would yield the most robust differences compared to non-smokers when assessing neurobiological markers of nicotine dependence. Smokers(N=15) and sociodemographically matched non-smokers(N=15) were scanned twice using a repeated-measures design. Smokers were scanned after a 24-hour nicotine abstinence, and immediately after smoking their usual brand cigarette. The neuroimaging battery included a stop-signal task of response inhibition and pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF). Whole brain voxel-wise ANCOVAs were carried out on stop success and stop fail SST contrasts and CBF maps to assess differences among non-, abstinent and satiated smokers. Cluster-correction was performed using AFNI's 3dClustSim to achieve a significance of p<0.05. Smokers exhibited higher brain activation in bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), a brain region known to be involved in inhibitory control, during successful response inhibitions relative to non-smokers. This effect was significantly higher during nicotine abstinence relative to satiety. Smokers also exhibited lower CBF in the bilateral IFG than non-smokers. These hypo-perfusions were not different between abstinence and satiety. These findings converge on alterations in smokers in prefrontal circuits known to be critical for inhibitory control. These effects are present, even when smokers are satiated, but the neural activity required to achieve performance equal to controls is increased when smokers are in acute abstinence. Our multi-modal neuroimaging study gives neurobiological insights into the cognitive demands of maintaining abstinence and suggest targets for assessing the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 as a possible marker of COPD in smokers and ex-smokers

PubMed Central

Caram, Laura Miranda de Oliveira; Ferrari, R; Nogueira, DL; Oliveira, MRM; Francisqueti, FV; Tanni, SE; Corrêa, CR; Godoy, I

2017-01-01

Introduction Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation are higher in smokers and patients with COPD; however, markers that may help differentiate between smokers and patients with COPD have not yet been identified. We hypothesized that tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor (TNFR) and soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) can be indicators of COPD in asymptomatic patients. Patients and methods We evaluated 32 smokers (smoking history >10 pack-years), 32 patients with mild/moderate COPD (smokers and ex-smokers), and 32 never smokers. Concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, TNFR1 and TNFR2, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and the sRAGE were measured in serum. Results There were higher CRP and AGEs concentrations in smokers and in patients with COPD (P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively) compared to controls, without statistical difference between smokers and patients with COPD. Concentrations of sRAGE, IL-6, and TNFR1 did not differ between study groups. TNFR2 was significantly higher in patients with COPD than in smokers (P=0.004) and controls (P=0.004), and the presence of COPD (P=0.02) and CRP (P=0.001) showed a positive association with TNFR2. Positive associations for smoking (P=0.04), CRP (P=0.03), and IL-6 (P=0.03) with AGEs were also found. The interaction variable (smoking × COPD) showed a positive association with IL-6. Conclusion Our data suggest that TNFR2 may be a possible marker of COPD in asymptomatic smokers and ex-smokers. Although smokers and patients with early COPD presented other increased systemic inflammation markers (eg, CRP) and oxidative stress (measured by AGEs), they did not differentiate smokers from COPD. PMID:28744116

[Attitude toward smoking among smoking and non-smoking officials of the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil: comparative analysis of smokers and non-smokers].

PubMed

Ribeiro, S A; Pérez, D; Jardim, J R

1999-09-01

To study the attitudes toward smoking of employees of the Federal University of Sao Paulo as a step toward implanting a consensualized anti-smoking program for the institution. We designed and distributed anonymous, self-completed questionnaires with 51 multiple-choice questions, which were returned by 2,613 (48.6%) employees, professors, medical residents, nurses and students. Four hundred thirty-eight (16.8% of the population) of the respondents were smokers and 456 (17.5%) were non-smokers. For 84% smoking started between the ages of 11 and 20 years. Most smokers were between 31 and 40 years of age, and the prevalence of ex-smokers was highest in respondents over the age of 60. Seventy-eight percent of the smokers smoked at work. Both smokers and non-smokers reported some type of discomfort caused by cigarette smoke, mainly smell in clothes and hair (62.7% of smokers versus 59% of non-smokers, NS). The proportion who opted for a totally smoke-free environment was 37.5% among non-smokers and 10% among smokers (p < 0.05). Restrictions on smoking in specific places, on the other hand, met with the approval of 82.8% of smokers and 59% of non-smokers (p < 0.05). We believe that surveys such as this one should be carried out at all institutions, particularly in health care centers, in order to assure that smoking restriction policies are successful and receive the support of most employees, whether they smoke or not. Our data suggest the advisability of creating restricted-smoking zones in the early phase of an institutional anti-smoking campaign designed to lead to a totally smoke-free workplace environment.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 as a possible marker of COPD in smokers and ex-smokers.

PubMed

Caram, Laura Miranda de Oliveira; Ferrari, R; Nogueira, D L; Oliveira, Mrm; Francisqueti, F V; Tanni, S E; Corrêa, C R; Godoy, I

2017-01-01

Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation are higher in smokers and patients with COPD; however, markers that may help differentiate between smokers and patients with COPD have not yet been identified. We hypothesized that tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor (TNFR) and soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) can be indicators of COPD in asymptomatic patients. We evaluated 32 smokers (smoking history >10 pack-years), 32 patients with mild/moderate COPD (smokers and ex-smokers), and 32 never smokers. Concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, TNFR1 and TNFR2, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and the sRAGE were measured in serum. There were higher CRP and AGEs concentrations in smokers and in patients with COPD ( P <0.001 and P =0.01, respectively) compared to controls, without statistical difference between smokers and patients with COPD. Concentrations of sRAGE, IL-6, and TNFR1 did not differ between study groups. TNFR2 was significantly higher in patients with COPD than in smokers ( P =0.004) and controls ( P =0.004), and the presence of COPD ( P =0.02) and CRP ( P =0.001) showed a positive association with TNFR2. Positive associations for smoking ( P =0.04), CRP ( P =0.03), and IL-6 ( P =0.03) with AGEs were also found. The interaction variable (smoking × COPD) showed a positive association with IL-6. Our data suggest that TNFR2 may be a possible marker of COPD in asymptomatic smokers and ex-smokers. Although smokers and patients with early COPD presented other increased systemic inflammation markers (eg, CRP) and oxidative stress (measured by AGEs), they did not differentiate smokers from COPD.

Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes in women compared with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

PubMed

Yuan, Shuai; Xue, Hong-Liang; Yu, Hong-Jie; Huang, Yao; Tang, Bo-Wen; Yang, Xu-Hao; Li, Qing-Xiao; He, Qi-Qiang

2018-06-13

Few studies have investigated the effect of smoking on type 2 diabetes in women compared with men, even though several epidemiological studies provided a clear picture of the risk among the entire population. We systematically searched PubMed and Embase up to August 2017 for prospective studies that were stratified by sex with measures of the relative risk (RR) for type 2 diabetes and current smoking compared with non-smoking. The sex-specific RRs and their ratios (RRRs), comparing women with man, were pooled using random-effects models. Seventeen articles were identified including 20 prospective cohorts with 5 077 289 participants and 223 084 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. The pooled RRR suggested a similar risk of type 2 diabetes associated with smoking in women compared with men (RRR: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-1.01). Furthermore, no significant sex difference in the RR was found between former smokers and those who had never smoked (RRR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.92-1.04). The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that female smokers had similar risk of type 2 diabetes with male smokers.

False promises: the tobacco industry, "low tar" cigarettes, and older smokers.

PubMed

Cataldo, Janine K; Malone, Ruth E

2008-09-01

To investigate the role of the tobacco industry in marketing to and sustaining tobacco addiction among older smokers and aging baby boomers, We performed archival searches of electronic archives of internal tobacco company documents using a snowball sampling approach. Analysis was done using iterative and comparative review of documents, classification by themes, and a hermeneutic interpretive approach to develop a case study. Based on extensive marketing research, tobacco companies aggressively targeted older smokers and sought to prevent them from quitting. Innovative marketing approaches were used. "Low tar" cigarettes were developed in response to the health concerns of older smokers, despite industry knowledge that such products had no health advantage and did not help smokers quit. Tobacco industry activities influence the context of cessation for older smokers in several ways. Through marketing "low tar" or "light" cigarettes to older smokers "at risk" of quitting, the industry contributes to the illusion that such cigarettes are safer, although "light" cigarettes may make it harder for addicted smokers to quit. Through targeted mailings of coupons and incentives, the industry discourages older smokers from quitting. Through rhetoric aimed at convincing addicted smokers that they alone are responsible for their smoking, the industry contributes to self-blame, a documented barrier to cessation. Educating practitioners, older smokers, and families about the tobacco industry's influence may decrease the tendency to "blame the victim," thereby enhancing the likelihood of older adults receiving tobacco addiction treatment. Comprehensive tobacco control measures must include a focus on older smokers.

Smoking and cutaneous melanoma: findings from The QSkin Sun and Health cohort study.

PubMed

Dusingize, Jean Claude; Olsen, Catherine M; Pandeya, Nirmala; Thompson, Bridie S; Webb, Penelope M; Green, Adèle C; Neale, Rachel E; Whiteman, David C

2018-05-22

Previous studies suggest that smokers have lower risks of cutaneous melanoma than non-smokers, but data from population-based prospective studies are scarce. We investigated associations between smoking and melanoma in a cohort study purpose-designed to investigate skin cancer outcomes. Participants with no prior history of melanoma (n=38,697) completed a risk factor survey at baseline (2011). Patients were followed through linkage to the cancer registry. We estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between smoking (including intensity, duration, time since quitting) and melanoma using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, accounting for death as a competing event. During a mean follow-up of 3.5 years, invasive melanomas developed in 247 participants. Compared with never smokers, former smokers (but not current smokers) had lower risks of invasive melanoma (HR: 0.76; 95%CI 0.57-1.01). Among former smokers, risks were lower with greater quantity of cigarettes smoked (HR: 0.75; 95%CI 0.56-0.98 per 10 cigarettes/day). No association was observed with duration of smoking while longer time since quitting was associated with a relative risk of melanoma that was not significantly different from the null (HR: 1.18; 95%CI: 0.91-1.51, for every 10 years since quitting). We observed complex associations between smoking and melanoma, with some suggestion that former smokers had lower risks than never or current smokers. The apparent inverse association among former smokers may be due to residual confounding, although surveillance bias or biological effects cannot be excluded entirely. Smoking does not increase the risk of cutaneous melanoma. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Factors associated with short-term transitions of non-daily smokers: socio-demographic characteristics and other tobacco product use.

PubMed

Wang, Yingning; Sung, Hai-Yen; Yao, Tingting; Lightwood, James; Max, Wendy

2017-05-01

To examine the transitions in smoking status among non-daily smokers who transitioned to daily or former smokers or remained as non-daily smokers during a 12-month period. We analyzed factors associated with these transitions, including the use of cigars and smokeless tobacco (SLT). Secondary data analyses using pooled data from the 2003, 2006/07 and 2010/11 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS). United States. Self-respondents aged 18+ who have smoked for more than 5 years and were non-daily smokers 12 months before the interview (n = 13 673, or 14.5% of current smokers). Multinomial logistic regression model to determine the correlates of non-daily to daily, stable non-daily and non-daily to former smoking transitions among non-daily smokers at baseline. The model controlled for socio-demographic factors and the use of cigars and SLT. Of the adults in our sample, 2.6% were non-daily smokers at baseline. Among these, 69.7% remained non-daily smokers (stable non-daily smokers), 18.4% became daily smokers (non-daily to daily smokers) and 11.9% quit smoking (non-daily to former smokers) after 12 months. The non-daily to daily versus stable non-daily smoking transition was less likely among those who were aged 65+ (P = 0.018), male (P < 0.001), Hispanic (P < 0.001), with an income of $25 000-49 999 or ≥$75 000 and current users of SLT (P = 0.003), but more likely among those without a college degree compared with the appropriate reference group. The non-daily to former versus stable non-daily smoking transition was less likely among those aged 25+, male (P = 0.013), non-Hispanic Asian (P = 0.032), without a college degree, widowed/divorced/separated (P = 0.013) or never married (P = 0.011) and current users of cigars (P = 0.003) compared with the appropriate reference group. While more than two-thirds of non-daily smokers in the United States remain as such after 12 months, others become daily smokers or quit. The likelihood of remaining stable non-daily smokers and of transition from non-daily to daily and non-daily to former smokers is associated with socio-demographic factors and current use of cigars and smokeless tobacco. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Comparison of the efficacy of pharmacoinvasive management for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in smokers versus non-smokers (from the Trial of Routine Angioplasty and Stenting After Fibrinolysis to Enhance Reperfusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction).

PubMed

Tan, Nigel S; Goodman, Shaun G; Cantor, Warren J; Tan, Mary K; Yan, Raymond T; Bagnall, Alan J; Mehta, Shamir R; Fitchett, David; Strauss, Bradley H; Yan, Andrew T

2014-10-01

Compared with non-smokers, cigarette smokers with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions derive greater benefit from fibrinolytic therapy. However, it is not known whether the optimal treatment strategy after fibrinolysis differs on the basis of smoking status. The Trial of Routine Angioplasty and Stenting After Fibrinolysis to Enhance Reperfusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction (TRANSFER-AMI) randomized patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions to a routine early invasive (pharmacoinvasive) versus a standard (early transfer only for rescue percutaneous coronary intervention or delayed angiography) strategy after fibrinolysis. The efficacy of these strategies was compared in 1,051 patients on the basis of their smoking status. Treatment heterogeneity was assessed between smokers and non-smokers, and multivariable analysis was performed to evaluate for an interaction between smoking status and treatment strategy after adjusting for baseline Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score. Smokers (n=448) were younger, had fewer cardiovascular risk factors, and had lower GRACE risk scores. They had a lower rate of the primary composite end point of 30-day mortality, reinfarction, recurrent ischemia, heart failure, or cardiogenic shock and fewer deaths or reinfarctions at 6 months and 1 year. Smoking status was not a significant predictor of either primary or secondary end points in multivariable analysis. Pharmacoinvasive management reduced the primary end point compared with standard therapy in smokers (7.7% vs 13.6%, p=0.04) and non-smokers (13.1% vs 19.7%, p=0.03). Smoking status did not modify treatment effect on any measured outcomes (p>0.10 for all). In conclusion, compared with non-smokers, current smokers receiving either standard or early invasive management of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after fibrinolysis have more favorable outcomes, which is likely attributable to their better baseline risk profile. The beneficial treatment effect of a pharmacoinvasive strategy is consistent in smokers and non-smokers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between cigarette smoking and the vaginal microbiota: a pilot study.

PubMed

Brotman, Rebecca M; He, Xin; Gajer, Pawel; Fadrosh, Doug; Sharma, Eva; Mongodin, Emmanuel F; Ravel, Jacques; Glover, Elbert D; Rath, Jessica M

2014-08-28

Smoking has been identified in observational studies as a risk factor for bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition defined in part by decimation of Lactobacillus spp. The anti-estrogenic effect of smoking and trace amounts of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) may predispose women to BV. BPDE increases bacteriophage induction in Lactobacillus spp. and is found in the vaginal secretions of smokers. We compared the vaginal microbiota between smokers and non-smokers and followed microbiota changes in a smoking cessation pilot study. In 2010-2011, 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers were recruited to a cross-sectional study (Phase A) and 9 smokers were enrolled and followed for a 12-week smoking cessation program (Phase B). Phase B included weekly behavioral counseling and nicotine patches to encourage smoking cessation. In both phases, participants self-collected mid-vaginal swabs (daily, Phase B) and completed behavioral surveys. Vaginal bacterial composition was characterized by pyrosequencing of barcoded 16S rRNA genes (V1-V3 regions). Vaginal smears were assigned Nugent Gram stain scores. Smoking status was evaluated (weekly, Phase B) using the semi-quantitative NicAlert® saliva cotinine test and carbon monoxide (CO) exhalation. In phase A, there was a significant trend for increasing saliva cotinine and CO exhalation with elevated Nugent scores (P value <0.005). Vaginal microbiota clustered into three community state types (CSTs); two dominated by Lactobacillus (L. iners, L. crispatus), and one lacking significant numbers of Lactobacillus spp. and characterized by anaerobes (termed CST-IV). Women who were observed in the low-Lactobacillus CST-IV state were 25-fold more likely to be smokers than those dominated by L. crispatus (aOR: 25.61, 95 % CI: 1.03-636.61). Four women completed Phase B. One of three who entered smoking cessation with high Nugent scores demonstrated a switch from CST-IV to a L.iners-dominated profile with a concomitant drop in Nugent scores which coincided with completion of nicotine patches. The other two women fluctuated between CST-IV and L. iners-dominated CSTs. The fourth woman had low Nugent scores with L. crispatus-dominated CSTs throughout. Smokers had a lower proportion of vaginal Lactobacillus spp. compared to non-smokers. Smoking cessation should be investigated as an adjunct to reducing recurrent BV. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Pregnancy outcome and cord blood cotinine level: A cross-sectional comparative study between secondhand smokers and non-secondhand smokers.

PubMed

Abdullah, B; Muadz, B; Norizal, M N; Ismail, N; Kornain, N K; Kutty, M

2017-07-01

To compare the pregnancy outcome and cord blood cotinine levels between secondhand smokers and non-secondhand smokers. This was a cross-sectional comparative study in a Malaysian tertiary obstetric hospital involving 200 non-smoking pregnant women at term, of whom 100 were secondhand smokers and 100 were non-secondhand smokers. Those with multiple pregnancies, with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30kg/m 2 or who delivered by Caesarean section were excluded. The participants' basic demographic details, delivery details, neonatal outcome and placental weight were recorded. Umbilical cord blood samples were obtained, and cord blood cotinine levels were measured with a Cotinine ELISA kit. The primary outcomes were baby's birth weight, length, and head circumference, Apgar score at 5min and placental weight. The secondary outcome was difference in cord blood cotinine levels between the two groups and the correlation of these differences with the neonatal outcome. The secondhand smoker group had significantly lower baby weight (2.94±0.31kg vs 3.05±0.40kg), head circumference (30.87±2.35cm vs 37.13±2.36cm), length (46.58±1.95cm vs 51.53±2.05cm) and placental weight (520±73.5g vs 596±61.3g) and significantly higher cord blood cotinine levels (16.35±12.84ng/mL vs 0.56±0.22ng/mL). Cord blood cotinine levels had significant negative correlations with placental weight (r=-0.461), baby's weight (r=-0.297), baby's head circumference (r=-0.501) and baby's length (r=-0.374). Secondhand smoke increases the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (newborns'anthropometric measurements and placental weight) and causes higher cord blood cotinine levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Cotinine Glucuronidation Results in Higher Serum and Saliva Cotinine in African American Compared to White Smokers.

PubMed

Murphy, Sharon E; Sipe, Christopher J; Choi, Kwangsoo; Raddatz, Leah M; Koopmeiners, Joseph S; Donny, Eric C; Hatsukami, Dorothy K

2017-07-01

Background: Tobacco exposure is often quantified by serum or saliva concentrations of the primary nicotine metabolite, cotinine. However, average cotinine concentrations are higher in African Americans (AA) compared with Whites with similar smoking levels. Cotinine is metabolized by UGT2B10 and CYP2A6, and low UGT2B10 activity is common in AA, due to the prevalence of a UGT2B10 splice variant. Methods: UGT2B10 activity was phenotyped in 1,446 smokers (34% AA) by measuring the percentage of cotinine excreted as a glucuronide. Urinary total nicotine equivalents (TNE), the sum of nicotine and 6 metabolites, were determined to quantify smoking dose, and cotinine and 3'-hydroxycotinine were quantified in saliva (study 1) or serum (study 2). Results: Ninety-seven smokers (78% AA) were null for UGT2B10 activity, and the saliva and serum cotinine levels, after adjustment for TNE and cigarettes per day (CPD), were 68% and 48% higher in these smokers compared with nonnull smokers ( P < 0.001). After adjustment for TNE and CPD, salivary cotinine was 35% higher, and serum cotinine 24% higher in AA versus White smokers, but with additional adjustment for UGT2B10 activity, there were no significant differences in saliva and serum cotinine concentrations between these two groups. Conclusions: UGT2B10 activity significantly influences plasma cotinine levels, and higher cotinine concentrations in AA versus White smokers (after adjustment for smoking dose) result from lower levels of UGT2B10-catalyzed cotinine glucuronidation by AA. Impact: UGT2B10 activity or genotype should be considered when using cotinine as a tobacco exposure biomarker, particularly in populations such as AA with high frequencies of UGT2B10 nonfunctional variants. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(7); 1093-9. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Smoking cessation at the workplace. Results of a randomised controlled intervention study. Worksite physicians from the AIREL group.

PubMed

Lang, T; Nicaud, V; Slama, K; Hirsch, A; Imbernon, E; Goldberg, M; Calvel, L; Desobry, P; Favre-Trosson, J P; Lhopital, C; Mathevon, P; Miara, D; Miliani, A; Panthier, F; Pons, G; Roitg, C; Thoores, M

2000-05-01

To compare the effects of a worksite intervention by the occupational physician offering simple advice of smoking cessation with a more active strategy of advice including a "quit date" and extra support. Employees of an electrical and gas company seen at the annual visit by their occupational physicians. CRITERIA END POINTS: Smoking point prevalence defined as the percentage of smokers who were non-smokers at one year. Secondary criteria were the percentage of smokers who stopped smoking for more than six months and the difference in prevalence of smoking in both groups. Randomised controlled trial. The unit of randomisation was the work site physician and a random sample of the employees of whom he or she was in charge. The length of the follow up was one year. Each of 30 work site physicians included in the study 100 to 150 employees. Among 504 subjects classified as smokers at baseline receiving simple advice (group A) and 591 the more active programme (group B), 68 (13.5%) in group A and 109 (18. 4%) were non-smokers one year later (p=0.03; p=0.01 taking the occupational physician as the statistical unit and using a non-parametric test). Twenty three subjects (4.6%) in group A and 36 (6.1%) in group B (p=0.26) declared abstinence of six months or more. Among non-smokers at baseline, 3.4% in both groups were smokers after one year follow up. The prevalence of smokers did not differ significantly at baseline (32.9% and 32.4%, p=0.75). After the intervention the prevalence of smoking was 30.8% in group A and 28. 7% in group B (p=0.19). An increase of the mean symptoms score for depression in those who quit was observed during this period. A simple cessation intervention strategy during a mandatory annual examination, targeting a population of smokers independently of their motivation to stop smoking or their health status, showed a 36% relative increase of the proportion of smokers who quit smoking as compared with what can be achieved through simple advice.

General Practitioners and Dentists: A Call for Action Against Tobacco.

PubMed

Gallus, Silvano; Lugo, Alessandra; Garattini, Silvio; Pacifici, Roberta; Mastrobattista, Luisa; Marzo, Giuseppe; Paglia, Luigi

2016-12-01

To investigate the frequency of advice to quit smoking received by the Italian population from general practitioners (GP) and dentists, we analyzed a cross-sectional study. A face-to-face survey was conducted in 2014 on 3052 individuals, representative of the general Italian population aged 15 years or more. During the previous year, 89% of individuals (82% of smokers) reported that they had visited a GP while 71% (67% of smokers) had visited a dentist. Among smokers, 25% reported that they had received advice to quit smoking from their GP, and 26% from their dentist. Advice by GPs was less frequently received by smokers with higher education (multivariate odds ratios (OR) were 0.48 for intermediate and 0.38 for high as compared to low education), and more frequently by heavy smokers (≥15 cigarettes/day; OR = 1.78), those with intention to quit (OR = 2.59), with previous quit attempts (OR = 2.09), and those aware of the existence of smoking cessation services (OR = 1.59). Advice by dentists was more frequently received by smokers aged 25-44 years (OR = 3.55 compared to those aged 15-24) and those with an intention to quit (OR = 2.46). Among Italian current smokers, 32% reported that their GP and 17% that their dentist was a current smoker. The corresponding figures among young smokers were 40% and 26%, respectively. Healthcare providers have the potential to become a key reference point in the fight against smoking. However, before acting, GPs and dentists should set a good example: those who smoke should urgently quit or at least refrain from smoking during working hours. GPs and dentists, reaching the large majority of Italian smokers, can make a major contribution in the fight against tobacco. Future studies are needed to investigate possible reasons of the apparently high smoking prevalence among GPs, in order to develop tailored smoking cessation interventions for healthcare providers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smoking is associated with earlier time to revision of total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Lim, Chin Tat; Goodman, Stuart B; Huddleston, James I; Harris, Alex H S; Bhowmick, Subhrojyoti; Maloney, William J; Amanatullah, Derek F

2017-10-01

Smoking is associated with early postoperative complications, increased length of hospital stay, and an increased risk of revision after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the effect of smoking on time to revision TKA is unknown. A total of 619 primary TKAs referred to an academic tertiary center for revision TKA were retrospectively stratified according to the patient smoking status. Smoking status was then analyzed for associations with time to revision TKA using a Chi square test. The association was also analyzed according to the indication for revision TKA. Smokers (37/41, 90%) have an increased risk of earlier revision for any reason compared to non-smokers (274/357, 77%, p=0.031). Smokers (37/41, 90%) have an increased risk of earlier revision for any reason compared to ex-smokers (168/221, 76%, p=0.028). Subgroup analysis did not reveal a difference in indication for revision TKA (p>0.05). Smokers are at increased risk of earlier revision TKA when compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. The risk for ex-smokers was similar to that of non-smokers. Smoking appears to have an all-or-none effect on earlier revision TKA as patients who smoked more did not have higher risk of early revision TKA. These results highlight the need for clinicians to urge patients not to begin smoking and encourage smokers to quit smoking prior to primary TKA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intention to quit betel quid: a comparison of betel quid chewers and cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Little, Melissa A; Pokhrel, Pallav; Murphy, Kelle L; Kawamoto, Crissy T; Suguitan, Gil S; Herzog, Thaddeus A

2014-06-01

Despite the global significance of betel quid chewing and the associated health risks, there have been no studies assessing chewers' intention to quit. Given the difficulties associated with quitting betel quid and the serious health consequences of chewing, it is important for researchers to develop interventions aimed at helping chewers quit. Betel quid chewers experience similar patterns of dependence and withdrawal symptoms as tobacco smokers, and the use of both substances causes serious adverse health effects. Therefore, it is possible that intention to quit betel quid and tobacco would also be similar. If similarities were found, researchers could look to existing tobacco cessation interventions to inform the development of betel quid cessation interventions. In the current study we sought to understand chewers' intention to quit and how it compares to smokers' intention to quit cigarettes. A total of 351 adult betel quid chewers from Guam were compared against 1,555 adult tobacco users from Hawaii. These comparisons were made possible because of the deliberate use of identical questionnaire items (mutatis mutandis) for betel quid chewing and cigarette smoking. Smokers reported higher levels of wanting to quit, intending to quit, and wishing they have never started in the first place compared to chewers (p's<.0001). There were no differences across groups with regard to having a plan for how to quit and when to quit, with half of the samples reporting not having a plan for how or when to quit. Both smokers and chewers want to quit and intend to quit, but do not have plans of when or how to quit. A deeper understanding of chewers' intention to quit and its similarities to smokers' intention to quit could be used to inform the development of betel quid cessation interventions.

Carboxyhemoglobin Levels Induced by Cigarette Smoking Outdoors in Smokers.

PubMed

Schimmel, Jonathan; George, Naomi; Schwarz, John; Yousif, Sami; Suner, Selim; Hack, Jason B

2018-03-01

Non-invasive screening of carboxyhemoglobin saturation (SpCO) in the emergency department to detect occult exposure is increasingly common. The SpCO threshold to consider exposure in smokers is up to 9%. The literature supporting this cutoff is inadequate, and the impact of active smoking on SpCO saturation remains unclear. The primary objective was to characterize baseline SpCO in a cohort of smokers outdoors. Secondary objectives were to explore the impact of active smoking on SpCO and to compare SpCO between smokers and non-smokers. This was a prospective cohort pilot study in two outdoor urban public areas in the USA, in a convenience sample of adult smokers. SpCO saturations were assessed non-invasively before, during, and 2 min after cigarette smoking with pulse CO-oximetry. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and a generalized estimating equation model. Eighty-five smokers had mean baseline SpCO of 2.7% (SD 2.6) and peak of 3.1% (SD 2.9), while 15 controls had SpCO 1.3% (SD 1.3). This was a significant difference. Time since last cigarette was associated with baseline SpCO, and active smoking increased mean SpCO. There was correlation among individual smokers' SpCO levels before, during, and 2 min after smoking, indicating smokers tended to maintain their baseline SpCO level. This study is the first to measure SpCO during active smoking in an uncontrolled environment. It suggests 80% of smokers have SpCO ≤ 5%, but potentially lends support for the current 9% as a threshold, depending on clinical context.

Psychological problems and psychosocial predictors of cigarette smoking behavior among undergraduate students in Malaysia.

PubMed

Saravanan, Coumaravelou; Heidhy, Imran

2014-01-01

Cigarette smokers have their own motivation and justification to smoke. For example, smoking reduces their stress or enhances their pleasure. This study aimed to identify the (a) prevalence of cigarette smokers among undergraduates in Malaysia, (b) gender differences in nicotine dependence among current smokers, (c) differences in psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) based on the status of smoking cigarettes (current, former and non-smokers) and (d) extent to which precipitating factors (tension reduction, addiction, automatism, handling, social interaction, pleasure, and stimulation) predict the smoking behavior among current smokers. In this study 780 undergraduate students participated from a private university in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state in Malaysia. The Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale, Modified Reason for Smoking Scale and Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test were used to measure psychological problems, predictors of smoking behavior and nicotine dependency among current smokers. The results showed that 14.7%(n=106) of the students were smokers. Current smokers exhibited more psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) compared to former and non-smokers. Addiction, tension reduction, pleasure and automatism were predictors of smoking behavior among the current smoking students. Step wise regression analysis showed that smoking behavior was highly predicted by nicotine dependency or addiction. Smoking students were motivated to smoke cigarettes as they believed that it reduced their tension and enhance pleasure. Hence, there is a need for health promotion and anti-tobacco prevention as cigarette smokers experience more psychological problems. Nicotine dependency or addition was one of the major causes for smoking behavior among the student population in Malaysia.

Influence of air pollution on exhaled carbon monoxide levels in smokers and non-smokers. A prospective cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Maga, Mikołaj; Janik, Maciej K; Wachsmann, Agnieszka; Chrząstek-Janik, Olga; Koziej, Mateusz; Bajkowski, Mateusz; Maga, Paweł; Tyrak, Katarzyna; Wójcik, Krzysztof; Gregorczyk-Maga, Iwona; Niżankowski, Rafał

2017-01-01

The poor air quality and cigarette smoking are the most important reasons for increased carbon monoxide (CO) level in exhaled air. However, the influence of high air pollution concentration in big cities on the exhaled CO level has not been well studied yet. To evaluate the impact of smoking habit and air pollution in the place of living on the level of CO in exhaled air. Citizens from two large cities and one small town in Poland were asked to complete a survey disclosing their place of residence, education level, work status and smoking habits. Subsequently, the CO level in their exhaled air was measured. Air quality data, obtained from the Regional Inspectorates of Environmental Protection, revealed the differences in atmospheric CO concentration between locations. 1226 subjects were divided into 4 groups based on their declared smoking status and place of living. The average CO level in exhaled air was significantly higher in smokers than in non-smokers (p<0.0001) as well as in non-smokers from big cities than non-smokers from small ones (p<0.0001). Created model showed that non-smokers from big cities have odds ratio of 125.3 for exceeding CO cutoff level of 4ppm compared to non-smokers from small towns. The average CO level in exhaled air is significantly higher in smokers than non-smokers. Among non-smokers, the average exhaled CO level is significantly higher in big city than small town citizens. These results suggest that permanent exposure to an increased concentration of air pollution and cigarette smoking affect the level of exhaled CO. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of cigarette smoking on utilization of nursing home services.

PubMed

Warner, Kenneth E; McCammon, Ryan J; Fries, Brant E; Langa, Kenneth M

2013-11-01

Few studies have examined the effects of smoking on nursing home utilization, generally using poor data on smoking status. No previous study has distinguished utilization for recent from long-term quitters. Using the Health and Retirement Study, we assessed nursing home utilization by never-smokers, long-term quitters (quit >3 years), recent quitters (quit ≤3 years), and current smokers. We used logistic regression to evaluate the likelihood of a nursing home admission. For those with an admission, we used negative binomial regression on the number of nursing home nights. Finally, we employed zero-inflated negative binomial regression to estimate nights for the full sample. Controlling for other variables, compared with never-smokers, long-term quitters have an odds ratio (OR) for nursing home admission of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.07-1.2), current smokers 1.39 (1.23-1.57), and recent quitters 1.55 (1.29-1.87). The probability of admission rises rapidly with age and is lower for African Americans and Hispanics, more affluent respondents, respondents with a spouse present in the home, and respondents with a living child. Given admission, smoking status is not associated with length of stay (LOS). LOS is longer for older respondents and women and shorter for more affluent respondents and those with spouses present. Compared with otherwise identical never-smokers, former and current smokers have a significantly increased risk of nursing home admission. That recent quitters are at greatest risk of admission is consistent with evidence that many stop smoking because they are sick, often due to smoking.

Examining the association between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sport participation with e-cigarette use and smoking status in a large sample of Canadian Youth.

PubMed

Milicic, Sandra; Piérard, Emma; DeCicca, Philip; Leatherdale, Scott T

2017-11-01

Youth e-cigarette use is common worldwide, but the profile of e-cigarette users compared with tobacco users is unclear. This study examines how sport participation and activity levels among youth differ between e-cigarette users and smokers. Using Canadian data from 38,977 grade 9 to 12 students who participated in Year 3 (2014-15) of the COMPASS study, logistic regression models were used to examine the likelihood of sport participation and activity level based on e-cigarette use and smoking status. Pearson's chi-square tests were used to examine subgroup differences by gender. E-cigarette users are more likely to participate in intramural, competitive, and team sports compared to non-users. Current and former smokers are less likely to participate in those sports than non-smokers. Youth e-cigarette users are more likely than non-users to meet the physical activity guidelines. Current smokers are more likely than non-smokers to undertake physical activity at least 60 minutes daily but less likely than non-smokers to tone at least 3 times per week. Youth e-cigarette users are less likely than non-users to be sedentary less than 2 hours daily. Gender differences among males and females show that male e-cigarettes users drive the general relationship. Results suggest that e-cigarette users are more likely to engage in physical activity compared to non e-cigarette users. Youth e-cigarette users are more likely to be physically active while the opposite is true for smokers. Although e-cigarettes may be less harmful to health compared to cigarette smoking, the increased uptake among youth of differing profiles should be considered in prevention efforts. These results highlight the importance of addressing e-cigarette use in youth who undertake health promoting behaviours. Prevention efforts should not focus only on youth who may undertake riskier health habits; e-cigarette prevention programs should go beyond the domain of tobacco control. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Behavioural therapy for smoking cessation: the effectiveness of different intervention types for disadvantaged and affluent smokers.

PubMed

Hiscock, Rosemary; Murray, Susan; Brose, Leonie S; McEwen, Andy; Bee, Jo Leonardi; Dobbie, Fiona; Bauld, Linda

2013-11-01

Disadvantaged smokers are less likely to be successful when trying to stop smoking than more affluent smokers. In the UK, NHS Stop Smoking Services (SSS) provide a range of pharmacotherapy and behavioural support, delivered by advisors with a range of backgrounds. Whether the types of support provided and who provides it influence differences in quit rates amongst low SES smokers compared with high SES smokers has not previously been examined. 202,084 records of smokers in England who attended a NHS Stop Smoking Service between July 2010 and June 2011 were acquired. Smokers were followed-up by services at four weeks post quit date. Multilevel logistic regression models of CO validated quits were employed. Disadvantage was explored through the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) and by eligibility for free prescriptions, an indicator of low income amongst adults aged between 19 and 59 in England. Affluent smokers were more likely to quit than disadvantaged smokers (OR 1.38 (1.35 to 1.42) for clients who paid for prescriptions compared to those eligible for free prescriptions). 80% of service clients received one-to-one counselling but open group forms of behavioural therapy were more successful (main effect OR 1.26 (1.12 to 1.41)) except amongst some of the most disadvantaged clients (long-term unemployed and prisoners). Closed groups were little deployed and they were not significantly more successful than one-to-one behavioural therapy after controls. Who delivered treatment did make a difference for some clients, with all but the most affluent less likely to be successful if they had been treated by a nurse compared with other types of advisers, including smoking cessation specialists (main effect OR 0.73 (0.65 to 0.83)). This study provides further evidence that disadvantaged smokers find quitting more difficult even when they have attended a smoking cessation programme. The findings suggest that open groups should be promoted, although they may not be as effective as other forms of behavioural therapy for the long-term unemployed or prisoners. Further research is required to explore why most groups of smokers who attended services staffed by nurses were less likely to quit than those who received treatment from other types of advisors. Crown Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved.

A National Study of Social Media, Television, Radio, and Internet Usage of Adults by Sexual Orientation and Smoking Status: Implications for Campaign Design

PubMed Central

Seidenberg, Andrew B.; Jo, Catherine L.; Ribisl, Kurt M.; Lee, Joseph G. L.; Buchting, Francisco O.; Kim, Yoonsang; Emery, Sherry L.

2017-01-01

Background: Smoking rates among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people significantly exceed that of heterosexuals. Media interventions are an important part of tobacco control efforts, but limited information is available on LGB people’s media use. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 12,900 U.S. adults completed an online questionnaire assessing media use, smoking status, and demographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess relationships between media use with sexual orientation and smoking status. Results: A total of 590 (4.6%) respondents identified as LGB, of which 29% were smokers. Regardless of sexual orientation and smoking status, the Internet was the most popular media channel used, followed by television and radio. LGB respondents had significantly greater odds of having accounts on social media websites, accessing Facebook daily, and being a frequent Internet user, compared to heterosexual respondents. Similar media use was found between smokers and non-smokers, but smokers had greater odds of being frequent television viewers and frequent Internet users, compared to non-smokers. Conclusions: Compared to heterosexuals, LGB respondents reported greater use of the Internet, especially social media. Media campaigns targeting LGB populations can maximize reach by utilizing social media alongside traditional media channels. PMID:28430161

A National Study of Social Media, Television, Radio, and Internet Usage of Adults by Sexual Orientation and Smoking Status: Implications for Campaign Design.

PubMed

Seidenberg, Andrew B; Jo, Catherine L; Ribisl, Kurt M; Lee, Joseph G L; Buchting, Francisco O; Kim, Yoonsang; Emery, Sherry L

2017-04-21

Background : Smoking rates among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people significantly exceed that of heterosexuals. Media interventions are an important part of tobacco control efforts, but limited information is available on LGB people's media use. Methods : A nationally representative sample of 12,900 U.S. adults completed an online questionnaire assessing media use, smoking status, and demographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess relationships between media use with sexual orientation and smoking status. Results : A total of 590 (4.6%) respondents identified as LGB, of which 29% were smokers. Regardless of sexual orientation and smoking status, the Internet was the most popular media channel used, followed by television and radio. LGB respondents had significantly greater odds of having accounts on social media websites, accessing Facebook daily, and being a frequent Internet user, compared to heterosexual respondents. Similar media use was found between smokers and non-smokers, but smokers had greater odds of being frequent television viewers and frequent Internet users, compared to non-smokers. Conclusions : Compared to heterosexuals, LGB respondents reported greater use of the Internet, especially social media. Media campaigns targeting LGB populations can maximize reach by utilizing social media alongside traditional media channels.

High levels of heavy metal accumulation in dental calculus of smokers: a pilot inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry study.

PubMed

Yaprak, E; Yolcubal, I; Sinanoğlu, A; Doğrul-Demiray, A; Guzeldemir-Akcakanat, E; Marakoğlu, I

2017-02-01

Various trace elements, including toxic heavy metals, may exist in dental calculus. However, the effect of environmental factors on heavy metal composition of dental calculus is unknown. Smoking is a major environmental source for chronic toxic heavy metal exposition. The aim of this study is to compare toxic heavy metal accumulation levels in supragingival dental calculus of smokers and non-smokers. A total of 29 supragingival dental calculus samples were obtained from non-smoker (n = 14) and smoker (n = 15) individuals. Subjects with a probability of occupational exposure were excluded from the study. Samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in terms of 26 metals and metalloids, including toxic heavy metals. Toxic heavy metals, arsenic (p < 0.05), cadmium (p < 0.05), lead (p < 0.01), manganese (p < 0.01) and vanadium (p < 0.01) levels were significantly higher in smokers than non-smokers. The levels of other examined elements were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the elementary composition of dental calculus may be affected by environmental factors such as tobacco smoke. Therefore, dental calculus may be utilized as a non-invasive diagnostic biological material for monitoring chronic oral heavy metal exposition. However, further studies are required to evaluate its diagnostic potential. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Smoking Cessation in a Chronic Pancreatitis Population

PubMed Central

Han, Samuel; Kheder, Joan; Bocelli, Lisa; Fahed, Julien; Wachholtz, Amy; Seward, Gregory; Wassef, Wahid

2016-01-01

Objectives Smoking is a known risk factor for developing chronic pancreatitis and accelerates disease progression. Smoking cessation remains an important treatment recommendation, but little is known about its effects. This study evaluated smoking cessation in this population and its impact on quality of life. Methods 27 smokers with chronic pancreatitis participated in a smoking cessation program incorporating the QuitWorks program and individual counseling. Their smoking cessation rates were compared with a control population (n=200) consisting of in-patients without chronic pancreatitis who smoked. Smokers were also compared with non-smokers (n=25) with chronic pancreatitis in terms of quality of life indicators. Results 0/27 patients had quit smoking at 6 months, 1/27 at 12 months, and 0/27 patients at 18 months. There was a 19% quit rate in the control population at the 6-month period. Smokers had a worse quality of life, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and worse coping skills than non-smokers. Conclusions Smoking cessation in the chronic pancreatitis population is extremely challenging, as shown by our 0% quit rate after 18 months. Given that smokers with chronic pancreatitis also experience a worse quality of life, it becomes even more important to stress the importance of smoking cessation in these patients. PMID:27101574

A varying T cell subtype explains apparent tobacco smoking induced single CpG hypomethylation in whole blood.

PubMed

Bauer, Mario; Linsel, Gunter; Fink, Beate; Offenberg, Kirsten; Hahn, Anne Maria; Sack, Ulrich; Knaack, Heike; Eszlinger, Markus; Herberth, Gunda

2015-01-01

Many recent epigenetic studies report that cigarette smoking reduces DNA methylation in whole blood at the single CpG site cg19859270 within the GPR15 gene. Within two independent cohorts, we confirmed the differentially expression of the GPR15 gene when smokers and non-smokers subjects are compared. By validating the GPR15 protein expression at the cellular level, we found that the observed decreased methylation at this site in white blood cells (WBC) of smokers is mainly caused by the high proportion of CD3+GPR15+ expressing T cells in peripheral blood. In current smokers, the percentage of GPR15+ cells among CD3+ T cells in peripheral blood is significantly higher (15.5 ± 7.2 %, mean ± standard deviation) compared to non-smokers (3.7 ± 1.6 %). Treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures with aqueous cigarette smoke extract did not induce a higher proportion of this T cell subtype. Our results underline that DNA hypomethylation at cg19859270 site, observed in WBCs of smokers, did not arise by direct effect of tobacco smoking compounds on methylation of DNA but rather by the enrichment of a tobacco-smoking-induced lymphocyte population in the peripheral blood.

Cigarette Price and Other Factors Associated with Brand Choice and Brand Loyalty in Zambia: Findings from the ITC Zambia Survey

PubMed Central

Salloum, Ramzi G.; Goma, Fastone; Chelwa, Grieve; Cheng, Xi; Zulu, Richard; Kaai, Susan C.; Quah, Anne C.K.; Thrasher, James F.; Fong, Geoffrey T.

2015-01-01

Objectives Little is known about cigarette pricing and brand loyalty in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines these issues in Zambia, analyzing data from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Zambia Survey. Methods Data from Wave 1 of the ITC Zambia Survey (2012) were analyzed for current smokers of factory-made (FM) cigarettes compared to those who smoked both FM and roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes, using multivariate logistic regression models to identify the predictors of brand loyalty and reasons for brand choice. Results 75% of FM-only smokers and 64% of FM+RYO smokers reported having a regular brand. Compared with FM-only smokers, FM+RYO smokers were, on average, older (28% vs. 20% ≥ 40 years), low income (64% vs. 43%), and had lower education (76% vs. 44% < secondary). Mean price across FM brands was ZMW0.50 (USD0.08) per stick. Smokers were significantly less likely to be brand-loyal (>1 year) if they were aged 15-17 years (vs. 40-54 years) and if they had moderate (vs. low) income. Brand choice was predicted mostly by friends, taste, and brand popularity. Price was more likely to be a reason for brand loyalty among FM+RYO smokers, among ≥55 year old smokers, and among those who reported being more addicted to cigarettes. Conclusions These results in Zambia document the high levels of brand loyalty in a market where price variation is fairly small across cigarette brands. Future research is needed on longitudinal trends to evaluate the effect of tobacco control policies in Zambia. PMID:25631482

Smoking and risk of treatment-induced neutralizing antibodies to interferon β-1a.

PubMed

Hedström, Anna Karin; Ryner, Malin; Fink, Katarina; Fogdell-Hahn, Anna; Alfredsson, Lars; Olsson, Tomas; Hillert, Jan

2014-04-01

Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) to interferon β (IFNβ) products that develop during treatment are associated with a loss of clinical efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of smoking habits on the risk of developing NAbs to IFNβ, in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). This report is based on 695 MS patients treated with IFNβ-1a, included in two Swedish case-control studies that collected information on smoking habits. Using logistic regression, the development of NAbs to IFNβ-1a among current smokers was compared with that of non-smokers, by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Current smokers showed an increased risk of developing NAbs to IFNβ-1a, compared with non-smokers (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3-2.8; p = 0.002). There were no gender differences. We observed no association between past smoking and the risk of developing NAbs to IFNβ-1a. The finding that current smokers have an increased risk of developing NAbs to IFNβ-1a has implications, both for the practical care and the treatment of MS; it also provides an interesting perspective of the lungs as an immune-reactive organ, reacting upon irritation.

Risky business: a longitudinal study examining cigarette smoking initiation among susceptible and non-susceptible e-cigarette users in Canada.

PubMed

Aleyan, Sarah; Cole, Adam; Qian, Wei; Leatherdale, Scott T

2018-05-26

Given that many adolescent e-cigarette users are never-smokers, the possibility that e-cigarettes may act as a gateway to future cigarette smoking has been discussed in various studies. Longitudinal data are needed to explore the pathway between e-cigarette and cigarette use, particularly among different risk groups including susceptible and non-susceptible never-smokers. The objective of this study was to examine whether baseline use of e-cigarettes among a sample of never-smoking youth predicted cigarette smoking initiation over a 2-year period. Longitudinal cohort study. 89 high schools across Ontario and Alberta, Canada. A sample of grade 9-11 never-smoking students at baseline (n=9501) who participated in the COMPASS study over 2 years. Participants completed in-class questionnaires that assessed smoking susceptibility and smoking initiation. Among the baseline sample of non-susceptible never-smokers, 45.2% of current e-cigarette users reported trying a cigarette after 2 years compared with 13.5% of non-current e-cigarette users. Among the baseline sample of susceptible never-smokers, 62.4% of current e-cigarette users reported trying a cigarette after 2 years compared with 36.1% of non-current e-cigarette users. Overall, current e-cigarette users were more likely to try a cigarette 2 years later. This association was stronger among the sample of non-susceptible never-smokers (AOR=5.28, 95% CI 2.81 to 9.94; p<0.0001) compared with susceptible never-smokers (AOR=2.78, 95% CI 1.84 to 4.20; p<0.0001). Findings from this large, longitudinal study support public health concerns that e-cigarette use may contribute to the development of a new population of cigarette smokers. They also support the notion that e-cigarettes are expanding the tobacco market by attracting low-risk youth who would otherwise be unlikely to initiate using cigarettes. Careful consideration will be needed in developing an appropriate regulatory framework that prevents e-cigarette use among youth. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Momentary effects of exposure to prosmoking media on college students' future smoking risk.

PubMed

Shadel, William G; Martino, Steven C; Setodji, Claude; Scharf, Deborah

2012-07-01

This study used ecological momentary assessment to examine acute changes in college students' future smoking risk as a function of their exposure to prosmoking media (e.g., smoking in movies, paid advertising, point-of-sale displays). A sample of 135 college students ("ever" and "never" smokers) carried handheld computers for 21 days, recording their exposures to all forms of prosmoking media during the assessment period. They also responded to three investigator-initiated control prompts during each day of the assessment period (i.e., programmed to occur randomly). After each prosmoking media exposure and after each random control prompt they answered questions that measured their risk of future smoking. Responses between prosmoking media encounters were compared (within subjects) to responses made during random control prompts. Compliance with the study protocol was high, with participants responding to over 83% of all random prompts. Participants recorded nearly three encounters with prosmoking media each week. Results of linear mixed modeling indicated that all participants had higher future smoking risk following exposure to prosmoking media compared with control prompts (p < .05); this pattern of response did not differ between ever and never smokers (p = .769). Additional modeling of the variances around participants' risk of future smoking revealed that the response of never smokers to prosmoking media was significantly more variable than the response of ever smokers. Exposure to prosmoking media is associated with acute changes in future smoking risk, and never smokers and ever smokers respond differently to these exposures.

Tax as a motivating factor to make a quit attempt from smoking: a study before and after the April 2010 tax increase.

PubMed

MacFarlane, Kirsty; Paynter, Janine; Arroll, Bruce; Youdan, Ben

2011-12-01

Increasing excise tax on tobacco is one of the most powerful and cost-effective smoking interventions. Despite this evidence, there has been no substantial tax increase in New Zealand between 2000 and 2010. In April 2010 a 10% tax increase on factory-made cigarettes and a 24% tax increase on loose leaf tobacco was implemented. To evaluate the effect of cost as a motivating reason for smokers to make a quit attempt before and after the 2010 tobacco tax increase. A regression analysis of a cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected from August to October 2009 and compared with data collected in July 2010. In 2009, 25.5% of smokers cited cost as a reason for trying to quit smoking compared with 55.6% in 2010. The adjusted odds of making a quit attempt with cost as a reason were 3.6 (95% CI 2.3-5.6, P = <0.001). Furthermore, smokers were more likely to make a quit attempt in 2010 than in 2009. Thirty percent of smokers made at least one quit attempt in 2009 and 39% made a quit attempt in 2010 (adjusted odds ratio 1.5, 95% CI 0.95-2.3, P = <0.1) The recent tax increase on tobacco in New Zealand has resulted in more smokers making an attempt to quit smoking and more smokers identifying cost as a motive for quitting.

A serving of blueberry (V. corymbosum) acutely improves peripheral arterial dysfunction in young smokers and non-smokers: two randomized, controlled, crossover pilot studies.

PubMed

Del Bo', Cristian; Deon, Valeria; Campolo, Jonica; Lanti, Claudia; Parolini, Marina; Porrini, Marisa; Klimis-Zacas, Dorothy; Riso, Patrizia

2017-11-15

Several studies have documented the important role of polyphenol-rich foods in the modulation of vascular remodelling and function. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of a single portion of blueberry (V. corymbosum) to acutely improve peripheral arterial dysfunction in a group of young volunteers. Twenty-four healthy males (12 non-smokers and 12 smokers) were recruited for two different randomized, controlled, crossover pilot acute studies. In the first study, non-smokers were exposed to a control treatment (C; 300 mL of water with sugar) and a blueberry treatment (BB; 300 g of blueberry). In the second study, smokers underwent 3 different protocols: (1) - smoking treatment (S); (2) - control treatment (CS; 300 mL of water with sugar + smoking); (3) - blueberry treatment (BS; 300 g of blueberry + smoking). Each treatment (1 day long) was separated by a one week washout period. Blood pressure, peripheral arterial function (reactive hyperemia index, RHI, a marker of endothelial function) and arterial stiffness (digital augmentation index, dAix and dAix normalized by considering a heart rate of 75 bpm, dAix@75) were measured before and after each treatment. In the first study, the consumption of blueberry and control treatment acutely increased peripheral arterial function in the group of non-smokers. The improvement in RHI was higher and significantly different after blueberry treatment compared to the control treatment (54.8 ± 8.4% BB vs. 28.2 ± 8.3% C; p = 0.01). No effects were observed for markers of arterial stiffness, blood pressure and heart rate. Acute cigarette smoke significantly increased blood pressure and heart rate, while no significant effect was registered in peripheral arterial function and stiffness. The intake of blueberry and control treatment before a cigarette did not counteract the increase in blood pressure and heart rate, while it significantly improved peripheral arterial function. In particular, a significant increase was observed following BS (35.2 ± 7.5% RHI; p = 0.02) and CS treatments (34.6 ± 11.9% RHI; p = 0.02) when compared to only smoking treatment. No difference between BS and CS was detected. In conclusion, the intake of blueberry and control treatments acutely improved peripheral arterial dysfunction both in smoker and in non-smoker subjects. Further studies should be performed to confirm the results obtained and reveal the potential mechanisms of blueberry in the improvement of endothelial function.

Cigarette smoke–induced induction of antioxidant enzyme activities in airway leukocytes is absent in active smokers with COPD

PubMed Central

Dove, Rosamund E.; Leong-Smith, Pheneatia; Roos-Engstrand, Ester; Pourazar, Jamshid; Shah, Mittal; Behndig, Annelie F.; Mudway, Ian S.; Blomberg, Anders

2015-01-01

Background Oxidative injury to the airway has been proposed as an important underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As the extent of oxidant-mediated damage is dependent on the endogenous antioxidant defences within the airways, we examined whether COPD was associated with deficiencies in the antioxidant network within the respiratory tract lining fluids (RTLFs) and resident airway leukocytes. We hypothesised that COPD would be associated with both basal depression of antioxidant defences and impaired adaptive antioxidant responses to cigarette smoke. Methods Low molecular weight and enzymatic antioxidants together with metal-handling proteins were quantified in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and airway leukocytes, derived from current (n=9) and ex-smoking COPD patients (n=15), as well as from smokers with normal lung function (n=16) and healthy never smokers (n=13). Results Current cigarette smoking was associated with an increase in ascorbate and glutathione within peripheral RTLFs in both smokers with normal lung function compared with healthy never smokers and in COPD smokers compared with COPD ex-smokers. In contrast, intra-cellular antioxidant enzyme activities (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase) were only up-regulated in smokers with normal lung function compared with healthy never smokers and not in actively smoking COPD patients relative to COPD ex-smokers. Conclusions We found no evidence of impaired basal antioxidant defences, within either the RTLFs or airway leukocytes in stable ex-smoking COPD patients compared with healthy never smoking controls. Current cigarette smoking induced an up-regulation of low molecular weight antioxidants in the RTLFs of both control subjects with normal lung function and patients with COPD. Importantly, the present data demonstrated a cigarette smoke–induced increase in intra-cellular antioxidant enzyme activities only within the smokers with normal lung function, implying that patients with COPD who continue to smoke will experience enhanced oxidative stress, prompting disease progression. PMID:26557249

The late positive potential (LPP) in response to varying types of emotional and cigarette stimuli in smokers: a content comparison.

PubMed

Minnix, Jennifer A; Versace, Francesco; Robinson, Jason D; Lam, Cho Y; Engelmann, Jeffrey M; Cui, Yong; Brown, Victoria L; Cinciripini, Paul M

2013-07-01

Identifying neural mechanisms associated with addiction has substantially improved the overall understanding of addictive processes. Indeed, research suggests that drug-associated cues may take advantage of neural mechanisms originally intended for emotional processing of stimuli relevant to survival. In this study, we investigated cortical responses to several categories of emotional cues (erotic, romance, pleasant objects, mutilation, sadness, and unpleasant objects) as well as two types of smoking-related cues (people smoking and cigarette-related objects). We recorded ERPs from 180 smokers prior to their participation in a smoking cessation clinical trial and assessed emotional salience by measuring the amplitude of the late positive potential (LPP; 400 to 600 ms after picture onset). As expected, emotional and cigarette-related pictures prompted a significantly larger LPP than neutral pictures. The amplitude of the LPP increased as a function of picture arousal level, with high-arousing erotic and mutilation pictures showing the largest response in contrast to low-arousing pleasant and unpleasant objects, which showed the smallest response (other than neutral). Compared to females, male participants showed larger LPPs for high-arousing erotic and mutilation pictures. However, unlike emotional pictures, no difference was noted for the LPP between cigarette stimuli containing people versus those containing only objects, suggesting that in contrast to emotional objects, cigarette-related objects are highly relevant for smokers. We also compared the smokers to a small (N=40), convenience sample of never-smokers. We found that never-smokers had significantly smaller LPPs in response to erotic and cigarette stimuli containing only objects compared to smokers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the tobacco heating system 2.2. Part 9: Application of systems pharmacology to identify exposure response markers in peripheral blood of smokers switching to THS2.2.

PubMed

Martin, Florian; Talikka, Marja; Ivanov, Nikolai V; Haziza, Christelle; Hoeng, Julia; Peitsch, Manuel C

2016-11-30

As part of current harm reduction strategies, candidate modified risk tobacco products (MRTP) are developed to offer adult smokers who want to continue using tobacco product an alternative to cigarettes while potentially reducing individual risk and population harm compared to smoking cigarettes. One of these candidate MRTPs is the Tobacco Heating System (THS) 2.2 which does not burn tobacco, but instead heats it, thus producing significantly reduced levels of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHC) compared with combustible cigarettes (CC). A controlled, parallel group, open-label clinical study was conducted with subjects randomized to three monitored groups: (1) switching from CCs to THS2.2; (2) continuous use of non-menthol CC brand (CC arm); or (3) smoking abstinence (SA arm) for five days. Exposure response was assessed by measuring biomarkers of exposure to selected HPHCs. To complement the classical exposure response measurements, we have used the previously reported whole blood derived gene signature that can distinguish current smokers from either non-smokers or former smokers with high specificity and sensitivity. We tested the small signature consisting of only 11 genes on the blood transcriptome of subjects enrolled in the clinical study and showed a reduced exposure response in subjects that either stopped smoking or switched to a candidate MRTP, the THS2.2, compared with subjects who continued smoking their regular tobacco product. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Household exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with decreased physical and mental health of mothers in the USA

PubMed Central

Sobotova, L.; Liu, Y-H; Burakoff, A.; Sevcikova, L.; Weitzman, M.

2014-01-01

Background Secondhand smoke is one of the most common toxic environmental exposures to children, and maternal health problems also have substantial negative effects on children. We are unaware of any studies examining the association of living with smokers and maternal health. Objective To investigate whether non-smoking mothers who live with smokers have worse physical and mental health than non-smoking mothers who live in homes without smokers. Methods Nationally representative data from the 2000–2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used. The health of non-smoking mothers with children <18 years (n=18,810) was assessed, comparing those living with one or more smokers (n=3,344) to those living in households with no adult smokers (n=14,836). Associations between maternal health, household smoking, and maternal age, race/ethnicity, and marital, educational, poverty and employment status were examined in bivariable and multivariable analyses using SUDAAN software to adjust for the complex sampling design. Scores on the Medical Outcomes Short Form-12 (SF-12) Physical Component Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Scale (MCS) were used to assess maternal health. Results 79.2% of mothers in the USA are non-smokers and 17.4% of them live with ≥1 adult smokers: 14.2% with 1 and 3.2% with ≥ 2 smokers. Among non-smoking mothers, the mean MCS score is 50.5 and mean PCS is 52.9. The presence of an adult smoker and increasing number of smokers in the home are both negatively associated with MCS and PCS scores in bivariable analyses (p<0.001 for each). Non-smoking mothers with at least one smoker in the household had an 11 % (95% CI=0.80–0.99) lower odds of scoring at or above the mean MCS score and a 19 % (95%CI=0.73–0.90) lower odds of scoring at or above the mean PCS score_compared to non-smoking mothers with no smokers in the household. There is an evidence of a dose response relationship with increasing number of smokers in the household for PCS (p<0.001). Conclusions These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized child health risk: living with smokers is independently associated with worse physical and mental health among non-smoking mothers. PMID:20012677

The Acute Exercise-Induced Inflammatory Response: A Comparison of Young-Adult Smokers and Nonsmokers.

PubMed

Kastelein, Tegan E; Donges, Cheyne E; Mendham, Amy E; Duffield, Rob

2017-03-01

This study examined postexercise inflammatory and leukocyte responses in smokers and nonsmokers, as well as the effects of cigarette smoking on the acute postexercise inflammatory and leukocyte response in habitual smokers. Eleven recreationally active male smokers and 11 nonsmokers matched for age and aerobic fitness were familiarized and underwent baseline fitness testing. Participants then completed 40 min of cycling at 50% peak aerobic workload. Smokers performed 2 randomized exercise sessions, including an acute postexercise smoking condition (2 cigarettes in 15 min of 12 mg tar and 1 mg nicotine) and a no-smoking condition, while nonsmokers performed 1 exercise session without smoking. Venous blood was obtained preexercise and postexercise for analysis of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist (ra), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and c-reactive protein (CRP). No differences existed between groups for resting CRP (d = 0.25-0.46; p = .374-.617). Despite no baseline difference (d = 0.03-0.07; p = .141-.70), exercise-induced increases were observed for IL-1 ra in smokers (d = 0.50; p = .024-.033), which was not observed in the never-smoker group. No between-group difference was observed for IL-6 across all points (d = 0.09-0.5; p = .102-.728); however, all groups observed significant within-group change (d = 0.27-1.09; p = .001-.042). Further, TNF-α for smokers smoking was elevated above both smokers not smoking and nonsmokers at baseline and across the protocol (d = 1.20-1.80; d = 0.20-1.0; p = .001-.035). Additionally, a marked postexercise increase in leukocyte and neutrophil concentrations was evident in smokers smoking compared with nonsmokers and smokers not smoking as indicated by a moderate-to-large effect size (d = 0.72; d = 0.78). Consequently, male smokers exhibit an altered postexercise proinflammatory profile compared with age- and fitness-matched nonsmokers.

Attentional bias in smokers: exposure to dynamic smoking cues in contemporary movies.

PubMed

Lochbuehler, Kirsten; Voogd, Hubert; Scholte, Ron H J; Engels, Rutger C M E

2011-04-01

Research has shown that smokers have an attentional bias for pictorial smoking cues. The objective of the present study was to examine whether smokers also have an attentional bias for dynamic smoking cues in contemporary movies and therefore fixate more quickly, more often and for longer periods of time on dynamic smoking cues than non-smokers. By drawing upon established methods for assessing attentional biases for pictorial cues, we aimed to develop a new method for assessing attentional biases for dynamic smoking cues. We examined smokers' and non-smokers' eye movements while watching a movie clip by using eye-tracking technology. The sample consisted of 16 smoking and 17 non-smoking university students. Our results confirm the results of traditional pictorial attentional bias research. Smokers initially directed their gaze more quickly towards smoking-related cues (p = 0.01), focusing on them more often (p = 0.05) and for a longer duration (p = 0.01) compared with non-smokers. Thus, smoking cues in movies directly affect the attention of smokers. These findings indicate that the effects of dynamic smoking cues, in addition to other environmental smoking cues, need to be taken into account in smoking cessation therapies in order to increase successful smoking cessation and to prevent relapses.

Regional Homogeneity Changes in Nicotine Addicts by Resting-State fMRI.

PubMed

Chen, Hongbo; Mo, Shaofeng

2017-01-01

To reveal the brain functional changes of nicotine addicts compared with those of non-smokers and explore the objective biomarker for nicotine dependence evaluation. A total of 14 smokers and 11 non-smoking controls were recruited for this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were applied in the neural activity analysis. Two-sample t-test was performed to examine the voxel-wise difference between the smokers and the controls. Correlation analysis between the ReHo values and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scores were performed to explore the biomarkers for the clinical characteristics of smokers. The ReHo values from the right superior frontal gyrus of the Brodmann's area (BA) 9 to the right middle frontal gyrus and the ReHo value from the left and right precuneus (BA 23) to the left and right middle cingulum gyrus were lower in the smokers than in the non-smokers. The ReHo value in the precuneus (BA 23) was significantly and positively correlated with the FTND score of smokers. The ReHo values in the right superior frontal gyrus and left precuneus can be used to separate the smokers from the non-smokers. In particular, the left precuneus is a potential neuroimaging biomarker for nicotine addicts.

The effects of smoking and abstinence on experience of happiness and sadness in response to positively valenced, negatively valenced, and neutral film clips.

PubMed

Dawkins, Lynne; Acaster, Sarah; Powell, Jane H

2007-02-01

Incentive motivation theories of addiction suggest that behavioural concomitants of compromised mesocorticolimbic reward activity during abstinence might include decreased affective reactions to natural reinforcers. This study tested implications for hedonic reactions in abstinent smokers. It was hypothesised that positively valenced (pleasurable) film clips would elicit lower ratings of happiness in abstinent than satiated smokers. Twenty-nine smokers, randomly assigned to either an 'abstinent' or a 'satiated' condition, and 15 non-smokers took part in a single session in which they rated (i) signs and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and (ii) affective responses to positively valenced, negatively valenced, and neutral film clips. Compared with satiated smokers, abstinent smokers rated positive clips as eliciting significantly lower levels of happiness, and this was independent of self-reported nicotine withdrawal symptoms; the scores of non-smokers fell between those of abstinent and satiated smokers, more closely approximating those of the latter. By contrast, sadness ratings in response to negative clips were not affected by smoking status, indicating that the effect on happiness was not simply due to general emotional blunting. These results suggest that, for regular smokers, stimuli that are motivationally salient for the general population may elicit reduced positive affective responses during periods of abstinence.

Influence of smoking status at time of surgery for herniated lumbar disk on postoperative pain and health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Stienen, Martin N; Smoll, Nicolas R; Hildebrandt, Gerhard; Schaller, Karl; Gautschi, Oliver P

2014-07-01

It is well established that smoking has a myriad of negative effects on varies aspects of bodily health. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the smoking status at time of surgery on the postoperative subjective pain course and health related quality of life (HRQoL) until 1 year after surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This prospective cohort study included patients ≥18 and ≤90 years of age with a symptomatic and radiological verified LDH. The current smoking patient collective (smoking 1 or more cigarettes a day) was compared with the nonsmoking collective (previous smokers without cigarette consumption for >2 months and never smokers) in respect of subjective pain sensation (measured with the visual analogue scale (VAS)) and HRQoL using the short-form (SF-12) questionnaire preoperatively, before discharge, as well as after 4 weeks and 1 year postoperatively. The primary outcome measures were the 1-year SF-12 scores (MCS and PCS) categorized into responders and non-responders. A total of 102 patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-eight patients were current smokers (37.2%), whereas 43 (42.2%) and 21 (20.6%) patients were never-smokers and previous smokers, respectively. Four weeks and one year after surgery, both smokers and nonsmokers reported increase in the HRQoL as compared to preoperative values - the MCS increased more than the PCS. From a univariate and multivariate perspective, smoking status at time of surgery did not predict responder status. The present study results could not confirm the hypothesis that smoking at time of surgery was associated with worse outcome after surgery for LDH. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factor Structure and Stability of Smoking-Related Health Beliefs in the National Lung Screening Trial

PubMed Central

Koblitz, Amber R.; Persoskie, Alexander; Ferrer, Rebecca A.; Klein, William M. P.; Dwyer, Laura A.; Park, Elyse R.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Absolute and comparative risk perceptions, worry, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy are important theoretical determinants of tobacco use, but no measures have been validated to ensure the discriminant validity as well as test-retest reliability of these measures in the tobacco context. The purpose of the current study is to examine the reliability and factor structure of a measure assessing smoking-related health cognitions and emotions in a national sample of current and former heavy smokers in the National Lung Screening Trial. Methods: A sub-study of the National Lung Screening Trial assessed current and former smokers’ (age 55–74; N = 4379) self-reported health cognitions and emotions at trial enrollment and at 12-month follow-up. Items were derived from the Health Belief Model and Self-Regulation Model. Results: An exploratory factor analysis of baseline responses revealed a five-factor structure for former smokers (risk perceptions, worry, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy) and a six-factor structure for current smokers, such that absolute risk and comparative risk perceptions emerged as separate factors. A confirmatory factor analysis of 12-month follow-up responses revealed a good fit for the five latent constructs for former smokers and six latent constructs for current smokers. Longitudinal stability of these constructs was also demonstrated. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine tobacco-related health cognition and emotional constructs over time in current and former heavy smokers undergoing lung screening. This study found that the theoretical constructs were stable across time and that the factor structure differed based on smoking status (current vs. former). PMID:25964503

Obstetric and perinatal effects of active and/or passive smoking during pregnancy.

PubMed

Nakamura, Mary Uchiyama; Alexandre, Sandra Maria; Kuhn dos Santos, Jorge Francisco; de Souza, Eduardo; Sass, Nelson; Auritscher Beck, Anna Paula; Trayna, Evelyn; Andrade, Carla Maria de Araújo; Barroso, Teresa; Kulay Júnior, Luiz

2004-05-06

Cigarette smoke, whether inhaled voluntarily or not, causes damage to the mother-infant pair. The antenatal period may present the best opportunity for performing effective anti-smoking campaigns. To study the obstetric and perinatal effects of smoking on pregnancy and the infant. Prospective study, interviewing pregnant women who were randomly selected at the maternity hospital as they were being discharged after giving birth. Hospital Municipal Vereador José Storópolli, São Paulo, Brazil. 758 patients were interviewed regarding smoke inhalation before being discharged from the maternity hospital. The groups were formed by 42 active smokers, 272 passive smokers, 108 who inhaled smoke both actively and passively, and 336 non-smokers. The groups were compared regarding age, parity, school education, incidence of spontaneous abortion, rate of caesarian births, average gestational age at birth, rate of low birth weight and adequacy of weight in relation to the gestational age of newborn infants. For all variables we considered p < 0.05 as statistically significant. There was a high rate (55.7%) of pregnant smokers, including 5.5% active, 35.9% passive and 14.3% active-passive smokers. Active and active-passive smokers were older and had higher parity. Active smokers had lower education levels and higher rates of previous spontaneous abortion. The weights of newborn babies were lower for smoking mothers. The study was performed among patients that were mostly of low economic, social and cultural levels, thus possibly explaining the high incidence of smokers. Worse still was that 35.9% of the non-smokers were actually passive smokers. These rates we report were similar to those from the literature. The typical receptiveness of teenage girls to unrestricted advertising in the media contributes towards an early start to acquiring the habit of smoking, including during pregnancy in our country. We emphasize the difficulties in quantifying exposure to cigarettes even among active smokers. Cigarette smoke, whether inhaled voluntarily or not, has an unfavorable effect on the mother-infant pair.

Not All Smokers Die Young: A Model for Hidden Heterogeneity within the Human Population

PubMed Central

Levine, Morgan; Crimmins, Eileen

2014-01-01

The ability of some individuals to reach extreme old age in the presence of clearly high exposure to damaging factors may signal an innate biological advantage. For this study we used data on 4,655 current and never smokers, ages 50 and above, from NHANES III to examine whether long-lived smokers represent a biologically resilient phenotype that could facilitate our understanding of heterogeneity in the aging process. Using a proportional hazards model, our results showed that while smoking significantly increased mortality in most age groups, it did not increase the mortality risk for those who were age 80 and over at baseline. Additionally when comparing the adjusted means of biomarkers between never and current smokers, we found that long-lived smokers (80+) had similar inflammation, HDL, and lung function levels to never smokers. Given that factors which allow some individuals to withstand smoking may also enable others to cope with everyday biological stressors, the investigation of long-lived smokers may eventually allow us to identify molecular and genetic mechanisms which enable longevity extension. PMID:24520332

Nicotine cut-off value in human hair as a tool to distinguish active from passive smokers: A cross-sectional study in Japanese men.

PubMed

Tsuji, Masayoshi; Kanda, Hideyuki; Hayakawa, Takehito; Mori, Yayoi; Ito, Teruna; Hidaka, Tomoo; Kakamu, Takeyasu; Kumagai, Tomohiro; Osaki, Yoneatsu; Kawazoe, Miki; Sato, Sei; Fukushima, Tetsuhito

2017-07-19

Nicotine concentration in hair is a useful marker of tobacco exposure. Detection of nicotine in the hair of non-smokers indicates passive smoking. Accurate measurement of nicotine among active and passive smokers can help in smoking cessation programs or programs designed to prevent secondhand smoke exposure. To establish, using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV), a hair nicotine cut-off value to distinguish active from passive smokers. Hair samples were collected from randomly chosen Japanese men (n= 192) between 2009 and 2011. Nicotine and cotinine levels in hair were measured using HPLC/UV with column-switching. T-tests and chi-square tests were performed to compare active and passive smokers, while receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the cut-off value. There were 69 active smokers and 123 passive smokers. The nicotine and cotinine concentrations in hair were significantly higher in active than in passive smokers (p< 0.01). The area under the curve for nicotine was 0.92. A hair nicotine cut-off value of 5.68 ng/mg, with a sensitivity of 94.2% and specificity of 87.0%, was identified as the optimal cut-off value for separating active from passive smokers. Nicotine and cotinine concentrations in hair clearly distinguished active from passive smokers.

The Relation Between Number of Smoking Friends, and Quit Intentions, Attempts, and Success: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey

PubMed Central

Hitchman, Sara C.; Fong, Geoffrey T.; Zanna, Mark P.; Thrasher, James F.; Laux, Fritz L.

2014-01-01

Smokers who inhabit social contexts with a greater number of smokers may be exposed to more positive norms towards smoking and more cues to smoke. This study examines the relation between number of smoking friends and changes in number of smoking friends, and smoking cessation outcomes. Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2002) and Wave 2 (2003) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Project Four Country Survey, a longitudinal cohort survey of nationally representative samples of adult smokers in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and United States (N=6,321). Smokers with fewer smoking friends at Wave 1 were more likely to intend to quit at Wave 1 and were more likely to succeed in their attempts to quit at Wave 2. Compared to smokers who experienced no change in their number of smoking friends, smokers who lost smoking friends were more likely to intend to quit at Wave 2, attempt to quit between Wave 1 and Wave 2, and succeed in their quit attempts at Wave 2. Smokers who inhabit social contexts with a greater number of smokers may be less likely to successfully quit. Quitting may be particularly unlikely among smokers who do not experience a loss in the number of smokers in their social context. PMID:24841185

Neural Correlates of Depressive Symptoms in Smokers - A Systematic Review of Imaging Studies.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Michele de Oliveira; Goudriaan, Anna E; Périco, Cíntia de Azevedo-Marques; Waisman Campos, Marcela; de Andrade, Arthur Guerra; Bhugra, Dinesh; Castaldelli-Maia, João Mauricio

2017-12-06

This review aims to summarize neuroimaging studies in order to better understand the neural correlates of depressive symptoms in tobacco smokers. Using the keywords "depressive OR depression" AND "tobacco OR nicotine OR smok * OR cigarette" AND "neuroimage OR magnetic resonance OR smri OR structural magnetic resonance OR fmri OR functional magnetic resonance OR pet OR positron emission tomography", literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases. The first and the last author read the abstracts of all the studies found in the search (n = 179). The inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and 150 articles were excluded. Then, both authors assessed the remaining 29 studies for eligibility and 16 studies were included in the present review. In the phase of active/chronic smoking, depressive symptoms are characterized as comorbidity related to an enhancement of dopamine release, and smokers have decreased Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). Stimuli-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (Stimuli-fMRI) studies also show that there is a positive correlation between the level of depressive symptoms and a greater response to general negative stimuli in active/chronic smokers. In the withdrawal phase, depressive symptoms are related to the withdrawal syndrome and increased MAO-A. Stimuli-fMRI studies show that there is a negative correlation between level of depressive symptoms and reactivity to negative stimuli in recent abstinent smokers. Major areas of the reward system such as the striatum and areas related to impulse control are activated to a greater extent in depressive smokers compared to non-depressed smokers.

Recruiting pregnant smokers from Text4baby for a randomized controlled trial of Quit4baby.

PubMed

Leavitt, Leah; Abroms, Lorien; Johnson, Pamela; Schindler-Ruwisch, Jennifer; Bushar, Jessica; Singh, Indira; Cleary, Sean D; McInvale, Whitney; Turner, Monique

2017-06-01

Recruiting pregnant smokers into clinical trials is challenging since this population tends to be disadvantaged, the behavior is stigmatized, and the intervention window is limited. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of recruiting pregnant smokers into a smoking cessation trial by sending recruitment text messages to an existing subscriber list. Recruitment messages were sent to subscribers flagged as pregnant in Text4baby, a national text messaging program for pregnant women and mothers. Four recruitment messages were rotated to test the effectiveness of different emotional frames and a financial incentive. Study staff called subscribers who expressed interest to screen for eligibility and enroll eligible women. Between October 6, 2015 and February 2, 2016, 10,194 recruitment messages were sent to Text4baby subscribers flagged as pregnant, and 10.18% (1038) responded indicating interest. No significant increase in cancellation was observed compared to subscribers who received other ad hoc messages. Of respondents, 54.05% (561) were reached by phone for follow-up, and 21.97% (228) were found to be eligible. Among the eligible, 87% (199) pregnant smokers enrolled. The recruitment message with a pride emotional appeal had a significantly higher response (p = 0.02) compared to the recruitment message with no emotional appeal, but enrollment did not significantly differ between recruitment messages with different emotional appeals. The recruitment messages with a reference to financial incentive yielded higher response (p < 0.01) and enrollment (p = 0.03) compared to a recruitment message without. This study demonstrates success recruiting pregnant smokers using text message. Future studies should consider building on this approach for recruiting high-risk populations.

Genetic polymorphisms in glutathione-S-transferases are associated with anxiety and mood disorders in nicotine dependence

PubMed Central

Pizzo de Castro, Márcia Regina; Ehara Watanabe, Maria Angelica; Losi Guembarovski, Roberta; Odebrecht Vargas, Heber; Vissoci Reiche, Edna Maria; Kaminami Morimoto, Helena; Dodd, Seetal; Berk, Michael

2014-01-01

Background Nicotine dependence is associated with an increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders and suicide. The primary hypothesis of this study was to identify whether the polymorphisms of two glutathione-S-transferase enzymes (GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes) predict an increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders in smokers with nicotine dependence. Materials and methods Smokers were recruited at the Centre of Treatment for Smokers. The instruments were a sociodemographic questionnaire, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, diagnoses of mood disorder and nicotine dependence according to DSM-IV (SCID-IV), and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. Anxiety disorder was assessed based on the treatment report. Laboratory assessment included glutathione-S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1), which were detected by a multiplex-PCR protocol. Results Compared with individuals who had both GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes, a higher frequency of at least one deletion of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was identified in anxious smokers [odds ratio (OR)=2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.05–4.65, P=0.034], but there was no association with bipolar and unipolar depression (P=0.943). Compared with nonanxious smokers, anxious smokers had a greater risk for mood disorders (OR=4.67; 95% CI=2.24–9.92, P<0.001), lung disease (OR=6.78, 95% CI=1.95–23.58, P<0.003), and suicide attempts (OR=17.01, 95% CI=2.23–129.91, P<0.006). Conclusion This study suggests that at least one deletion of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes represents a risk factor for anxious smokers. These two genes may modify the capacity for the detoxification potential against oxidative stress. PMID:24637631

Effects of reward and punishment on brain activations associated with inhibitory control in cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Luijten, Maartje; O'Connor, David A; Rossiter, Sarah; Franken, Ingmar H A; Hester, Robert

2013-11-01

Susceptibility to use of addictive substances may result, in part, from a greater preference for an immediate small reward relative to a larger delayed reward or relative insensitivity to punishment. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study examined the neural basis of inhibiting an immediately rewarding stimulus to obtain a larger delayed reward in smokers. We also investigated whether punishment could modulate inhibitory control. The Monetary Incentive Go/NoGo (MI-Go/NoGo) task was administered that provided three types of reward outcomes contingent upon inhibitory control performance over rewarding stimuli: inhibition failure was either followed by no monetary reward (neutral condition), a small monetary reward with immediate feedback (reward condition) or immediate monetary punishment (punishment condition). In the reward and punishment conditions, successful inhibitory control resulted in larger delayed rewards. Community sample of smokers in the Melbourne (Australia) area. Nineteen smokers were compared with 17 demographically matched non-smoking controls. Accuracy, reaction times and brain activation associated with the MI-Go/NoGo task. Smokers showed hyperactivation in the right insula (P < 0.01), inferior and middle frontal gyrus (P < 0.01), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (P = 0.001) and inferior parietal lobe (P < 0.01) both during inhibition of an immediately rewarding stimulus to obtain a larger delayed reward, and during inhibition of neutral stimuli. Group differences in brain activity were not significant in the punishment condition in the right insula and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, most probably as a result of increased activation in non-smoking controls. Compared with non-smokers, smokers showed increased neural activation when resisting immediately rewarding stimuli and may be less sensitive to punishment as a strategy to increase control over rewarding stimuli. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Reproducibility of biomarkers in induced sputum and in serum from chronic smokers.

PubMed

Zuiker, Rob G J A; Kamerling, Ingrid M C; Morelli, Nicoletta; Calderon, Cesar; Boot, J Diderik; de Kam, Marieke; Diamant, Zuzana; Burggraaf, Jacobus; Cohen, Adam F

2015-08-01

Soluble inflammatory markers obtained from non-invasive airway sampling such as induced sputum may be useful biomarkers for targeted pharmaceutical interventions. However, before these soluble markers can be used as potential targets, their variability and reproducibility need to be established in distinct study populations. This study aimed to assess the reproducibility of biomarkers obtained from induced sputum and serum in chronic smokers and non-smokers. Sputum and serum samples were obtained from 16 healthy non-smokers and 16 asymptomatic chronic smokers (for both groups: 8M/8F, 30-52 years, FEV1 ≥80% pred.; ≥10 pack years for the smokers) on 2 separate visits 4-10 days apart. Soluble markers in serum and sputum were analysed by ELISA. The differences between smokers vs non-smokers were analysed with a t-test and variability was assessed on log-transformed data by a mixed model ANOVA. Analysable sputum samples could be obtained from all 32 subjects. In both study populations neutrophils and macrophages were the predominant cell types. Serum Pulmonary Surfactant Associated Protein D had favourable reproducibility criteria for reliability ratio (0.99), intra-subject coefficient of variation (11.2%) and the Bland Altman limits of agreement. Furthermore, chronic smokers, compared to non-smokers, had significantly higher sputum concentrations of IL-8 (1094.6 pg/mL vs 460.8 pg/mL, p = 0.006)), and higher serum concentrations of Pulmonary Surfactant Associated Protein D (110.9 pg/mL vs 64.7 pg/mL, p = 0.019), and lower concentrations of Serum Amyloid A (1352.4 pg/mL vs 2297.5 pg/mL, p = 0.022). Serum Pulmonary Surfactant Associated Protein D proved to be a biomarker that fulfilled the criteria for reproducibility in both study groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrastructural analysis of oral exfoliated epithelial cells of tobacco smokers and betel nut chewers: A scanning electron microscopy study.

PubMed

Khan, Sameera Shamim; Shreedhar, Balasundari; Kamboj, Mala

2016-01-01

The study was undertaken to correlate epithelial surface pattern changes of oral exfoliated cells of tobacco smokers and betel nut chewers and also to compare them with patients of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and healthy individuals. In this cross-sectional study, a total of fifty persons were included in the study, out of which thirty formed the study group (15 each tobacco smokers and betel nut chewers) and twenty formed the control group (ten each of OSCC patients - positive control and ten normal buccal mucosa - negative control). Their oral exfoliated cells were scraped, fixed, and studied under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The statistical analysis was determined using ANOVA, Tukey honestly significant difference, Chi-square test, and statistical SPASS software, P < 0.05. OSCC, Individual cell modifications, intercellular relationships and surface characteristics observed by scanning electron microscopy between OSCC, tobacco smokers, betel nut chewers compared to normal oral mucosa have been tabulated. In normal oral mucosa, cell surface morphology depends on the state of keratinization of the tissue. Thus, it could prove helpful in detecting any carcinomatous change at its incipient stage and also give an insight into the ultra-structural details of cellular differentiations in epithelial tissues.

Comparison of Direct and Indirect Measures of E-cigarette Risk Perceptions.

PubMed

Wackowski, Olivia A; Bover Manderski, Michelle T; Delnevo, Cristine D

2016-01-01

Risk perception measures of tobacco products relative to cigarettes are commonly used and important to tobacco research given that they may be associated with and predict tobacco use. However, results may differ based on measures used. This study compares direct and indirect approaches to measuring e-cigarette/cigarette risk perceptions. We compared the responses of 519 current smokers on a nationally representative 2014 survey that gauged perceptions of e-cigarettes' harm relative to cigarettes in two ways: 1) a single-item direct measure of comparative harm and a two-item indirect measure (which measured perceived levels of harm from e-cigarettes and cigarettes independently in two parallel questions). We found that 60% of smokers rated e-cigarettes "less harmful" than cigarettes when using a direct comparative risk measure versus 73% when using an indirect measure. Agreement between measure types was fair (Cohen's Kappa=0.45) and was lower for males, Blacks, older and less educated smokers. E-cigarettes were more likely to be rated by smokers as less harmful than cigarettes when using indirect versus direct measures. Additional methodology research into this area is warranted given the importance of risk perceptions to tobacco control interventions, communications, policy-making and regulation.

Implementation of a smoke-free policy in a high secure mental health inpatient facility: staff survey to describe experience and attitudes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In 2008, a new forensic hospital was opened as a totally smoke-free facility. This study describes the attitudes and experience of mental health professionals working in the high secure mental health facility three years after it was opened. It is part of a larger evaluation describing the experience of current and discharged hospital patients. Methods Quantitative data was collected using a survey of hospital staff (N = 111) with a 50% response rate. The survey collected demographic and smoking data to describe staff responses to statements relating to hospital smoking policy, patient care and staff support. Results Among staff surveyed, 13% were current smokers and 41% were ex-smokers (10% quit after commencing employment in the smoke-free hospital). Most (88%) preferred to work in a smoke-free environment, although this was significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers (39% vs. 95%). While most staff felt that the smoke-free environment had a positive impact on the health of patients (86%) and on themselves (79%), smokers were significantly less likely to agree. Just over half (57%) of staff surveyed agreed that patient care was easier in a totally smoke-free environment, although less smokers agreed compared to non-smokers. Staff who smoked were also significantly less likely to indicate they had sufficient support working in a smoke-free environment, compared to non-smokers (15% vs. 38%). Conclusions The staff surveyed supported the smoke-free workplace policy; most agreed that patient care was easier and that the policy did not lead to an increase in patient aggression. Implementation of a total smoking ban can result in positive health outcomes for patients and staff, and may influence some staff to quit. Staff who smoke have a less positive experience of the policy and require additional support. PMID:23566256

Proportion and clinical features of never-smokers with non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Cho, Jaeyoung; Choi, Sun Mi; Lee, Jinwoo; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Lee, Sang-Min; Kim, Dong-Wan; Yim, Jae-Joon; Kim, Young Tae; Yoo, Chul-Gyu; Kim, Young Whan; Han, Sung Koo; Park, Young Sik

2017-02-08

The proportion of never-smokers with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is increasing, but that in Korea has not been well addressed in a large population. We aimed to evaluate the proportion and clinical features of never-smokers with NSCLC in a large single institution. We analyzed clinical data of 1860 consecutive patients who were newly diagnosed with NSCLC between June 2011 and December 2014. Of the 1860 NSCLC patients, 707 (38.0%) were never-smokers. The proportions of women (83.7% vs. 5.6%) and adenocarcinoma (89.8% vs. 44.9%) were higher among never-smokers than among ever-smokers. Significantly more never-smokers were diagnosed at a younger median age (65 vs. 68 years, P < 0.001) and earlier stage (stage I-II, 44.5% vs. 38.9%, P = 0.015) compared with ever-smokers. Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations (57.8% vs. 24.4%, P < 0.001) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements (7.8% vs. 2.8%, P < 0.001) were more common in never-smokers, whereas Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog mutations (5.8% vs. 9.6%, P = 0.021) were less frequently encountered in never-smokers than in ever-smokers. Never-smokers showed longer survival after adjusting for the favorable effects of younger age, female sex, adenocarcinoma histology, better performance status, early stage disease, being asymptomatic at diagnosis, received antitumor treatment, and the presence of driver mutations (hazard ratio, 0.624; 95% confidence interval, 0.460-0.848; P = 0.003). More than one-third of the Korean patients with NSCLC were never-smokers. NSCLC in never-smokers had different clinical characteristics and major driver mutations and resulted in longer overall survival compared with NSCLC in ever-smokers.

Economic decision-making in the ultimatum game by smokers.

PubMed

Takahashi, Taiki

2007-10-01

No study to date compared degrees of inequity aversion in economic decision-making in the ultimatum game between non-addictive and addictive reinforcers. The comparison is potentially important in neuroeconomics and reinforcement learning theory of addiction. We compared the degrees of inequity aversion in the ultimatum game between money and cigarettes in habitual smokers. Smokers avoided inequity in the ultimatum game more dramatically for money than for cigarettes; i.e., there was a "domain effect" in decision-making in the ultimatum game. Reward-processing neural activities in the brain for non-addictive and addictive reinforcers may be distinct and the insula activation due to cue-induced craving may conflict with unfair offer-induced insula activation. Future studies in neuroeconomics of addiction should employ game-theoretic decision tasks for elucidating reinforcement learning processes in dopaminergic neural circuits.

Neural mechanisms underlying visual attention to health warnings on branded and plain cigarette packs

PubMed Central

Brooks, Jonathan C. W.; Munafò, Marcus R.; Leonards, Ute

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims To (1) test if activation in brain regions related to reward (nucleus accumbens) and emotion (amygdala) differ when branded and plain packs of cigarettes are viewed, (2) test whether these activation patterns differ by smoking status and (3) examine whether activation patterns differ as a function of visual attention to health warning labels on cigarette packs. Design Cross‐sectional observational study combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with eye‐tracking. Non‐smokers, weekly smokers and daily smokers performed a memory task on branded and plain cigarette packs with pictorial health warnings presented in an event‐related design. Setting Clinical Research and Imaging Centre, University of Bristol, UK. Participants Non‐smokers, weekly smokers and daily smokers (n = 72) were tested. After exclusions, data from 19 non‐smokers, 19 weekly smokers and 20 daily smokers were analysed. Measurements Brain activity was assessed in whole brain analyses and in pre‐specified masked analyses in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. On‐line eye‐tracking during scanning recorded visual attention to health warnings. Findings There was no evidence for a main effect of pack type or smoking status in either the nucleus accumbens or amygdala, and this was unchanged when taking account of visual attention to health warnings. However, there was evidence for an interaction, such that we observed increased activation in the right amygdala when viewing branded as compared with plain packs among weekly smokers (P = 0.003). When taking into account visual attention to health warnings, we observed higher levels of activation in the visual cortex in response to plain packaging compared with branded packaging of cigarettes (P = 0.020). Conclusions Based on functional magnetic resonance imaging and eye‐tracking data, health warnings appear to be more salient on ‘plain’ cigarette packs than branded packs. PMID:27886656

Reactance and Coping Responses to Tobacco Counter-Advertisements.

PubMed

Wehbe, Michelle S; Basil, Michael; Basil, Debra

2017-07-01

Tobacco prevention messages generally take one of three tactics: They can be educational, attack the tobacco industry, or attack particular brands. Being a smoker and smoking a particular brand may form an essential part of a person's self-identity. As such, reactance theory suggests that attack messages can unintentionally attack smokers' self-image. A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 experiment using six different messages and 260 respondents tested whether smokers have different reactions to tobacco counter-advertisements than nonsmokers. It also examined whether attacking a smoker's brand leads to greater reactance and other maladaptive responses compared to attacking other brands. Consistent with predictions, smokers reported more maladaptive coping responses and fewer adaptive coping responses to tobacco counter-ads than nonsmokers. The study also reveals differences attributable to brand identification. These findings suggest that interventions should consider different counter-advertising tactics for smokers and nonsmokers. Similar admonitions may apply to counter-advertising strategies on other health issues.

How does increasingly plainer cigarette packaging influence adult smokers' perceptions about brand image? An experimental study.

PubMed

Wakefield, M A; Germain, D; Durkin, S J

2008-12-01

Cigarette packaging is a key marketing strategy for promoting brand image. Plain packaging has been proposed to limit brand image, but tobacco companies would resist removal of branding design elements. A 3 (brand types) x 4 (degree of plain packaging) between-subject experimental design was used, using an internet online method, to expose 813 adult Australian smokers to one randomly selected cigarette pack, after which respondents completed ratings of the pack. Compared with current cigarette packs with full branding, cigarette packs that displayed progressively fewer branding design elements were perceived increasingly unfavourably in terms of smokers' appraisals of the packs, the smokers who might smoke such packs, and the inferred experience of smoking a cigarette from these packs. For example, cardboard brown packs with the number of enclosed cigarettes displayed on the front of the pack and featuring only the brand name in small standard font at the bottom of the pack face were rated as significantly less attractive and popular than original branded packs. Smokers of these plain packs were rated as significantly less trendy/stylish, less sociable/outgoing and less mature than smokers of the original pack. Compared with original packs, smokers inferred that cigarettes from these plain packs would be less rich in tobacco, less satisfying and of lower quality tobacco. Plain packaging policies that remove most brand design elements are likely to be most successful in removing cigarette brand image associations.

Sister chromatid exchange, (SCE), High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) and SCE distribution patterns in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Spanish adult smokers compared to non-smokers.

PubMed

Sebastià, Natividad; Hervás, David; Almonacid, Miguel; Villaescusa, Juan Ignacio; Soriano, José Miguel; Sahuquillo, Vicenta; Esteban, Valentín; Barquinero, Joan Francesc; Verdú, Gumersindo; Cervera, José; Such, Esperanza; Montoro, Alegría

2014-04-01

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, smoking tobacco is a major cause of cancer in humans. It causes about half of all male cancer deaths and an ever increasing number of cancer deaths in females. The aim of this study was to establish whether cigarette smoking increases sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes in two Spanish population groups; light and heavy smokers. The mean number of High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) was determined and, the SCE distribution pattern among the chromosomes was analysed represented by a ratio described below. A local sample of 101 adult smokers (n=48) and non-smokers (n=53), aged from 18 to 49 years, was studied using SCE levels in peripheral lymphocytes. Heavy smoking (≥ 10 cigarettes per day) increased significantly the SCE frequency and the HFC parameters. Neither age nor sex significantly influenced the frequencies in the groups studied. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

False promises: The tobacco industry, “low-tar” cigarettes, and older smokers

PubMed Central

Cataldo, Janine K.; Malone, Ruth E.

2009-01-01

Objective To investigate the role of the tobacco industry in marketing to and sustaining tobacco addiction among older smokers and aging Baby Boomers. Methods Archival searches of electronic archives of internal tobacco company documents using a snowball sampling approach. Analysis utilizing iterative and comparative review of documents, classification by themes, and a hermeneutic interpretive approach to develop a case study. Results Based on extensive marketing research, tobacco companies aggressively targeted older smokers and sought to prevent them from quitting. Innovative marketing approaches were used. “Low tar” cigarettes were developed in response to the health concerns of older smokers, despite industry knowledge that such products had no health advantage and did not help smokers quit. Conclusion Tobacco industry activities influence the context of cessation for older smokers in several ways. Through marketing “low-tar” or “light” cigarettes to older smokers at risk at quitting, the industry contributes to the illusion that such cigarettes are safer; however, “light” cigarettes may actually make it harder for addicted smokers to quit. Through targeted mailings of coupons and incentives, the industry discourages older smokers from quitting. Through rhetoric aimed at convincing addicted smokers that they alone are responsible for their smoking, the industry contributes to self-blame, a documented barrier to cessation. Educating practitioners, older smokers and families about the tobacco industry’s influence may decrease the tendency to “blame the victim,” thereby enhancing the likelihood of tobacco addiction treatment for older adults. Comprehensive tobacco control measures must include a focus on older smokers. PMID:18691279

Clinical and Radiographic Predictors of GOLD–Unclassified Smokers in the COPDGene Study

PubMed Central

Hokanson, John E.; Murphy, James R.; Regan, Elizabeth A.; Make, Barry J.; Lynch, David A.; Crapo, James D.; Silverman, Edwin K.

2011-01-01

Rationale: A significant proportion of smokers have lung function impairment characterized by a reduced FEV1 with a preserved FEV1/FVC ratio. These smokers are a poorly characterized group due to their systematic exclusion from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) studies. Objectives: To characterize the clinical, functional, and radiographic features of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)-Unclassified (FEV1/FVC ≥ 0.7 and FEV1 < 80% predicted) and lower limits of normal (LLN)-unclassified (FEV1/FVC ≥ LLN and FEV1 < LLN) subjects compared to smokers with normal lung function and subjects with COPD. Methods: Data from the first 2,500 subjects enrolled in the COPDGene study were analyzed. All subjects had 10 or more pack-years of smoking and were between the ages of 45 and 80 years. Multivariate regression models were constructed to determine the clinical and radiological variables associated with GOLD-Unclassified (GOLD-U) and LLN-Unclassified status. Separate multivariate regressions were performed in the subgroups of subjects with complete radiologic measurement variables available. Measurements and Main Results: GOLD-U smokers account for 9% of smokers in COPDGene and have increased body mass index (BMI), a disproportionately reduced total lung capacity, and a higher proportion of nonwhite subjects and subjects with diabetes. GOLD-U subjects exhibit increased airway wall thickness compared to smoking control subjects and decreased gas trapping and bronchodilator responsiveness compared to subjects with COPD. When LLN criteria were used to define the “unclassified” group, African American subjects were no longer overrepresented. Both GOLD-U and LLN-Unclassified subjects demonstrated a wide range of lung function impairment, BMI, and percentage of total lung emphysema. Conclusions: Subjects with reduced FEV1 and a preserved FEV1/FVC ratio are a heterogeneous group with significant symptoms and functional limitation who likely have a variety of underlying etiologies beyond increased BMI. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT000608764). PMID:21493737

Does daily tobacco smoking affect outcomes after microdecompression for degenerative central lumbar spinal stenosis? - A multicenter observational registry-based study.

PubMed

Gulati, Sasha; Nordseth, Trond; Nerland, Ulf S; Gulati, Michel; Weber, Clemens; Giannadakis, Charalampis; Nygaard, Øystein P; Solberg, Tore K; Solheim, Ole; Jakola, Asgeir S

2015-07-01

There are limited scientific data on the impact of smoking on patient-reported outcomes following minimally invasive spine surgery. The aim of this multicenter observational study was to examine the relationship between daily smoking and patient-reported outcome at 1 year using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after microdecompression for single- and two-level central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stays, perioperative and postoperative complications. Data were collected through the Norwegian Registry for Spine Surgery (NORspine). A total of 825 patients were included (619 nonsmokers and 206 smokers). For the whole patient population there was a significant difference between preoperative ODI and ODI at 1 year (17.3 points, 95% CI 15.93-18.67, p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in ODI change at 1 year between nonsmokers and smokers (4.2 points, 95% CI 0.98-7.34, p = 0.010). At 1 year 69.6% of nonsmokers had achieved a minimal clinically important difference (≥10 points ODI improvement) compared to 60.8% of smokers (p = 0.008). There was no difference between nonsmokers and smokers in the overall complication rate (11.6% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.34). There was no difference between nonsmokers and smokers in length of hospital stays for either single-level (2.3 vs. 2.2 days, p = 0.99) or two-level (3.1 vs. 2.3 days, p = 0.175) microdecompression. Smoking was identified as a negative predictor for ODI change in a multiple regression analysis (p = 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Nonsmokers experienced a significantly larger improvement at 1 year following microdecompression for LSS compared to smokers. Smokers were less likely to achieve a minimal clinically important difference. However, it should be emphasized that considerable improvement also was found among smokers.

The heterogeneous effects of cigarette prices on brand choice in China: implications for tobacco control policy.

PubMed

Li, Jing; White, Justin S; Hu, Teh-Wei; Fong, Geoffrey T; Yuan, Jiang

2015-07-01

China has long kept its tobacco taxes below international standards. The Chinese government has cited two rationales against raising tobacco tax, namely, the unfair burden it places on low-income smokers and the ability of consumers to switch to cheaper brands. This study examines how different socioeconomic subgroups of Chinese smokers switch brands in response to cigarette price changes. We model smokers' choice of cigarette tier as a function of tier-specific prices. We examine heterogeneous responses to prices by estimating mixed logit models for different income and education subgroups that allow for random variation in smokers' preferences. We use data from three waves of the longitudinal International Tobacco Control China Survey, collected in six large Chinese cities between 2006 and 2009. Low-income and less educated smokers are considerably more likely to switch tiers (including both up-trading and down-trading) than are their high-socioeconomic status (SES) counterparts. For those in the second-to-lowest tier, a ¥1 ($0.16, or roughly 25%) rise in prices increases the likelihood of switching tiers by 5.6% points for low-income smokers and 7.2% points for less educated smokers, compared to 1.6% and 3.0% points for the corresponding high-SES groups. Low-income and less educated groups are also more likely to trade down compared to their high-SES counterparts. Only a small percentage of low-income and less educated Chinese smokers switched to cheaper brands in response to price increases. Hence, the concern of the Chinese government that a cigarette tax increase will lead to large-scale brand switching is not supported by this study. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Characteristics of intermittent smokers and their association with quit intentions in a sample of heavy-drinking HIV-infected men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Cioe, Patricia A; Gamarel, Kristi E; Pantalone, David W; Monti, Peter M; Mayer, Kenneth H; Kahler, Christopher W

2017-06-01

Intermittent smokers (ITS) have increased health risks compared with non-smokers (NS). Cigarette smoking remains prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and persons living with HIV (PLWH), yet most studies in PLWH do not discriminate between daily smokers (DS) and ITS. In this study, the characteristics and quit intentions of ITS and DS are compared in a sample of heavy-drinking HIV-infected MSM. Of the 185 participants enrolled, 49.2% reported having smoked cigarettes in the past month; among those, 50.5% were DS, and 49.5% were ITS. Compared with DS, ITS were significantly more likely to be White and to have a college degree or higher. DS reported significantly higher average number of drinks per week compared with both ITS and NS. Compared with DS, ITS were significantly more likely to report future quit intentions (i.e., within 6 months or more) compared to no intentions at all; DS were more likely to report immediate quit intentions (i.e., within 30 days) compared to future quit intentions. Among heavy-drinking MSM living with HIV, intermittent smoking was associated with being White, college educated, and having future quit intentions. Considering that smoking in ITS may be less driven by nicotine dependence, tailored approaches to smoking cessation may be needed. Specifically, it may be important for interventions for ITS to address social and situational cues to smoke, including the influence of heavy alcohol use on smoking behaviors, and to provide information regarding the adverse health effects of even low-level smoking.

Clinical and microbiological effects of mechanical instrumentation and local antimicrobials during periodontal supportive therapy in aggressive periodontitis patients: smoker versus non-smoker patients.

PubMed

Guarnelli, Maria Elena; Farina, Roberto; Cucchi, Alessandro; Trombelli, Leonardo

2010-11-01

To compare the clinical and microbiological effects of ultrasonic mechanical instrumentation (UMI) associated to home-care use of amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (AmF/SnF(2) )-containing mouthrinse and toothpaste in smoker and non-smoker patients affected by generalized aggressive periodontitis (G-AgP) during a recall session of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Thirteen smokers and 25 non-smokers G-AgP patients enrolled in an SPT programme received a single session of UMI associated with home-care use of AmF/SnF(2) -containing mouthrinse and toothpaste. Clinical and microbiological parameters were assessed pre-treatment, at 6 and 12 weeks post-treatment. In both groups, UMI plus AmF/SnF(2) -implemented oral hygiene use determined a significant decrease of total bacterial counts, with non-smokers exhibiting a lower count compared with smokers at 12 weeks. No significant differences were observed between smokers and non-smokers in the counts of total pathogens and red complex species at each observation interval. Clinically, a significant reduction of supragingival plaque, gingival inflammation and probing pocket depth was similarly observed in both groups. A combined mechanical/chemical plaque control approach based on UMI and the use of AmF/SnF(2) agents resulted in the reduction of supragingival plaque deposits, gingival inflammation and subgingival periodontal pathogens in G-AgP patients during SPT, with no substantial difference between smokers and non-smokers. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Smoking and intention to quit among a large sample of black sexual and gender minorities.

PubMed

Jordan, Jenna N; Everett, Kevin D; Ge, Bin; McElroy, Jane A

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to more completely quantify smoking and intention to quit from a sample of sexual and gender minority (SGM) Black individuals (N = 639) through analysis of data collected at Pride festivals and online. Frequencies described demographic characteristics; chi-square analyses were used to compare tobacco-related variables. Black SGM smokers were more likely to be trying to quit smoking than White SGM smokers. However, Black SGM individuals were less likely than White SGM individuals to become former smokers. The results of this study indicate that smoking behaviors may be heavily influenced by race after accounting for SGM status.

The Contribution of Beverages to Intakes of Energy and MyPlate Components by Current, Former, and Never Smokers in the United States.

PubMed

Zizza, Claire A; Sebastian, Rhonda S; Wilkinson Enns, Cecilia; ISIK, Zeynep; Goldman, Joseph D; Moshfegh, Alanna J

2015-12-01

Although beverage intake patterns have been shown to differ by smoking status, it is unknown whether the contributions of beverages to intakes of energy and MyPlate components also differ. The purpose of this study was to compare beverage intakes and contributions of energy and MyPlate components by source (food alone, beverages alone, and food and beverages together) in diets of adult current, former, and never smokers. Dietary data from 4,823 men and 4,672 women aged ≥20 years who participated in What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008, were analyzed. Beverage intake and the contributions to energy and MyPlate components by beverages. Regression analyses identified differences in intake among groups. Current smokers consumed more total beverages, coffee, and sugar-sweetened beverages than never and former smokers (P<0.001). Male current smokers drank more alcoholic beverages than never and former smokers, whereas female current and former smokers both consumed more alcoholic beverages than never smokers. Current smokers obtained more energy from beverages than their nonsmoking counterparts, although total energy intake did not differ. Intakes of added sugars, alcohol, and empty calories were higher for current than never smokers, and differences were accounted for by current smokers' beverage choices. This study adds to the body of research on smoking and dietary behavior by showing that not only do smokers consume a higher volume of beverages, but they also have a higher intake of energy provided by beverages, mainly empty calories from added sugars and alcohol. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing beverages' contribution to the total diet. Recognizing the common co-occurrence of smoking and specific beverage choices can help target health promotion and disease prevention efforts for this subpopulation. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Out of the smokescreen II: will an advertisement targeting the tobacco industry affect young people's perception of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke?

PubMed

Edwards, Christine; Oakes, Wendy; Bull, Diane

2007-06-01

To evaluate the effect of an antismoking advertisement on young people's perceptions of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke. 3091 cinema patrons aged 12-24 years in three Australian states; 18.6% of the sample (n = 575) were current smokers. Quasi-experimental study of patrons, surveyed after having viewed a movie. The control group was surveyed in week 1, and the intervention group in weeks 2 and 3. Before seeing the movie in weeks 2 and 3, a 30 s antismoking advertisement was shown, shot in the style of a movie trailer that warned patrons not to be sucked in by the smoking in the movie they were about to see. Attitude of current smokers and non-smokers to smoking in the movies; intention of current smokers and non-smokers to smoke in 12 months. Among non-smokers, 47.8% of the intervention subjects thought that the smoking in the viewed movie was not OK compared with 43.8% of the control subjects (p = 0.04). However, there was no significant difference among smokers in the intervention (16.5%) and control (14.5%) groups (p = 0.4). A higher percentage of smokers in the intervention group indicated that they were likely to be smoking in 12 months time (38.6%) than smokers in the control group (25.6%; p<0.001). For non-smokers, there was no significant difference in smoking intentions between groups, with 1.2% of intervention subjects and 1.6% of controls saying that they would probably be smoking in 12 months time (p = 0.54). This real-world study suggests that placing an antismoking advertisement before movies containing smoking scenes can help to immunise non-smokers against the influences of film stars' smoking. Caution must be exercised in the type of advertisement screened as some types of advertising may reinforce smokers' intentions to smoke.

Changing smokers' risk perceptions--for better or worse?

PubMed

Myers, Lynn B

2014-03-01

This study investigated the effect of a smoking health message on smokers' comparative optimism. Two groups watched an anti-smoking scenario, with one group imagining being part of the scenario. Participants, including controls, completed comparative optimism ratings for four smoking-related illnesses. The intervention had negative consequences with both intervention groups reporting significantly higher comparative optimism versus the control group for all four smoking-related illnesses. It is concluded that media health messages can be powerful tools in changing comparative optimism but are influenced by peoples' prior perceptions. Health messages need to be systematically assessed to understand prior beliefs of the target audience.

Non-small cell lung cancer in never smokers: a clinical entity to be identified.

PubMed

Santoro, Ilka Lopes; Ramos, Roberta Pulcheri; Franceschini, Juliana; Jamnik, Sergio; Fernandes, Ana Luisa Godoy

2011-01-01

It has been recognized that patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are lifelong never-smokers constitute a distinct clinical entity. The aim of this study was to assess clinical risk factors for survival among never-smokers with non-small cell lung cancer. All consecutive non-small cell lung cancer patients diagnosed (n = 285) between May 2005 and May 2009 were included. The clinical characteristics of never-smokers and ever-smokers (former and current) were compared using chi-squared or Student's t tests. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank tests were used for survival comparisons. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was evaluated by adjusting for age (continuous variable), gender (female vs. male), smoking status (never- vs. ever-smoker), the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (continuous variable), histological type (adenocarcinoma vs. non-adenocarcinoma), AJCC staging (early vs. advanced staging), and treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy vs. the best treatment support). Of the 285 non-small cell lung cancer patients, 56 patients were never-smokers. Univariate analyses indicated that the never-smoker patients were more likely to be female (68% vs. 32%) and have adenocarcinoma (70% vs. 51%). Overall median survival was 15.7 months (95% CI: 13.2 to 18.2). The never-smoker patients had a better survival rate than their counterpart, the ever-smokers. Never-smoker status, higher Karnofsky Performance Status, early staging, and treatment were independent and favorable prognostic factors for survival after adjusting for age, gender, and adenocarcinoma in multivariate analysis. Epidemiological differences exist between never- and ever-smokers with lung cancer. Overall survival among never-smokers was found to be higher and independent of gender and histological type.

Smoking-Cessation Efforts by US Adult Smokers with Medical Comorbidities.

PubMed

Kalkhoran, Sara; Kruse, Gina R; Chang, Yuchiao; Rigotti, Nancy A

2018-03-01

Continued cigarette smoking by individuals with chronic medical diseases can adversely affect their symptoms, disease progression, and mortality. We assessed the association between medical comorbidities and smoking-cessation efforts among US adult smokers. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 12,494 past-year cigarette smokers aged ≥18 years from Wave 1 (2013-2014) of the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study. We assessed the association between self-reported medical comorbidities and past-year quit attempts, use of evidence-based smoking-cessation treatment or electronic cigarettes, and successful smoking cessation using logistic regression, adjusting for sociodemographics, insurance status, geographic region, and having a past-year doctor visit. In the study sample, 39% were aged 18 to 34 years, 45% were female, 70% were non-Hispanic white, and 48% reported ≥1 comorbidity. Smokers with any comorbidity, compared with those without comorbidities, had higher odds of trying to quit (adjusted odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.30), but no higher likelihood of quitting success. Having more medical comorbidities was associated with increased odds of trying to quit. Smokers with a comorbidity used evidence-based treatment more often than smokers without comorbidities (43% vs 26%); use of e-cigarettes to quit was similar between smokers with and without comorbidities (27% vs 28%). Adult smokers with chronic medical diseases try to quit and use evidence-based tobacco-cessation treatment more often than smokers without comorbidities, but they are no more likely to quit, suggesting that their quit attempts are less likely to succeed. Smokers with medical comorbidities may require more intensive, prolonged, and repeated treatment to stop smoking. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prostate tissue metal levels and prostate cancer recurrence in smokers.

PubMed

Neslund-Dudas, Christine; Kandegedara, Ashoka; Kryvenko, Oleksandr N; Gupta, Nilesh; Rogers, Craig; Rybicki, Benjamin A; Dou, Q Ping; Mitra, Bharati

2014-02-01

Although smoking is not associated with prostate cancer risk overall, smoking is associated with prostate cancer recurrence and mortality. Increased cadmium (Cd) exposure from smoking may play a role in progression of the disease. In this study, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine Cd, arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) levels in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tumor and tumor-adjacent non-neoplastic tissue of never- and ever-smokers with prostate cancer. In smokers, metal levels were also evaluated with regard to biochemical and distant recurrence of disease. Smokers (N = 25) had significantly higher Cd (median ppb, p = 0.03) and lower Zn (p = 0.002) in non-neoplastic tissue than never-smokers (N = 21). Metal levels were not significantly different in tumor tissue of smokers and non-smokers. Among smokers, Cd level did not differ by recurrence status. However, the ratio of Cd ppb to Pb ppb was significantly higher in both tumor and adjacent tissue of cases with distant recurrence when compared with cases without distant recurrence (tumor tissue Cd/Pb, 6.36 vs. 1.19, p = 0.009, adjacent non-neoplastic tissue Cd/Pb, 6.36 vs. 1.02, p = 0.038). Tissue Zn levels were also higher in smokers with distant recurrence (tumor, p = 0.039 and adjacent non-neoplastic, p = 0.028). These initial findings suggest that prostate tissue metal levels may differ in smokers with and without recurrence. If these findings are confirmed in larger studies, additional work will be needed to determine whether variations in metal levels are drivers of disease progression or are simply passengers of the disease process.

Comparison of no-reflow phenomenon after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction between smokers and nonsmokers.

PubMed

Shemirani, Hassan; Tafti, Faezeh Dehghani; Amirpour, Afshin

2014-11-01

No-reflow phenomenon after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is relatively common and has therapeutic and prognostic implications. Cigarette smoking is known as deleterious in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but the effect of smoking on no-reflow phenomenon is less investigated. The aim of this study was to compare no-reflow phenomenon after percutneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction, between smokers and non smokers. A total of 141 patients who were admitted to Chamran Hospital (Isfahan, Iran) between March and September, 2012 with a diagnosis of STEMI, enrolled into our Cohort study. Patients were divided into current smoker and nonsmoker groups (based on patient's information). All patients underwent primary PCI or rescue PCI within the first 12-h of chest pain. No-reflow phenomenon, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (MI) flow, and 24-h complications were assessed in both groups. A total of 47 current smoker cases (32.9%) and 94 (65.7%) nonsmoker cases were evaluated. Smokers in comparison to nonsmokers were younger (53.47 ± 10.59 vs. 61.46 ± 10.55, P < 0.001) and they were less likely to be hypertensive (15.2% vs. 44.7%, P < 0.001), diabetic (17% vs. 36.2%, P < 0.05), and female gender (4.3% vs. 25.5%, P < 0.01). Angiographic and procedural characteristics of both groups were similar. 9 patients died during the first 24-h after PCI (4.3% of smokers and 6.4% of nonsmokers, P: 0.72). No-reflow phenomenon was observed in 29.8% of current smokers and 31.5% of nonsmokers (P = 0.77). No-reflow phenomenon or short-term complications were not significantly different between current smokers and non smokers.

Cigarette smoking and military deployment: a prospective evaluation.

PubMed

Smith, Besa; Ryan, Margaret A K; Wingard, Deborah L; Patterson, Thomas L; Slymen, Donald J; Macera, Caroline A

2008-12-01

The stress of military deployment may compound occupational stress experienced in the military and manifest in maladaptive coping behaviors such as cigarette smoking. The current study describes new smoking among never-smokers, smoking recidivism among past smokers, and change in daily smoking among smokers in relation to military deployment. The Millennium Cohort is a 21-year longitudinal study. The current analysis utilized participants (N=48,304) who submitted baseline data (July 2001-June 2003) before the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and follow-up data (June 2004-January 2006) on health measures. New smoking was identified among baseline never-smokers, smoking recidivism among baseline past smokers, and increased or decreased daily smoking among baseline smokers. Analyses were conducted March 2007-April 2007. Among never-smokers, smoking initiation was identified in 1.3% of nondeployers and 2.3% of deployers. Among past smokers, smoking resumption occurred in 28.7% of nondeployers and 39.4% of those who deployed. Smoking increased 44% among nondeployers and 57% among deployers. Those who deployed and reported combat exposures were at 1.6 times greater odds of initiating smoking among baseline never-smokers (95% CI=1.2, 2.3) and at 1.3 times greater odds of resuming smoking among baseline past smokers when compared to those who did not report combat exposures. Other deployment factors independently associated with postdeployment smoking recidivism included deploying for >9 months and deploying multiple times. Among those who smoked at baseline, deployment was not associated with changes in daily amount smoked. Military deployment is associated with smoking initiation and, more strongly, with smoking recidivism, particularly among those with prolonged deployments, multiple deployments, or combat exposures. Prevention programs should focus on the prevention of smoking relapse during or after deployment.

Current but not past smoking increases the risk of cardiac events: insights from coronary computed tomographic angiography

PubMed Central

Nakanishi, Rine; Berman, Daniel S.; Budoff, Matthew J.; Gransar, Heidi; Achenbach, Stephan; Al-Mallah, Mouaz; Andreini, Daniele; Cademartiri, Filippo; Callister, Tracy Q.; Chang, Hyuk-Jae; Cheng, Victor Y.; Chinnaiyan, Kavitha; Chow, Benjamin J.W.; Cury, Ricardo; Delago, Augustin; Hadamitzky, Martin; Hausleiter, Jörg; Feuchtner, Gudrun; Kim, Yong-Jin; Kaufmann, Philipp A.; Leipsic, Jonathon; Lin, Fay Y.; Maffei, Erica; Pontone, Gianluca; Raff, Gilbert; Shaw, Leslee J.; Villines, Todd C.; Dunning, Allison; Min, James K.

2015-01-01

Aims We evaluated coronary artery disease (CAD) extent, severity, and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in never, past, and current smokers undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Methods and results We evaluated 9456 patients (57.1 ± 12.3 years, 55.5% male) without known CAD (1588 current smokers; 2183 past smokers who quit ≥3 months before CCTA; and 5685 never smokers). By risk-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards models, we related smoking status to MACE (all-cause death or non-fatal myocardial infarction). We further performed 1:1:1 propensity matching for 1000 in each group evaluate event risk among individuals with similar age, gender, CAD risk factors, and symptom presentation. During a mean follow-up of 2.8 ± 1.9 years, 297 MACE occurred. Compared with never smokers, current and past smokers had greater atherosclerotic burden including extent of plaque defined as segments with any plaque (2.1 ± 2.8 vs. 2.6 ± 3.2 vs. 3.1 ± 3.3, P < 0.0001) and prevalence of obstructive CAD [1-vessel disease (VD): 10.6% vs. 14.9% vs. 15.2%, P < 0.001; 2-VD: 4.4% vs. 6.1% vs. 6.2%, P = 0.001; 3-VD: 3.1% vs. 5.2% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.001]. Compared with never smokers, current smokers experienced higher MACE risk [hazard ratio (HR) 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–2.6, P < 0.001], while past smokers did not (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.8–1.6, P = 0.35). Among matched individuals, current smokers had higher MACE risk (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.6–4.2, P < 0.001), while past smokers did not (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7–2.4, P = 0.39). Similar findings were observed for risk of all-cause death. Conclusion Among patients without known CAD undergoing CCTA, current and past smokers had increased burden of atherosclerosis compared with never smokers; however, risk of MACE was heightened only in current smokers. PMID:25666322

Hookah smoking and cancer: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in exclusive/ever hookah smokers.

PubMed

Sajid, Khan Mohammad; Chaouachi, Kamal; Mahmood, Rubaida

2008-05-24

We have recently published some work on CEA levels in hookah (also called narghile, shisha elsewhere) and cigarette smokers. Hookah smokers had higher levels of CEA than non-smokers although mean levels were low compared to cigarette smokers. However some of them were also users of other tobacco products (cigarettes, bidis, etc.). To find serum CEA levels in ever/exclusive hookah smokers, i.e. those who smoked only hookah (no cigarettes, bidis, etc.), prepared between 1 and 4 times a day with a quantity of up to 120 g of a tobacco-molasses mixture each (i.e. the tobacco weight equivalent of up to 60 cigarettes of 1 g each) and consumed in 1 to 8 sessions. Enhanced chemiluminescent immunometric technique was applied to measure CEA levels in serum samples from 59 exclusive male smokers with age ranging from 20-80 years (mean = 58.8 +/- 14.7 years) and 8-65 years of smoking (mean = 37.7 +/- 16.8). 36 non-smokers served as controls. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the number of preparations; the number of sessions and the total daily smoking time: Light (1; 1; < or = 20 minutes); Medium (1-3; 1-3; >20 min to < or = 2 hrs) and Heavy smokers (2-4; 3-8; >2 hrs to < or = 6 hrs). Because of the nature of distribution of CEA levels among our individuals, Wilcoxon's rank sum two-sample test was applied to compare the variables. The overall CEA levels in exclusive hookah smokers (mean: 3.58 +/- 2.61 ng/ml; n = 59) were not significantly different (p < or = 0.0937) from the levels in non-smokers (2.35 +/- 0.71 ng/ml). Mean levels in light, medium and heavy smokers were: 1.06 +/- 0.492 ng/ml (n = 5); 2.52 +/- 1.15 ng/ml (n = 28) and 5.11 +/- 3.08 ng/ml (n = 26) respectively. The levels in medium smokers and non-smokers were also not significantly different (p < or = 0.9138). In heavy smokers, the CEA levels were significantly higher than in non-smokers (p < or = 0.0001567). Overall CEA levels in exclusive hookah smokers were low compared to cigarette smokers. However, heavy hookah smoking substantially raises CEA levels. Low-nitrosamines smokeless tobacco of the SNUS Swedish type could be envisaged as an alternative to smoking for this category of users and also, in a broad harm reduction perspective, to the prevalent low-quality moist snuff called naswar.

Exploring the Utility of Web-Based Social Media Advertising to Recruit Adult Heavy-Drinking Smokers for Treatment.

PubMed

Bold, Krysten W; Hanrahan, Tess H; O'Malley, Stephanie S; Fucito, Lisa M

2016-05-18

Identifying novel ways to recruit smokers for treatment studies is important. In particular, certain subgroups of adult smokers, such as heavy-drinking smokers, are at increased risk for serious medical problems and are less likely to try quitting smoking, so drawing this hard-to-reach population into treatment is important for improving health outcomes. This study examined the utility of Facebook advertisements to recruit smokers and heavy-drinking smokers for treatment research and evaluated smoking and alcohol use and current treatment goals among those who responded to the Web-based survey. Using Facebook's advertising program, 3 separate advertisements ran for 2 months targeting smokers who were thinking about quitting. Advertisements were shown to adult (at least 18 years of age), English-speaking Facebook users in the greater New Haven, Connecticut, area. Participants were invited to complete a Web-based survey to determine initial eligibility for a smoking cessation research study. Advertisements generated 1781 clicks and 272 valid, completed surveys in 2 months, with one advertisement generating the most interest. Facebook advertising was highly cost-effective, averaging $0.27 per click, $1.76 per completed survey, and $4.37 per participant meeting initial screening eligibility. On average, those who completed the Web-based survey were 36.8 (SD 10.4) years old, and 65.8% (179/272) were female. Advertisements were successful in reaching smokers; all respondents reported daily smoking (mean 16.2 [SD 7.0] cigarettes per day). The majority of smokers (254/272, 93.4%) were interested in changing their smoking behavior immediately. Many smokers (161/272, 59.2%) also reported heavy alcohol consumption at least once a month. Among smokers interested in reducing their alcohol use, more were heavy drinkers (45/56, 80.4%) compared to non-heavy drinkers (11/56, 19.6%; χ(2)[1,N=272]=13.0, P<.001). Of those who met initial screening eligibility from the Web-based survey, 12.7% (14/110) attended an in-person follow-up appointment. Social media advertisements designed to target smokers were cost-effective and successful for reaching adult smokers interested in treatment. Additionally, recruiting for smokers reached those who also drink alcohol heavily, many of whom were interested in changing this behavior as well. However, additional social media strategies may be needed to engage individuals into treatment after completion of Web-based screening surveys.

Ethnic differences in smoking rate, nicotine dependence, and cessation-related variables among adult smokers in Hawaii.

PubMed

Herzog, Thaddeus A; Pokhrel, Pallav

2012-12-01

This study tests hypotheses concerning ethnic disparities in daily cigarette smoking rates, nicotine dependence, cessation motivation, and knowledge and past use of cessation methods (e.g., counseling) and products (e.g., nicotine patch) in a multiethnic sample of smokers in Hawaii. Previous research has revealed significant differences in smoking prevalence among Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, Japanese, and Caucasians in Hawaii. However, no study has examined differences in dependence and cessation-related knowledge and practices among smokers representing these ethnic groups. Participants were recruited through newspaper advertisement as part of a larger smoking cessation intervention study. Participants (N = 919; M age = 45.6, SD = 12.7; 48 % women) eligible to participate provided self-report data through mail and telephone. Participants included 271 self-identified Native Hawaiians, 63 Filipinos, 316 Caucasians, 145 "East Asians" (e.g., Japanese, Chinese), and 124 "other" (e.g., Hispanic, African-American). Pair-wise comparisons of means, controlling for age, gender, income, education, and marital status, indicated that Native Hawaiian smokers reported significantly higher daily smoking rates and higher levels of nicotine dependence compared to East Asians. Native Hawaiian smokers reported significantly lower motivation to quit smoking than Caucasians. Further, Filipino and Native Hawaiian smokers reported lesser knowledge of cessation methods and products, and less frequent use of these methods and products than Caucasians. The results suggest that Native Hawaiian and Filipino smokers could be underserved with regard to receiving cessation-related advice, and may lack adequate access to smoking cessation products and services. In addition, cessation interventions tailored for Native Hawaiian smokers could benefit from a motivational enhancement component.

Social Smoking and Mental Health Among Chinese Male College Students.

PubMed

Cai, Long-Biao; Xu, Fang-Rong; Cheng, Qing-Zhou; Zhan, Jian; Xie, Tao; Ye, Yong-Ling; Xiong, Shang-Zhi; McCarthy, Kayne; He, Qi-Qiang

2017-05-01

China has a high prevalence of smoking, but the characteristics of social smoking in Chinese college students have not been investigated. We examined the pattern of social smoking and explored the association between social smoking and personal cessation efforts and mental health factors among Chinese male college students. Study design was a cross-sectional survey. P. R. China was the setting of the study. Participants were a random sample of 1327 male college students. All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that examined their smoking behaviors and a group of specific mental health factors (loneliness, self-harm, suicide, depression, and anxiety). Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, χ 2 analysis, and multivariate logistic regression. Of a total of 207 current smokers, 102 (49.3%) were identified as social smokers. Compared with nonsmokers, social smokers had increased risks for depression (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.65). Among daily smokers, social smokers were less likely to have an intention to quit smoking than nonsocial smokers (odds ratio, .08; 95% confidence interval, .01-.57). This study reveals unique psychologic characteristics related to social smoking. College students are a particular group of interest because unhealthy behaviors initiated during adolescence may continue through adulthood. Our findings provide evidence for future tobacco control intervention among this population.

Cigarette demand among smokers with elevated depressive symptoms: an experimental comparison with low depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Secades-Villa, Roberto; Weidberg, Sara; González-Roz, Alba; Reed, Derek D; Fernández-Hermida, José R

2018-03-01

Individuals with depression smoke more than smokers without depression. Research has shown that cigarette demand is a useful tool for quantifying tobacco reinforcement and supposes a clinical predictor of treatment outcomes. Despite previous studies examining the relative reinforcing efficacy of nicotine among different populations of smokers, to date, no study has assessed cigarette demand among individuals with elevated depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare cigarette demand among samples of smokers with low and elevated depressive symptoms. Further, it also sought to examine the relationship between depressive symptomatology and the individual CPT demand indices. Participants (80 non-depressed smokers and 85 depressed smokers) completed the 19-item version of the Cigarette Purchase Task (CPT). Depression symptomatology was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). Depressed smokers needed to present at least moderate depressive symptoms as indicated by scoring ≥ 20 on the BDI-II. Depressive symptomatology and nicotine dependence were significantly associated with elasticity of demand (R 2  = 0.112; F(2, 155) = 9.756, p = ≤ 0.001). Depressive symptoms, cigarettes per day, and years of regular smoking also predicted breakpoint scores (R 2  = 0.088; F(4, 153) = 3.697, p = 0.007). As smokers with elevated depressive symptoms are less sensitive to increases in cigarette prices than those with low depressive symptomatology, future studies should consider these cigarette demand indices when designing depression-focused smoking cessation treatments. Providing this difficult-to-treat population with interventions that promote both pleasurable and alternative reinforcing activities is highly encouraged.

Evaluation of Biomarkers of Exposure in Smokers Switching to a Carbon-Heated Tobacco Product: A Controlled, Randomized, Open-Label 5-Day Exposure Study

PubMed Central

Haziza, Christelle; Weitkunat, Rolf; Magnette, John

2016-01-01

Introduction: Tobacco harm reduction aims to provide reduced risk alternatives to adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking combustible cigarettes (CCs). This randomized, open-label, three-arm, parallel-group, single-center, short-term confinement study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to selected harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) of cigarette smoke in adult smokers who switched to a carbon-heated tobacco product (CHTP) compared with adult smokers who continued to smoke CCs and those who abstained from smoking for 5 days. Methods: Biomarkers of exposure to HPHCs, including nicotine and urinary excretion of mutagenic material, were measured in 24-hour urine and blood samples in 112 male and female Caucasian smokers switching from CCs to the CHTP ad libitum use. Puffing topography was assessed during product use. Results: Switching to the CHTP or smoking abstinence (SA) resulted in marked decreases from baseline to Day 5 in all biomarkers of exposure measured, including carboxyhemoglobin (43% and 55% decrease in the CHTP and SA groups, respectively). The urinary excretion of mutagenic material was also markedly decreased on Day 5 compared with baseline (89% and 87% decrease in the CHTP and SA groups, respectively). No changes in biomarkers of exposure to HPHCs or urinary mutagenic material were observed between baseline and Day 5 in the CC group. Conclusions: Our results provide clear evidence supporting a reduction in the level of exposure to HPHCs of tobacco smoke in smokers who switch to CHTP under controlled conditions, similar to that observed in SA. Implications: The reductions observed in biomarkers of exposure to HPHCs of tobacco smoke in this short-term study could potentially also reduce the incidence of cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in those smokers who switch to a heated tobacco product. PMID:26817490

The prognostic significance of smoking cessation after acute coronary syndromes: an observational, multicentre study from the Melbourne interventional group registry.

PubMed

Yudi, Matias B; Farouque, Omar; Andrianopoulos, Nick; Ajani, Andrew E; Kalten, Katie; Brennan, Angela L; Lefkovits, Jeffrey; Hiew, Chin; Oqueli, Ernesto; Reid, Christopher M; Duffy, Stephen J; Clark, David J

2017-10-06

We aim to ascertain the prognostic significance of persistent smoking and smoking cessation after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and optimal secondary prevention pharmacotherapy. Consecutive patients from the Melbourne Interventional Group registry (2005-2013) who were alive at 30 days post-ACS presentation were included in our observational cohort study. Patients were divided into four categories based on their smoking status: non-smoker; ex-smoker (quit >1 month before ACS); recent quitter (smoker at presentation but quit by 30 days) and persistent smoker (smoker at presentation and at 30 days). The primary endpoint was survival ascertained through the Australian National Death Index linkage. A Cox-proportional hazards model was used to estimate the adjusted HR and 95% CI for survival. Of the 9375 patients included, 2728 (29.1%) never smoked, 3712 (39.6%) were ex-smokers, 1612 (17.2%) were recent quitters and 1323 (14.1%) were persistent smokers. Cox-proportional hazard modelling revealed, compared with those who had never smoked, that persistent smoking (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.32, p<0.001) was an independent predictor of increased hazard (mean follow-up 3.9±2.2 years) while being a recent quitter (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.68, p=0.10) or an ex-smoker (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.22, p=0.72) were not. In a contemporary cohort of patients with ACS, those who continued to smoke had an 80% risk of lower survival while those who quit had comparable survival to lifelong non-smokers. This underscores the importance of smoking cessation in secondary prevention despite the improvement in management of ACS with PCI and pharmacotherapy. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Noninvasive quantification of alveolar morphometry in elderly never- and ex-smokers

PubMed Central

Paulin, Gregory A; Ouriadov, Alexei; Lessard, Eric; Sheikh, Khadija; McCormack, David G; Parraga, Grace

2015-01-01

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a way to generate in vivo lung images with contrast sensitive to the molecular displacement of inhaled gas at subcellular length scales. Here, we aimed to evaluate hyperpolarized 3He MRI estimates of the alveolar dimensions in 38 healthy elderly never-smokers (73 ± 6 years, 15 males) and 21 elderly ex-smokers (70 ± 10 years, 14 males) with (n = 8, 77 ± 6 years) and without emphysema (n = 13, 65 ± 10 years). The ex-smoker and never-smoker subgroups were significantly different for FEV1/FVC (P = 0.0001) and DLCO (P = 0.009); while ex-smokers with emphysema reported significantly diminished FEV1/FVC (P = 0.02) and a trend toward lower DLCO (P = 0.05) than ex-smokers without emphysema. MRI apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) and CT measurements of emphysema (relative area–CT density histogram, RA950) were significantly different (P = 0.001 and P = 0.007) for never-smoker and ex-smoker subgroups. In never-smokers, the MRI estimate of mean linear intercept (260 ± 27 μm) was significantly elevated as compared to the results previously reported in younger never-smokers (210 ± 30 μm), and trended smaller than in the age-matched ex-smokers (320 ± 72 μm, P = 0.06) evaluated here. Never-smokers also reported significantly smaller internal (220 ± 24 μm, P = 0.01) acinar radius but greater alveolar sheath thickness (120 ± 4 μm, P < 0.0001) than ex-smokers. Never-smokers were also significantly different than ex-smokers without emphysema for alveolar sheath thickness but not ADC, while ex-smokers with emphysema reported significantly different ADC but not alveolar sheath thickness compared to ex-smokers without CT evidence of emphysema. Differences in alveolar measurements in never- and ex-smokers demonstrate the sensitivity of MRI measurements to the different effects of smoking and aging on acinar morphometry. PMID:26462748

Smoking history, nicotine dependence, and changes in craving and mood during short-term smoking abstinence in alcohol dependent vs. control smokers.

PubMed

Heffner, Jaimee L; Mingione, Carolyn; Blom, Thomas J; Anthenelli, Robert M

2011-03-01

The goal of this study was to compare lifetime cigarette smoking, severity of nicotine dependence, and subjective effects of short-term tobacco abstinence in abstinent alcohol dependent (AD) and control smokers. AD (n=119) and control (n=55) ever-smokers were compared on tobacco use history and nicotine dependence. Negative affect and craving to smoke were examined in a subsample of currently smoking AD (N=34) and control (N=19) participants during a 6-h period of tobacco abstinence using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief (QSU-B). Although AD smokers did not differ from controls on heaviness of smoking, they were more likely to meet lifetime criteria for nicotine dependence. AD smokers also reported more withdrawal symptoms and were more likely to endorse withdrawal-related depressed mood during past smoking reduction or abstinence periods. During short-term abstinence, AD smokers were more likely to report high craving to smoke for negative affect relief within the first 150 min of tobacco abstinence, but did not differ from controls on overall craving to smoke or withdrawal-related negative affect on the POMS. Results support previous findings that AD smokers have a greater prevalence of nicotine dependence and more severe nicotine withdrawal, with a greater propensity toward withdrawal-related depressed mood. These results, along with our novel finding that greater craving to smoke in abstaining smokers with AD is specific to negative affect-related craving, suggest that negative reinforcement may be a particularly salient factor in the maintenance of tobacco use among individuals with AD. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smoking cessation in smokers who smoke menthol and non-menthol cigarettes.

PubMed

Smith, Stevens S; Fiore, Michael C; Baker, Timothy B

2014-12-01

To assess the relations of menthol cigarette use with measures of cessation success in a large comparative effectiveness trial (CET). Participants were randomized to one of six medication treatment conditions in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. All participants received six individual counseling sessions. Community-based smokers in two communities in Wisconsin, USA. A total of 1504 adult smokers who smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day during the past 6 months and reported being motivated to quit smoking. The analysis sample comprised 1439 participants: 814 white non-menthol smokers, 439 white menthol smokers and 186 African American (AA) menthol smokers. There were too few AA non-menthol smokers (n = 16) to be included in the analyses. Nicotine lozenge, nicotine patch, bupropion sustained release, nicotine patch + nicotine lozenge, bupropion + nicotine lozenge and placebo. Biochemically confirmed 7-day point-prevalence abstinence assessed at 4, 8 and 26 weeks post-quit. In longitudinal abstinence analyses (generalized estimating equations) controlling for cessation treatment, menthol smoking was associated with reduced likelihood of smoking cessation success relative to non-menthol smoking [model-based estimates of abstinence = 31 versus 38%, respectively; odds ratio (OR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59, 0.86]. In addition, among menthol smokers, AA women were at especially high risk of cessation failure relative to white women (estimated abstinence = 17 versus 35%, respectively; OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.75, 3.96; estimated abstinence rates for AA males and white males were both 30%, OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.60, 1.66). In the United States, smoking menthol cigarettes appears to be associated with reduced cessation success compared with non-menthol smoking, especially in African American females. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Cigarette price and other factors associated with brand choice and brand loyalty in Zambia: findings from the ITC Zambia Survey.

PubMed

Salloum, Ramzi G; Goma, Fastone; Chelwa, Grieve; Cheng, Xi; Zulu, Richard; Kaai, Susan C; Quah, Anne C K; Thrasher, James F; Fong, Geoffrey T

2015-07-01

Little is known about cigarette pricing and brand loyalty in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines these issues in Zambia, analysing data from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Zambia Survey. Data from Wave 1 of the ITC Zambia Survey (2012) were analysed for current smokers of factory-made (FM) cigarettes compared with those who smoked both FM and roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes, using multivariate logistic regression models to identify the predictors of brand loyalty and reasons for brand choice. 75% of FM-only smokers and 64% of FM+RYO smokers reported having a regular brand. Compared with FM-only smokers, FM+RYO smokers were, on average, older (28% vs 20% ≥40 years), low income (64% vs 43%) and had lower education (76% vs 44% < secondary). Mean price across FM brands was ZMW0.50 (US$0.08) per stick. Smokers were significantly less likely to be brand loyal (>1 year) if they were aged 15-17 years (vs 40-54 years) and if they had moderate (vs low) income. Brand choice was predicted mostly by friends, taste and brand popularity. Price was more likely to be a reason for brand loyalty among FM+RYO smokers, among ≥55-year-old smokers and among those who reported being more addicted to cigarettes. These results in Zambia document the high levels of brand loyalty in a market where price variation is fairly small across cigarette brands. Future research is needed on longitudinal trends to evaluate the effect of tobacco control policies in Zambia. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Race and nicotine replacement treatment outcomes among low-income smokers.

PubMed

Fu, Steven S; Burgess, Diana J; Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Noorbaloochi, Siamak; Clothier, Barbara A; Nugent, Sean; van Ryn, Michelle

2008-12-01

Prior research suggests that racial/ethnic minority smokers experience more difficulty with cessation than white smokers and access formal treatment less often. Minority smokers may respond differently to treatment interventions than white smokers. This prospective, observational cohort study compared long-term cessation outcomes among four racial/ethnic groups after an aided quit attempt using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). A random cohort of smokers (N=1782) who recently filled a prescription for NRT was selected, stratified by race, using Minnesota Health Care Programs (e.g., Medicaid) pharmacy claims databases between July 2005 and September 2006. The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence abstinence, which was assessed about 8 months after the NRT index prescription fill date using a mixed-mode survey protocol. The overall survey response was 58.2%. Overall, abstinence outcomes did not significantly vary by race. Unadjusted comparisons show that among survey respondents, at 8 months, 7-day point prevalence abstinence was 13.8% among whites, 13.6% among blacks, 14.1% among American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 20.7% among Asians (p=0.42). Similarly, the 30-day duration abstinence was 10.0% among whites, 11.5% among blacks, 8.9% among American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 18.3% among Asians (p=0.14). In multivariate analysis using propensity adjustment for potential confounding and response bias, there was no evidence that the effectiveness of NRT was lower for racial/ethnic minority smokers compared to white smokers. These findings indicate that racial/ethnic minorities are as likely to quit smoking at a level similar to whites when using cessation treatment that includes NRT. Given documented disparities in the use of evidence-based cessation treatments such as NRT, interventions are sorely needed to improve access and utilization of these treatments in racial/ethnic minority groups.

Effects of cigarette smoking on cortical thickness in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Zorlu, Nabi; Cropley, Vanessa Louise; Zorlu, Pelin Kurtgoz; Delibas, Dursun Hakan; Adibelli, Zehra Hilal; Baskin, Emel Pasa; Esen, Özgür Sipahi; Bora, Emre; Pantelis, Christos

2017-01-01

Findings of surface-based morphometry studies in major depressive disorder (MDD) are still inconsistent. Given that cigarette smoking is highly prevalent in MDD and has documented negative effects on the brain, it is possible that some of the inconsistencies may be partly explained by cigarette use. The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of cigarette smoking on brain structure in MDD. 50 MDD patients (25 smokers and 25 non-smokers) and 22 age, education, gender and BMI matched non-smoker healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Thickness and area of the cortex were measured using surface-based morphometry implemented with Freesurfer (v5.3.0). The non-smoker MDD patients had significantly increased cortical thickness, including in the left temporal cortex (p < 0.001), right insular cortex (p = 0.033) and left pre- and postcentral gyrus (p = 0.045), compared to healthy controls. We also found decreased cortical thickness in MDD patients who smoked compared to non-smoking patients in regions that overlapped with the regions found to be increased in non-smoking patients in comparison to controls. Non-smoker MDD patients had increased surface area in the right lateral occipital cortex (p = 0.009). We did not find any region where cortical thickness or surface area significantly differed between controls and either smoker MDD patients or all MDD patients. The findings of the current study suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with cortical thinning in regions found to be increased in patients with MDD. However, these results should be considered preliminary due to methodological limitations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smoking status and its relationship with exercise capacity, physical activity in daily life and quality of life in physically independent, elderly individuals.

PubMed

Mesquita, R; Gonçalves, C G; Hayashi, D; Costa, V de S P; Teixeira, D de C; de Freitas, E R F S; Felcar, J M; Pitta, F; Molari, M; Probst, V S

2015-03-01

To investigate the relationship between smoking status and exercise capacity, physical activity in daily life and health-related quality of life in physically independent, elderly (≥60 years) individuals. Cross-sectional, observational study. Community-dwelling, elderly individuals. One hundred and fifty-four elderly individuals were categorised into four groups according to their smoking status: never smokers (n=57), passive smokers (n=30), ex-smokers (n=45) and current smokers (n=22). Exercise capacity [6-minute walk test (6MWT)], physical activity in daily life (step counting) and health-related quality of life [36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire] were assessed. Current and ex-smokers had lower mean exercise capacity compared with never smokers: 90 [standard deviation (SD) 10] % predicted, 91 (SD 12) % predicted and 100 (SD 13) % predicted distance on 6MWT, respectively [mean differences -9.8%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -17.8 to -1.8 and -9.1%, 95% CI -15.4 to -2.7, respectively; P<0.05 for both]. The level of physical activity did not differ between the groups, but was found to correlate negatively with the level of nicotine dependence in current smokers (r=-0.47, P=0.03). The median score for the mental health dimension of SF-36 was worse in passive {72 [interquartile range (IQR) 56 to 96] points} and current [76 (IQR 55 to 80) points] smokers compared with ex-smokers [88 (IQR 70 to 100) points] (median differences -16 points, 95% CI -22.2 to -3.0 and -12 points, 95% CI -22.8 to -2.4, respectively; P<0.05 for both). Among elderly individuals, current smokers had lower exercise capacity than never smokers. Although the level of physical activity did not differ between the groups, an association was found with smoking. Tobacco exposure was associated with worse scores for the mental health dimension of SF-36 in physically independent, elderly individuals. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association of military discharge variables with smoking status among homeless Veterans.

PubMed

Hammett, Patrick; Fu, Steven S; Lando, Harry A; Owen, Greg; Okuyemi, Kolawale S

2015-12-01

There is a dearth of research examining the health correlates of tobacco use within the homeless population, particularly with respect to homeless Veterans. An aim of the present study was to compare homeless Veteran and homeless non-Veteran smokers across a series of socio-demographic and health variables, and to determine whether any of these variables were independently associated with Veteran status. A subsequent aim was to compare the socio-demographic and health profiles of Veteran smokers and Veteran nonsmokers, and to determine whether any of these variables were independently associated with current smoking. Data were obtained from the 2009 Homelessness in Minnesota survey conducted by the Wilder Research Foundation. The final sample included 4750 homeless individuals living throughout Minnesota. The prevalence of smoking was greater among homeless Veterans (74%) than homeless non-Veterans (70%). The prevalence of physical and mental health problems was higher among homeless Veteran smokers than homeless non-Veteran smokers, although these variables were not independently associated with Veteran status after controlling for socio-demographics. Analyses of the homeless Veteran sample indicated that receipt of Veterans' benefits, type of discharge, and alcohol and/or chemical dependence were independently associated with current smoking. Homeless Veteran smokers exhibit heightened rates of physical and mental health problems compared to homeless non-Veteran smokers. Military service and discharge characteristics may contribute to this high smoking prevalence. Future efforts should focus on increasing Veterans' access to and knowledge of Veterans' health resources, and on developing innovative strategies to boost cessation in this population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cigarette smoke induces an unfolded protein response in the human lung: a proteomic approach.

PubMed

Kelsen, Steven G; Duan, Xunbao; Ji, Rong; Perez, Oscar; Liu, Chunli; Merali, Salim

2008-05-01

Cigarette smoking, which exposes the lung to high concentrations of reactive oxidant species (ROS) is the major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent studies indicate that ROS interfere with protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum and elicit a compensatory response termed the "unfolded protein response" (UPR). The importance of the UPR lies in its ability to alter expression of a variety of genes involved in antioxidant defense, inflammation, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation. The present study used comparative proteomic technology to test the hypothesis that chronic cigarette smoking induces a UPR in the human lung. Studies were performed on lung tissue samples obtained from three groups of human subjects: nonsmokers, chronic cigarette smokers, and ex-smokers. Proteomes of lung samples from chronic cigarette smokers demonstrated 26 differentially expressed proteins (20 were up-regulated, 5 were down-regulated, and 1 was detected only in the smoking group) compared with nonsmokers. Several UPR proteins were up-regulated in smokers compared with nonsmokers and ex-smokers, including the chaperones, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and calreticulin; a foldase, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI); and enzymes involved in antioxidant defense. In cultured human airway epithelial cells, GRP78 and the UPR-regulated basic leucine zipper, transcription factors, ATF4 and Nrf2, which enhance expression of important anti-oxidant genes, increased rapidly (< 24 h) with cigarette smoke extract. These data indicate that cigarette smoke induces a UPR response in the human lung that is rapid in onset, concentration dependent, and at least partially reversible with smoking cessation. We speculate that activation of a UPR by cigarette smoke may protect the lung from oxidant injury and the development of COPD.

Interest in an online smoking cessation program and effective recruitment strategies: results from Project Quit.

PubMed

McClure, Jennifer B; Greene, Sarah M; Wiese, Cheryl; Johnson, Karin E; Alexander, Gwen; Strecher, Victor

2006-08-22

The Internet is a promising venue for delivering smoking cessation treatment, either as a stand-alone program or as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. However, there is little data to indicate what percent of smokers are interested in receiving online smoking cessation services or how best to recruit smokers to Internet-based programs. Using a defined recruitment sample, this study aimed to identify the percentage of smokers who expressed interest in or enrolled in Project Quit, a tailored, online, cognitive-behavioral support program offered with adjunctive nicotine replacement therapy patches. In addition, we examined the effectiveness of several individual-level versus population-level recruitment strategies. Members from two large health care organizations in the United States were invited to participate in Project Quit. Recruitment efforts included proactive invitation letters mailed to 34533 likely smokers and reactive population-level study advertisements targeted to all health plan members (> 560000 adults, including an estimated 98000 smokers across both health care organizations). An estimated 1.6% and 2.5% of adult smokers from each health care organization enrolled in Project Quit. Among likely smokers who received proactive study invitations, 7% visited the Project Quit website (n = 2260) and 4% (n = 1273) were eligible and enrolled. Response rates were similar across sites, despite using different sources to assemble the invitation mailing list. Proactive individual-level recruitment was more effective than other forms of recruitment, accounting for 69% of website visitors and 68% of enrollees. Smokers were interested in receiving online smoking cessation support, even though they had access to other forms of treatment through their health insurance. Uptake rates for this program were comparable to those seen when smokers are advised to quit and are referred to other forms of smoking cessation treatment. In this sample, proactive mailings were the best method for recruiting smokers to Project Quit.

Short-term effects of scaling and root planing with or without adjunctive use of an essential-oil-based mouthwash in the treatment of periodontal inflammation in smokers.

PubMed

Alshehri, Mohammad; Alshail, Faisal; Alqahtani, Sami H; Aloriny, Tawfeeg Saleh; Alsharif, Abdulhakim; Kujan, Omar

2015-09-01

The aim of the present short-term follow-up study was to assess the effects of scaling and root planing (SRP) with or without adjunctive use of an essential-oil-based mouthwash in the treatment of periodontal inflammation in smokers. In total, 120 individuals were divided into 2 groups. In Group-1, 60 smokers with periodontal inflammation received SRP alone; and in Group-2, 60 smokers with periodontal inflammation received adjunct essential-oil mouthwash therapy. Periodontal parameters (plaque index [PI], bleeding-on-probing [BOP], and probing pocket depth [PD] ≥ 4 mm) were assessed at baseline and after 90 days of treatment. There was no significant difference in periodontal parameters (PI, BOP, and PD ≥ 4 mm) among participants in Group-1 and -2. Participants in both groups showed significant reductions in PI (P < 0.01), BOP (P < 0.01), and PD ≥ 4 mm (P < 0.01) at follow-up compared to baseline. At 90 days of follow-up, PI (P < 0.05), BOP (P < 0.05), and PD ≥ 4 mm (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in Group-1 compared to Group-2. SRP with adjunct essential-oil mouthwash therapy is more effective in the treatment of periodontal inflammation in smokers as compared to when SRP is performed alone.

Smoking behavior among adolescents in Thailand and Malaysia.

PubMed

Sirirassamee, Tawima; Sirirassamee, Buppha; Borland, Ron; Omar, Maizurah; Driezen, Peter

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the smoking behavior among adolescents in Thailand and Malaysia. Population-based, national surveys were conducted among 1,704 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 from Thailand (n = 927) and Malaysia (n = 777). Respondents were selected using multistage cluster sampling. Respondents were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires. Approximately 5% of Thai and Malaysian adolescents were current smokers, while an additional 8.6% of Thai and 8.1% of Malaysian adolescents reported being beginning smokers. On average, Thai smokers reported first smoking a whole cigarette at 14.6 years old (SD = 1.9), while Malaysian smokers at age 13.9 years (SD = 2.2). More than half of Thai smokers (60.4%) reported they bought cigarettes themselves and 29.9% got cigarettes from friends. In Malaysia, most smokers (68.3%) reported they bought cigarettes themselves, only 20.7% got cigarettes from friends. Seventy-six percent of Thai adolescent smokers smoked factory-made brands as their usual brand compared to 27.7% of Malaysian adolescent smokers. Eight percent of Thai adolescents and 10% of Malaysian adolescents reported smoking hand-rolled cigarettes. Approximately half of Thais and more than 40% of Malaysian smokers reported they tried to quit smoking within the past month. The smoking prevalence of Thai adolescents is close to that of Malaysian adolescents. Factory-made cigarette consumption is an important problem in Thai adolescents and needs to be targeted.

Women, smoking, and social disadvantage over the life course: a longitudinal study of African American women.

PubMed

Ensminger, Margaret E; Smith, Katherine Clegg; Juon, Hee-Soon; Pearson, Jennifer L; Robertson, Judith A

2009-10-01

We compare life course characteristics of a cohort of African American women (N=457) by their smoking status at age 42: never smoker (34.1%), former smoker (27.8%), or current smoker (38.1%). The Woodlawn population from which our sample is drawn has been followed from first grade (1966-67) to mid adulthood (2002-3) and is a cohort of children from a disadvantaged Chicago community. Examination of the effects of cumulative disadvantage on smoking behavior showed that nearly half of women who first lived in poverty as children, dropped out of school, became teen mothers, and were poor as young adults currently smoked; less than 22% of women with none of these difficulties were current smokers. Regression analyses focusing on smoking and evidence of social disadvantage in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood showed that women with more education were much less likely to be current smokers. Women reporting low parental supervision in adolescence and less frequent church attendance in young adulthood and those whose mothers' reported regular smoking were significantly more likely to be current smokers. Poverty and marital status in young adulthood varied significantly among smoking categories in bivariate relationships, but not in final multivariate regression models. Few other studies have examined smoking careers with data from age 6-42, comparing social disadvantage characteristics over the life course. While marital status, church involvement and parental supervision are not usually included as measures of socioeconomic status, they represent advantages in terms of social capital and should be considered mechanisms for transmitting disparities.

Momentary Effects of Exposure to Pro-Smoking Media on College Students’ Future Smoking Risk

PubMed Central

Shadel, William G.; Martino, Steven C.; Setodji, Claude; Scharf, Deborah

2012-01-01

Objective This study used ecological momentary assessment to examine acute changes in college students’ future smoking risk as a function of their exposure to pro-smoking media (e.g., smoking in movies, paid advertising, point-of-sale promotions). Methods A sample of 135 college students (ever and never smokers) carried handheld computers for 21 days, recording their exposures to all forms of pro-smoking media during the assessment period. They also responded to three investigator-initiated control prompts during each day of the assessment period (i.e., programmed to occur randomly). After each pro-media smoking exposure and after each random control prompt they answered questions that measured their risk of future smoking. Responses between pro-smoking media encounters were compared to responses made during random control prompts. Results Compliance with the study protocol was high, with participants responding to over 83% of all random prompts. Participants recorded nearly three encounters with pro-smoking media each week. Results of linear mixed modeling indicated that all participants had higher future smoking risk following exposure to pro-smoking media compared with control prompts (p < 0.05); this pattern of response did not differ between ever and never smokers (p = 0.769). Additional modeling of the variances around participants’ risk of future smoking revealed that the response of never smokers to pro-smoking media was significantly more variable than the response of ever smokers. Conclusions Exposure to pro-smoking media is associated with acute changes in future smoking risk, and never smokers and ever smokers respond differently to these exposures. PMID:22353027

Do the affective properties of smoking-related cues influence attentional and approach biases in cigarette smokers?

PubMed

Bradley, B P; Field, M; Healy, H; Mogg, K

2008-09-01

Research indicates that drug-related cues elicit attention and approach biases in drug users. However, attentional biases are not unique to addiction (e.g., they are also found for emotional information). This study examined whether attentional and approach biases in cigarette smokers are mediated by the motivational salience of cues (relevance to drug-taking), rather than by their affective properties (subjective liking of the cues). Cues included pleasant and unpleasant smoking-related pictures. Attentional biases, approach tendencies and subjective evaluation of the cues were assessed on visual probe, stimulus-response compatibility and rating tasks, respectively. Compared with non-smokers, smokers showed a greater attentional bias for both pleasant and unpleasant smoking-related cues presented for 2000 ms, but not for 200 ms. Smokers showed a greater approach bias for unpleasant cues, although the groups did not differ significantly in approach bias for pleasant smoking-related cues. Smokers rated both pleasant and unpleasant smoking pictures more positively than did non-smokers. Results suggest that a bias to maintain attention on smoking-related cues in young adult smokers is primarily a function of drug-relevance, rather than affective properties, of the cues. In contrast, approach tendencies and pleasantness judgements were influenced by drug use, drug-relevance and the affective properties of the cues.

Socioeconomic Status and Smokers’ Number of Smoking Friends: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey

PubMed Central

Hitchman, Sara C.; Fong, Geoffrey T.; Zanna, Mark P.; Thrasher, James F.; Chung-Hall, Janet; Siahpush, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Background Smoking rates are higher among low socioeconomic (SES) groups, and there is evidence that inequalities in smoking are widening over time in many countries. Low SES smokers may be more likely to smoke and less likely to quit because smoking is heavily concentrated in their social contexts. This study investigated whether low SES smokers (1) have more smoking friends, and (2) are more likely to gain and less likely to lose smoking friends over time. Correlates of having more smoking friends and gaining or losing smoking friends were also considered. Method Respondents included 6,321 adult current smokers (at recruitment) from Wave 1 (2002) and Wave 2 (2003) of the International Tobacco Control Project (ITC) Four Country Survey, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort survey of smokers in Australia, Canada, UK, and US. Results Low SES smokers reported more smoking friends than moderate and high SES smokers. Low SES smokers were also more likely to gain smoking friends over time compared with high SES smokers. Smokers who were male, younger, and lived with other smokers reported more smoking friends, and were also more likely to gain and less likely to lose smoking friends. Smoking behaviours, such as higher nicotine dependence were related to reporting more smoking friends, but not to losing or gain smoking friends. Conclusions Smoking is highly concentrated in the social networks of lower SES smokers and this concentration may be increasing over time. Cessation interventions should consider how the structure of low SES smokers’ social networks affects quitting. PMID:25156228

Smoking-related emphysema is associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and rheumatoid lung.

PubMed

Antoniou, Katerina M; Walsh, Simon L; Hansell, David M; Rubens, Michael R; Marten, Katharina; Tennant, Rachel; Hansel, Trevor; Desai, Sujal R; Siafakas, Nikolaos M; du Bois, Roland M; Wells, Athol U

2013-11-01

A combined pulmonary fibrosis/emphysema syndrome has been proposed, but the basis for this syndrome is currently uncertain. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of emphysema in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid lung (rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD)), and to compare the morphological features of lung fibrosis between smokers and non-smokers. Using high-resolution computed tomography, the prevalence of emphysema and the pack-year smoking histories associated with emphysema were compared between current/ex-smokers with IPF (n = 186) or RA-ILD (n = 46), and non-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) controls (n = 103) and COPD controls (n = 34). The coarseness of fibrosis was compared between smokers and non-smokers. Emphysema, present in 66/186 (35%) patients with IPF and 22/46 (48%) smokers with RA-ILD, was associated with lower pack-year smoking histories than in control groups (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). The presence of emphysema in IPF was positively linked to the pack-year smoking history (odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.06, P < 0.0005). In IPF, fibrosis was coarser in smokers than in non-smokers on univariate and multivariate analysis (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). In RA-ILD, fibrosis was coarser in patients with emphysema but did not differ significantly between smokers and non-smokers. In IPF and RA-ILD, a high prevalence of concurrent emphysema, in association with low pack-year smoking histories, and an association between coarser pulmonary fibrosis and a history of smoking in IPF together provide support for possible pathogenetic linkage to smoking in both diseases. © 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Comparing the psychological stress between non-smoking patients and smoking patients who experience abrupt smoking cessation during hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction: a pilot study.

PubMed

Pfaff, Kathryn A; El-Masri, Maher M; Fox-Wasylyshyn, Susan M

2009-01-01

Stress is an untoward condition in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Abrupt nicotine withdrawal is associated with increased symptoms of stress. However, little is known about the impact of smoking cessation on the psychological indicators of stress among hospitalized AMI patients. In this pilot study we compared the psychological stressors between non-smoking AMI patients and smoking patients who abruptly ceased smoking following admission to the CCU. A cross-sectional survey was piloted on a sample of 57 AMI patients (29 smokers and 28 nonsmokers) on the second day of admission to the CCU. Psychological stress was measured using the Profile of Mood States and the Insomnia Severity Index. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) suggested that after adjusting for age, smokers experienced significantly higher overall levels of stress than non-smokers (F = 3.13; p = 0.016). Post-hoc analyses suggested that scores of depression (p = 0.033), anxiety (p = 0.007), and anger (p = 0.017) were particularly higher among smokers, as compared to non-smokers. However, the two groups were not different with regard to their scores on fatigue (p = 0.528) and insomnia (p = 0.299). Abrupt smoking cessation may expose patients admitted with AMI symptoms to higher levels of psychological stress. Given the potential damaging impact of psychological stressors on the physical outcomes of these patients, these findings demonstrate the need for continued assessment and research related to the management of nicotine withdrawal following AMI.

Satisfaction with physical and social surroundings and the habit of smoking cigarettes in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

PubMed

Souza, Ricardo Alexandre de; Oliveira, Cláudia Di Lorenzo; Lima-Costa, Maria Fernanda; Proietti, Fernando Augusto

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the association between individual satisfaction with social and physical surroundings and the habit of smoking cigarettes. Data from the Health Survey of Adults from the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were used. Based on a probability sample, participants (n = 12,299) were selected among residents aged 20 years old or more. The response variable was the smoking habit and the explanatory variable of interest was the neighborhood perception. Potential confounding variables included demographic characteristics, health behaviors and other indicators of socioeconomic position. The prevalence of current smokers, former smokers and never smokers were 20.8, 14.1 and 65.1%, respectively; 74.4 and 25.5% of the participants were categorized as being more satisfied and less satisfied with the neighborhood, respectively. Compared to those who never smoked, former smokers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.20 - 1.62) and current smokers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.03 - 1.34) were less satisfied with the neighborhood compared to those who never smoked. The results of this study indicate there is an independent association between the smoking habit and a less satisfying neighborhood perception in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, which does not depend on individual characteristics, traditionally reported as being associated with smoking.

Acute Immune-Inflammatory Responses to a Single Bout of Aerobic Exercise in Smokers; The Effect of Smoking History and Status

PubMed Central

Kastelein, Tegan Emma; Duffield, Rob; Marino, Frank E.

2015-01-01

This study examined the acute immune and inflammatory responses to exercise in smokers compared to non-smokers, and further, the effect of smoking history on these immune-inflammatory responses. Fifty-four recreationally active males who were either smokers (SM; n = 27) or non-smokers (NS; n = 27) were allocated into either young (YSM, YNS) or middle-aged groups (MSM, MNS) based on smoking status. Participants were matched for fitness and smoking habits and following familiarization and baseline testing, undertook an exercise protocol that involved 40 min of cycle ergometry at 50% of VO2peak. Venous blood was obtained pre- and post- (0 min, 1, and 4 h) exercise to measure circulating leukocytes and inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-1ra, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Compared to MNS, MSM showed elevated basal concentrations of MCP-1, which were increased with a longer smoking history (P < 0.05). In response to exercise, YSM demonstrated an amplified IL-6 response from immediately- to 1 h-post compared to YNS. Furthermore, IL-1ra in YSM was elevated above that of YNS across all time points (P < 0.05). The MSM group had higher IL-1β at baseline when compared to YSM, although IL-1ra was greater for YSM at baseline (P < 0.05). Finally, the post-exercise leukocyte response was greater in MSM compared to YSM and non-smokers (P < 0.05). In conclusion, smoker’s exhibit elevated MCP-1 and IL-1β that seem to be evident with a longer smoking history (~15 years). Furthermore, the differences in exercise-induced inflammatory responses noted in YSM may be indicative tobacco smoke exposure priming circulating leukocytes to amplify inflammatory responses. PMID:26779179

Correlation between familial cancer history and epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in Taiwanese never smokers with non-small cell lung cancer: a case-control study.

PubMed

Cheng, Po-Chung; Cheng, Yun-Chung

2015-03-01

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. Cigarette smoking remains a prominent risk factor, but lung cancer incidence has been increasing in never smokers. Genetic abnormalities including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations predominate in never smoking lung cancer patients. Furthermore, familial aggregations of patients with these mutations reflect heritable susceptibility to lung cancer. The correlation between familial cancer history and EGFR mutations in never smokers with lung cancer requires investigation. This was a retrospective case-control study that evaluated the prevalence of EGFR mutations in lung cancer patients with familial cancer history. Never smokers with lung cancer treated at a hospital in Taiwan between April 2012 and May 2014 were evaluated. Inclusion criteria were never smokers with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Exclusion criteria involved patients without records of familial cancer history or tumor genotype. This study included 246 never smokers with lung cancer. The study population mainly involved never smoking women with a mean age of 60 years, and the predominant tumor histology was adenocarcinoma. Lung cancer patients with familial cancer history had an increased prevalence of EGFR mutations compared to patients without family history [odds ratio (OR): 5.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.3-10.6; P<0.001]. Specifically, 57 out of 85 cancer patients (67%) with familial cancer history had these mutations, while 41 out of 161 patients (25%) without family history harbored mutations. Subgroup analysis also revealed that patients with familial lung cancer history had stronger association with EGFR mutations (OR: 7.5; 95% CI: 3.4-16.3; P<0.001) compared to patients with family history of non-pulmonary cancers (OR: 5.0; 95% CI: 2.5-10.0; P<0.001). The study demonstrated an increased prevalence of EGFR mutations in Taiwanese never smoking lung cancer patients with familial cancer history. Moreover, a sizable proportion of never smoking cancer patients harbored these mutations. These observations have implications for the treatment of lung cancer in never smokers.

Understanding Tobacco Use Onset Among African Americans.

PubMed

Roberts, Megan E; Colby, Suzanne M; Lu, Bo; Ferketich, Amy K

2016-04-01

Compared to the majority of non-Hispanic white ("white") cigarette smokers, many African American smokers demonstrate a later age of initiation. The goal of the present study was to examine African American late-onset smoking (ie, regular smoking beginning at age 18 or later) and determine whether late-onset (vs. early-onset) smoking is protective in terms of quit rates and health outcomes. We used data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) because the wide age range of participants (20-75 at baseline) allowed the examination of smoking cessation and mortality incidence across the lifespan. Consistent with previous research, results indicated a later average age of smoking onset among African Americans, compared to whites. Disentangling effects of race from age-of-onset, we found that the cessation rate among late-onset African American smokers was 33%, whereas rates for early-onset African American smokers and early- and late-onset white smokers ranged from 52% to 57%. Finally, results showed that among white, low-socioeconomic status (SES) smokers, the hazard rate for mortality was greater among early- versus late-onset smokers; in contrast, among African American smokers (both low- and high-SES) hazard rates for mortality did not significantly differ among early- versus late-onset smokers. Although late (vs. early) smoking onset may be protective for whites, the present results suggest that late-onset may not be similarly protective for African Americans. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, in order to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. This study indicates that late-onset smoking is not only the norm among African American adult smokers, but that late- versus early-onset smoking (ie, delaying onset) does not appear to afford any benefits for African Americans in terms of cessation or mortality. These results suggest that prevention and intervention efforts need to consider individual groups (not just overall averages) and that tobacco control efforts need to be targeted beyond the teenage years. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smoking cessation at the workplace. Results of a randomised controlled intervention study

PubMed Central

Lang, T; Nicaud, V; Slama, K; Hirsch, A; Imbernon, E; Goldberg, M; Calvel, L; Desobry, P; Favre-Trosson, J; Lhopital, C; Mathevon, P; Miara, D; Miliani, A; Panthier, F; Pons, G; Roitg, C; Thoores, M; the, w

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To compare the effects of a worksite intervention by the occupational physician offering simple advice of smoking cessation with a more active strategy of advice including a "quit date" and extra support.
POPULATION—Employees of an electrical and gas company seen at the annual visit by their occupational physicians.
CRITERIA END POINTS—Smoking point prevalence defined as the percentage of smokers who were non-smokers at one year. Secondary criteria were the percentage of smokers who stopped smoking for more than six months and the difference in prevalence of smoking in both groups.
METHODS—Randomised controlled trial. The unit of randomisation was the work site physician and a random sample of the employees of whom he or she was in charge. The length of the follow up was one year. Each of 30 work site physicians included in the study 100 to 150 employees.
RESULTS—Among 504 subjects classified as smokers at baseline receiving simple advice (group A) and 591 the more active programme (group B), 68 (13.5%) in group A and 109 (18.4%) were non-smokers one year later (p=0.03; p=0.01 taking the occupational physician as the statistical unit and using a non-parametric test). Twenty three subjects (4.6%) in group A and 36 (6.1%) in group B (p=0.26) declared abstinence of six months or more. Among non-smokers at baseline, 3.4% in both groups were smokers after one year follow up. The prevalence of smokers did not differ significantly at baseline (32.9% and 32.4%, p=0.75). After the intervention the prevalence of smoking was 30.8% in group A and 28.7% in group B (p=0.19). An increase of the mean symptoms score for depression in those who quit was observed during this period.
CONCLUSIONS—A simple cessation intervention strategy during a mandatory annual examination, targeting a population of smokers independently of their motivation to stop smoking or their health status, showed a 36% relative increase of the proportion of smokers who quit smoking as compared with what can be achieved through simple advice.


Keywords: tobacco smoking; smoking cessation; randomised controlled trial; work site PMID:10814655

Understanding Tobacco Use Onset Among African Americans

PubMed Central

Colby, Suzanne M.; Lu, Bo; Ferketich, Amy K.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Compared to the majority of non-Hispanic white (“white”) cigarette smokers, many African American smokers demonstrate a later age of initiation. The goal of the present study was to examine African American late-onset smoking (ie, regular smoking beginning at age 18 or later) and determine whether late-onset (vs. early-onset) smoking is protective in terms of quit rates and health outcomes. Methods: We used data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) because the wide age range of participants (20–75 at baseline) allowed the examination of smoking cessation and mortality incidence across the lifespan. Results: Consistent with previous research, results indicated a later average age of smoking onset among African Americans, compared to whites. Disentangling effects of race from age-of-onset, we found that the cessation rate among late-onset African American smokers was 33%, whereas rates for early-onset African American smokers and early- and late-onset white smokers ranged from 52% to 57%. Finally, results showed that among white, low-socioeconomic status (SES) smokers, the hazard rate for mortality was greater among early- versus late-onset smokers; in contrast, among African American smokers (both low- and high-SES) hazard rates for mortality did not significantly differ among early- versus late-onset smokers. Conclusions: Although late (vs. early) smoking onset may be protective for whites, the present results suggest that late-onset may not be similarly protective for African Americans. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, in order to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. Implications: This study indicates that late-onset smoking is not only the norm among African American adult smokers, but that late- versus early-onset smoking (ie, delaying onset) does not appear to afford any benefits for African Americans in terms of cessation or mortality. These results suggest that prevention and intervention efforts need to consider individual groups (not just overall averages) and that tobacco control efforts need to be targeted beyond the teenage years. Tobacco programs and regulatory policies focused on prevention should expand their perspective to include later ages of initiation, to avoid widening tobacco-related health disparities. PMID:26980864

Reduction of physical activity in daily life and its determinants in smokers without airflow obstruction.

PubMed

Furlanetto, Karina Couto; Mantoani, Leandro Cruz; Bisca, Gianna; Morita, Andrea Akemi; Zabatiero, Juliana; Proença, Mahara; Kovelis, Demétria; Pitta, Fabio

2014-04-01

In smokers without airflow obstruction, detailed, objective and controlled quantification of the level of physical inactivity in daily life has never been performed. This study aimed to objectively assess the level of physical activity in daily life in adult smokers without airflow obstruction in comparison with matched non-smokers, and to investigate the determinants for daily physical activity in smokers. Sixty smokers (aged 50 (39-54) years) and 50 non-smokers (aged 48 (40-53) years) matched for gender, age, anthropometric characteristics, educational level, employment status and seasons of the year assessment period were cross-sectionally assessed regarding their daily physical activity with a step counter, besides assessment of lung function, functional exercise capacity, quality of life, anxiety, depression, self-reported comorbidities carbon monoxide level, nicotine dependence and smoking habits. When compared with non-smokers, smokers walked less in daily life (7923 ± 3558 vs 9553 ± 3637 steps/day, respectively), presented worse lung function, functional exercise capacity, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Multiple regression analyses identified functional exercise capacity, Borg fatigue, self-reported motivation/physical activity behaviour and cardiac disease as significant determinants of number of steps/day in smokers (partial r(2)  = 0.10, 0.12, 0.16 and 0.05; b = 15, -997, 1207 and -2330 steps/day, respectively; overall fit of the model R(2)  = 0.38; P < 0.001). Adult smokers without airflow obstruction presented reduced level of daily physical activity. Functional exercise capacity, extended fatigue sensation, aspects of motivation/physical activity behaviour and self-reported cardiac disease are significant determinants of physical activity in daily life in smokers. © 2014 The Authors. Respirology © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Prevalence and correlates of light and non-daily smoking in Brazil: Results from a nationwide representative survey.

PubMed

Formagini, Taynara Dutra Batista; Gomide, Henrique Pinto; Perales, Jaime; Colugnati, Fernando Antonio Basile

2017-09-01

The research of light (≤10 cigarettes per day) and non-daily smokers in developing countries including Brazil is scarce despite the high prevalence of these groups among smokers and health risks associated to low-level smoking. To describe health and smoking characteristics of Brazilian adult light and non-daily smokers. We analyzed data from the 2013 Brazilian National Health Research survey (n=48,282). The prevalence of current manufactured cigarette smoking in the total sample was 12.4%. Among these smokers, 12.8% were non-daily smokers (NDS), 47.4% were light smokers (LS) and 39.8% were moderate/heavy smokers (MHS). Bivariate analysis showed that non-daily smoking was associated with higher odds of poor self-rated health, binge drinking and lung diseases compared to never smokers (ORs=1.2; 5.9 and 1.9). Light smoking was associated with higher odds of poor self-rated health, binge drinking, depression, use of sleeping pills and lung diseases (ORs=1.3; 4.3; 1.4; 1.2 and 2.0). After controlling for sex and age, non-daily smoking was associated with lung disease (OR=2.2) and light smoking with depression and lung diseases (ORs=1.3 and 1.8). Smoking levels were associated with living with same-level smokers in bivariate and multivariate analyses. A large proportion of smokers in Brazil are light and non-daily smokers, carrying substantial health risks related to tobacco use. Longitudinal research is needed to provide further evidence of associations found in this study. Public health policies must take the different smoking patterns into consideration to effectively target all smokers and reduce the harmful consequences of tobacco worldwide. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association Between Tobacco Use, Symptom Expression, and Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use in Advanced Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Kim, Yu Jung; Dev, Rony; Reddy, Akhila; Hui, David; Tanco, Kimberson; Park, Minjeong; Liu, Diane; Williams, Janet; Bruera, Eduardo

2016-04-01

Limited knowledge exists examining the association between smoking status, symptom expression, and alcohol or illicit drug use. The goal of this study was to clarify these associations in patients with advanced cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 560 charts and identified 300 consecutive advanced cancer patients who completed a comprehensive smoking questionnaire. Data including the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, Cut down/Annoyed/Guilty/Eye opener (CAGE) alcoholism screening questionnaire, illicit drug use history, and daily opioid requirements-morphine equivalent daily dose-were collected. Among 300 patients, 119 (40%) were never smokers, 148 (49%) former smokers, and 33 (11%) current smokers. The most common malignancies were gastrointestinal (28%) and lung (20%). Current smokers were more likely to be single (P < 0.01) and significantly younger than former smokers (P < 0.001) but did not differ in age from never smokers. Never smokers were more likely to be female (P < 0.001). Current smokers reported significantly higher pain expression than former and never smokers (median 7 vs. 5.5 vs. 5, respectively, P = 0.02), higher CAGE positivity (42% vs. 21% vs. 3%, P < 0.001) and were more likely to have a history of illicit drug use (33% vs. 16% vs. 3%, P < 0.001). The morphine equivalent daily dose was not significantly different according to smoking status. In advanced cancer, patients who were former or current smokers were significantly more likely to have a history of CAGE positivity and illicit drug use compared with never smokers. Current smokers expressed significantly higher pain. A smoking history may be a marker of an increased risk of opioid misuse. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Clinical and genetic features of lung squamous cell cancer in never-smokers.

PubMed

Huang, Yangle; Wang, Rui; Pan, Yunjian; Zhang, Yang; Li, Hang; Cheng, Chao; Zheng, Difan; Zheng, Shanbo; Li, Yuan; Shen, Xuxia; Hu, Haichuan; Cai, Deng; Wang, Shengfei; Zhang, Yawei; Xiang, Jiaqing; Sun, Yihua; Zhang, Jie; Chen, Haiquan

2016-06-14

To evaluate the importance of specific driver mutations to the development and outcome of lung squamous cell cancer (SQCC) in never-smokers, we assessed the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of 597 patients who underwent complete resection of SQCCs. In total, 88 (14.7%) never-smokers and 509 (85.3%) ever-smokers were compared. The never-smokers included more females (42.05% vs. 1.57%, P < 0.001) and more often had a personal history of malignant disease (9.09% vs. 2.36%, P = 0.003). The tumors of never-smokers were more often poorly differentiated (70.45% vs. 53.24%, P = 0.010) and more often contained oncogenic mutations (21.05% vs 11.05%, P = 0.023), particularly EGFR mutations (13.16% vs 3.40%, P = 0.001). Never-smokers also tended to have poorer OS than smokers. Our results suggest lung SQCCs in never-smokers are a subtype distinct from SQCCs occurring in smokers.

Recruiting pregnant smokers into a clinical trial: using a network-model managed care organization versus community-based practices.

PubMed

Park, Elyse R; Quinn, Virginia P; Chang, Yuchiao; Regan, Susan; Loudin, Beverly; Cummins, Sharon; Perry, Kristin; Rigotti, Nancy A

2007-03-01

Recruiting pregnant smokers into smoking cessation intervention trials is challenging. Changes in health care systems offer new opportunities to overcome many of the obstacles encountered by researchers attempting to address the significant harm from maternal smoking. Investigators could facilitate smoking cessation study recruitment by collaborating with health care systems that systematically collect patient smoking status and record it in a centralized, retrievable fashion. This paper reports the results of utilizing this novel approach and compares it with a typical decentralized practice-based recruitment strategy. The study was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts, from 2000 to 2005. Four hundred forty-two pregnant smokers were recruited for a randomized controlled trial of telephone-delivered smoking counseling from two sources: a network-model managed care health plan and community-based practices (CBP). At the health plan, study recruitment was built on an existing system that permitted pregnant smokers to be identified centrally. At the CBPs, identification and referral systems had to be developed at each practice specifically for the study. The two strategies were compared on the efficiency of recruitment, characteristics of enrollees, and study outcome and process measures. The health plan strategy generated referrals nearly twice as fast as the CBP strategy (30.4 vs. 17.0 per month), but because referrals were not timely, a large proportion of women from the plan were too advanced in pregnancy to be eligible to enroll in the study. As a result, the two strategies yielded a comparable enrollment rate. Participants from the health plan were older, better educated, less racially diverse, more likely to be living with the baby's father, and less likely to have smokers in their environment. These differences were largely explained by the socioeconomic diversity of women recruited from the CBPs. Smoking cessation outcomes did not differ by recruitment source. A recruitment strategy using a health plan's centralized system was more efficient than a practice-based recruitment strategy at identifying potential study participants, but less efficient at generating study participants from the referrals received. Importantly, participants recruited by the two strategies differed by socioeconomic, but not cessation-related, characteristics. To date, recruiting pregnant smokers into intervention studies remains resource intensive and time consuming. Participant identification and recruitment will be greatly enhanced by health system innovations such as implementation of electronic medical records.

Does Quitting Smoking Make a Difference Among Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Patients?

PubMed Central

Choi, Seung Hee; Terrell, Jeffrey E.; Bradford, Carol R.; Ghanem, Tamer; Spector, Matthew E.; Wolf, Gregory T.; Lipkus, Isaac M.

2016-01-01

Introduction: To determine if smoking after a cancer diagnosis makes a difference in mortality among newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. Methods: Longitudinal data were collected from newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with a median follow-up time of 1627 days (N = 590). Mortality was censored at 8 years or September 1, 2011, whichever came first. Based on smoking status, all patients were categorized into four groups: continuing smokers, quitters, former smokers, or never-smokers. A broad range of covariates were included in the analyses. Kaplan–Meier curves, bivariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed. Results: Eight-year overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality were 40.5% (239/590) and 25.4% (150/590), respectively. Smoking status after a cancer diagnosis predicted overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality. Compared to never-smokers, continuing smokers had the highest hazard ratio (HR) of dying from all causes (HR = 2.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.48–4.98). Those who smoked at diagnosis, but quit and did not relapse—quitters—had an improved hazard ratio of dying (HR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.29–4.36) and former smokers at diagnosis with no relapse after diagnosis—former smokers—had the lowest hazard ratio of dying from all causes (HR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.12–2.56). Similarly, quitters had a slightly higher hazard ratio of dying from cancer-specific reasons (HR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.13–5.01) than never-smokers, which was similar to current smokers (HR = 2.07, 95% CI = 0.96–4.47), followed by former smokers (HR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.00–2.89). Conclusions: Compared to never-smokers, continuing smokers have the highest HR of overall mortality followed by quitters and former smokers, which indicates that smoking cessation, even after a cancer diagnosis, may improve overall mortality among newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. Health care providers should consider incorporating smoking cessation interventions into standard cancer treatment to improve survival among this population. Implications: Using prospective observational longitudinal data from 590 head and neck cancer patients, this study showed that continuing smokers have the highest overall mortality relative to never-smokers, which indicates that smoking cessation, even after a cancer diagnosis, may have beneficial effects on long-term overall mortality. Health care providers should consider incorporating smoking cessation interventions into standard cancer treatment to improve survival among this population. PMID:27613928

Smoking habits and health-related quality of life in a rural Japanese population.

PubMed

Funahashi, Koichi; Takahashi, Ippei; Danjo, Kazuma; Matsuzaka, Masashi; Umeda, Takashi; Nakaji, Shigeyuki

2011-03-01

To investigate the association between smoking and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a rural Japanese population. A cross-sectional study of data from 823 subjects in Iwaki area of Hirosaki City, Japan. SF-36 scores between non-smokers and smokers were compared. To test the sensitivity of SF-36 scores in detecting health deterioration, effects of having diseases and having deviations from normal thresholds in health check-up were analyzed by adding them into covariates in ANCOVA. There was no significant difference in SF-36 scores between non-smokers and smokers. Presence of diseases significantly decreased the physical components of SF-36 scores while the results of health check-up had no significant influence on SF-36 scores. The results suggested the possibility that in Japan, where smoking prevalence is still relatively high, smokers may be less sensitive to sub-clinical deterioration in their own health status than smokers in Western countries that already have experienced the major decline in their smoking rate. The importance of having the smoker become more sensitive to the sub-clinical adverse effects of cigarette smoking should be stressed for the success of smoking control programs.

The Self-Reported Oral Health Status and Dental Attendance of Smokers and Non-Smokers in England

PubMed Central

Csikar, Julia; Kang, Jing; Wyborn, Ceri; Dyer, Tom A.; Marshman, Zoe; Godson, Jenny

2016-01-01

Smoking has been identified as the second greatest risk factor for global death and disability and has impacts on the oral cavity from aesthetic changes to fatal diseases such as oral cancer. The paper presents a secondary analysis of the National Adult Dental Health Survey (2009). The analysis used descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses and logistic regression models to report the self-reported oral health status and dental attendance of smokers and non-smokers in England. Of the 9,657 participants, 21% reported they were currently smoking. When compared with smokers; non-smokers were more likely to report ‘good oral health’ (75% versus 57% respectively, p<0.05). Smokers were twice as likely to attend the dentist symptomatically (OR = 2.27, CI = 2.02–2.55) compared with non-smoker regardless the deprivation status. Smokers were more likely to attend symptomatically in the most deprived quintiles (OR = 1.99, CI = 1.57–2.52) and perceive they had poorer oral health (OR = 1.77, CI = 1.42–2.20). The present research is consistent with earlier sub-national research and should be considered when planning early diagnosis and management strategies for smoking-related conditions, considering the potential impact dental teams might have on smoking rates. PMID:26863107

Cognitive regulation of smoking behavior within a cigarette: Automatic and nonautomatic processes.

PubMed

Motschman, Courtney A; Tiffany, Stephen T

2016-06-01

There has been limited research on cognitive processes governing smoking behavior in individuals who are tobacco dependent. In a replication (Baxter & Hinson, 2001) and extension, this study examined the theory (Tiffany, 1990) that drug use may be controlled by automatic processes that develop over repeated use. Heavy and occasional cigarette smokers completed a button-press reaction time (RT) task while concurrently smoking a cigarette, pretending to smoke a lit cigarette, or not smoking. Slowed RT during the button-press task indexed the cognitive disruption associated with nonautomatic control of behavior. Occasional smokers' RTs were slowed when smoking or pretending to smoke compared with when not smoking. Heavy smokers' RTs were slowed when pretending to smoke versus not smoking; however, their RTs were similarly fast when smoking compared with not smoking. The results indicated that smoking behavior was more highly regulated by controlled, nonautomatic processes among occasional smokers and by automatic processes among heavy smokers. Patterns of RT across the interpuff interval indicated that occasional smokers were significantly slowed in anticipation of and immediately after puffing onset, whereas heavy smokers were only slowed significantly after puffing onset. These findings suggest that the entirety of the smoking sequence becomes automatized, with the behaviors leading up to puffing becoming more strongly regulated by automatic processes with experience. These results have relevance to theories on the cognitive regulation of cigarette smoking and support the importance of interventions that focus on routinized behaviors that individuals engage in during and leading up to drug use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between a Mediterranean diet and circulating adiponectin levels is influenced by cigarette smoking.

PubMed

Al-Attas, Omar Salem; Hussain, Tajamul; Al-Daghri, Nasser Mohammad; De Rosas, Edgard; Kazmi, Usamah; Vinodson, Benjamin

2013-01-01

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower the risk of developing several chronic diseases. The ability to augment circulating adiponectin levels is proposed as an underlying mechanism mediating the beneficial effects of this diet. We aimed to examine whether the positive relationship between the Mediterranean diet and adiponectin is altered by cigarette smoking, taking potential confounders into consideration. Plasma adiponectin levels were enzymatically measured in 45 never smokers, 61 smokers and 34 ex-smokers who adhered to a Mediterranean style diet and in 41 never smokers who did not adhere to the diet. Plasma adiponectin levels increased significantly in nonsmoking diet adherents compared to nonsmoking non-diet adherents. Among the diet adherents adiponectin decreased significantly in both moderate and heavy smokers compared to never smokers and significantly increased in quitters compared to smokers. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for age, obesity, Mediterranean diet and insulin resistance revealed an independent inverse association of smoking with adiponectin. Adiponectin levels remained significant and similar in subjects stratified according to age (50 years), BMI (25 kg/m(2)) and HOMA-IR (1.6). Despite its positive effects on adiponectin, the Mediterranean diet failed to negate the adiponectin-lowering effect of cigarette smoking, demonstrating the profound and independent capacity of cigarette smoke to negatively influence human health.

Differences in Subjective Experiences to First Use of Menthol and Non-Menthol Cigarettes in a National Sample of Young Adult Cigarette Smokers.

PubMed

D'Silva, Joanne; Cohn, Amy M; Johnson, Amanda L; Villanti, Andrea C

2017-08-17

Menthol has been hypothesized to ease the harshness of cigarette smoke. Thus, sensory experiences at first cigarette use may be one mechanism by which menthol facilitates progression to regular smoking. This study examined differences in subjective experiences to first use of a menthol vs. non-menthol cigarette among new young adult smokers. Data were drawn from Waves 5-8 of the Truth Initiative Young Adult Cohort Study, a national sample of 18-34 year olds assessed every six months. Analyses included a subset of young adult current smokers (n=251) who initiated smoking in the past six months. Subjective responses to first cigarette use were assessed across menthol and non-menthol initiators in bivariate analyses and adjusted models controlling for smoking correlates. Fifty-two percent of new young adult smokers used a menthol cigarette at first use. First use of a menthol cigarette was higher in those aged 18-24 (vs. 25-34). Most Black smokers (93.1%) were menthol initiators compared to 43.9% of White smokers. More than half of menthol and non-menthol initiates felt relaxed or calm, dizzy, lightheaded, liking the taste and a rush or buzz at first use. Menthol initiators were less likely in bivariate and multivariable analyses to experience feeling nauseated at first use (AOR=0.45; p=.020) compared to non-menthol initiators. While few differences were found between menthol and non-menthol initiators in their subjective experiences, fewer menthol initiates felt nauseated at first cigarette use. Future research needs to identify additional mechanisms linking menthol initiation to smoking progression. Menthol initiators were more likely to be younger (18-24 vs. 25-34) and Black (vs. White) compared to non-menthol initiators. Our finding that menthol initiators were less likely to feel nauseated at first cigarette use compared to non-menthol initiators, suggests that menthol may reduce aversion to early cigarette use among young smokers and thus has the potential to facilitate continued experimentation. Interventions and policy approaches to reduce tobacco use initiation and progression are urgently needed in young people. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Use of Fluorescence Technology versus Visual and Tactile Examination in the Detection of Oral Lesions: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Ayoub, Hadeel M; Newcomb, Tara L; McCombs, Gayle B; Bonnie, Marshall

2015-02-01

This study compared the effectiveness of the VELscope® Vx versus visual and tactile intraoral examination in detecting oral lesions in an adult, high risk population. The pilot study compared the intra oral findings between 2 examination types. The sample was comprised of 30 participants who were addicted to either cigarettes or a dual addiction (cigarettes plus hookah). High risk population was defined as males who were current cigarette smokers or had a dual addiction. Two trained and experienced licensed dental hygienists conducted all examinations. Throughout the study, all visual and tactile intraoral examinations were conducted first by one dental hygienist first, followed by the VELscope® Vx fluorescence examinations by the second dental hygienist. All subjects received an inspection of the lips, labial and buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, dorsal, ventral and lateral sides of the tongue, hard and soft palate, and visual inspection of the oropharynx and uvula. Both evaluations took place in 1 visit in the Dental Hygiene Research Center at Old Dominion University and external sites. All participants received oral cancer screening information, recommendations, referrals for tobacco cessation programs and brochures on the 2 types of examinations conducted. Participants were considered high risk based on demographics (current smokers and mostly males). Neither visual and tactile intraoral examination nor the VELscope® Vx examination showed positive lesions. No lesions were detected; therefore, no referrals were made. Data indicated the duration of tobacco use was significantly higher in cigarette smokers (14.1 years) than dual addiction smokers (5 years) (p>0.005). The average numbers of cigarettes smoked per day were 13.5 compared to 14.2 cigarettes for dual addiction smokers. Results from this study suggest the visual and tactile intraoral examination produced comparative results to the VELscope® Vx examination. Findings from this study support that the VELscope® Vx is still considered an adjunct technology and cannot be used exclusively for oral cancer screening. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Effects of and attention to graphic warning labels on cigarette packages.

PubMed

Süssenbach, Philipp; Niemeier, Sarah; Glock, Sabine

2013-01-01

The present study investigates the effects of graphic cigarette warnings compared to text-only cigarette warnings on smokers' explicit (i.e. ratings of the packages, cognitions about smoking, perceived health risk, quit intentions) and implicit attitudes. In addition, participants' visual attention towards the graphic warnings was recorded using eye-tracking methodology. Sixty-three smokers participated in the present study and either viewed graphic cigarette warnings with aversive and non-aversive images or text-only warnings. Data were analysed using analysis of variance and correlation analysis. Especially, graphic cigarette warnings with aversive content drew attention and elicited high threat. However, whereas attention directed to the textual information of the graphic warnings predicted smokers' risk perceptions, attention directed to the images of the graphic warnings did not. Moreover, smokers' in the graphic warning condition reported more positive cognitions about smoking, thus revealing cognitive dissonance. Smokers employ defensive psychological mechanisms when confronted with threatening warnings. Although aversive images attract attention, they do not promote health knowledge. Implications for graphic health warnings and the importance of taking their content (i.e. aversive vs. non-aversive images) into account are discussed.

Auditory Middle Latency Responses in Chronic Smokers Compared to Nonsmokers: Differential Effects of Stimulus and Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramkissoon, Ishara; Beverly, Brenda L.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Effects of clicks and tonebursts on early and late auditory middle latency response (AMLR) components were evaluated in young and older cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. Method: Participants ( n = 49) were categorized by smoking and age into 4 groups: (a) older smokers, (b) older nonsmokers, (c) young smokers, and (d) young nonsmokers.…

Hookah smoking and cancer: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in exclusive/ever hookah smokers

PubMed Central

Sajid, Khan Mohammad; Chaouachi, Kamal; Mahmood, Rubaida

2008-01-01

Background We have recently published some work on CEA levels in hookah (also called narghile, shisha elsewhere) and cigarette smokers. Hookah smokers had higher levels of CEA than non-smokers although mean levels were low compared to cigarette smokers. However some of them were also users of other tobacco products (cigarettes, bidis, etc.). Objectives To find serum CEA levels in ever/exclusive hookah smokers, i.e. those who smoked only hookah (no cigarettes, bidis, etc.), prepared between 1 and 4 times a day with a quantity of up to 120 g of a tobacco-molasses mixture each (i.e. the tobacco weight equivalent of up to 60 cigarettes of 1 g each) and consumed in 1 to 8 sessions. Methods Enhanced chemiluminescent immunometric technique was applied to measure CEA levels in serum samples from 59 exclusive male smokers with age ranging from 20–80 years (mean = 58.8 ± 14.7 years) and 8–65 years of smoking (mean = 37.7 ± 16.8). 36 non-smokers served as controls. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the number of preparations; the number of sessions and the total daily smoking time: Light (1; 1; ≤ 20 minutes); Medium (1–3; 1–3; >20 min to ≤ 2 hrs) and Heavy smokers (2–4; 3–8; >2 hrs to ≤ 6 hrs). Because of the nature of distribution of CEA levels among our individuals, Wilcoxon's rank sum two-sample test was applied to compare the variables. Results The overall CEA levels in exclusive hookah smokers (mean: 3.58 ± 2.61 ng/ml; n = 59) were not significantly different (p ≤ 0.0937) from the levels in non-smokers (2.35 ± 0.71 ng/ml). Mean levels in light, medium and heavy smokers were: 1.06 ± 0.492 ng/ml (n = 5); 2.52 ± 1.15 ng/ml (n = 28) and 5.11 ± 3.08 ng/ml (n = 26) respectively. The levels in medium smokers and non-smokers were also not significantly different (p ≤ 0.9138). In heavy smokers, the CEA levels were significantly higher than in non-smokers (p ≤ 0.0001567). Conclusion Overall CEA levels in exclusive hookah smokers were low compared to cigarette smokers. However, heavy hookah smoking substantially raises CEA levels. Low-nitrosamines smokeless tobacco of the SNUS Swedish type could be envisaged as an alternative to smoking for this category of users and also, in a broad harm reduction perspective, to the prevalent low-quality moist snuff called naswar. PMID:18501010

Does smoking alter the mutation profile of human papillomavirus-driven head and neck cancers?

PubMed

Mirghani, Haitham; Lacroix, Ludovic; Rossoni, Caroline; Sun, Roger; Aupérin, Anne; Casiraghi, Odile; Villepelet, Aude; Lacave, Roger; Faucher, Gladwys; Marty, Virginie; Ferté, Charles; Soria, Jean Charles; Even, Caroline

2018-05-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) patients are characterised by a better prognosis than their HPV-negative counterparts. However, this significant survival advantage is not homogeneous and among HPV-positive patients those with a smoking history have a significantly increased risk of oncologic failure. The reason why tobacco consumption impacts negatively the prognosis is still elusive. Tobacco might induce additional genetic alterations leading to a more aggressive phenotype. The purpose of this study was to characterise the mutational profile of HPV-positive OPCs by smoking status. We hypothesise a higher frequency of mutations affecting smokers. Targeted next-generation sequencing of 39 genes that are recurrently mutated in head and neck cancers (HNCs) caused by tobacco/alcohol consumption was performed in 62 HPV-driven OPC cases including smokers and non-smokers. The study population included 37 (60%) non-smokers and 25 (40%) smokers. Twenty (32%) patients had no mutation, 14 (23%) had 1 mutation and 28 (45%) had 2 or more mutations. The most commonly mutated genes regardless of tobacco consumption were PIK3CA (19%), MLL2 (19%), TP53 (8%), FAT 1 (15%), FBXW7 (16%), NOTCH1 (10%) and FGFR3 (10%). Mutation rate was not significantly different in smokers compared with non-smokers even when analyses focused on heavy smokers (>20 pack-years vs. <20 pack-years). Similarly, there was no significant difference in mutations patterns according to tobacco consumption. In HPV-positive patients, smoking does not increase the mutation rate of genes that are recurrently mutated in traditional HNC. Additional studies are warranted to further describe the molecular landscape of HPV-driven OPC according to tobacco consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnic differences in smoking rate, nicotine dependence, and cessation-related variables among adult smokers in Hawaii

PubMed Central

Herzog, Thaddeus A; Pokhrel, Pallav

2012-01-01

This study tests hypotheses concerning ethnic disparities in daily cigarette smoking rates, nicotine dependence, cessation motivation, and knowledge and past use of cessation methods (e.g., counseling) and products (e.g., nicotine patch) in a multiethnic sample of smokers in Hawaii. Previous research has revealed significant differences in smoking prevalence among Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, Japanese, and Caucasians in Hawaii. However, no study has examined differences in dependence and cessation-related knowledge and practices among smokers representing these ethnic groups. Participants were recruited through newspaper advertisement as part of a larger smoking cessation intervention study. Participants (N=919; M age=45.6, SD=12.7; 48% Women) eligible to participate provided self-report data through mail and telephone. Participants included 271 self-identified Native Hawaiians, 63 Filipinos, 316 Caucasians, 145 “East Asians” (e.g., Japanese, Chinese), and 124 “Other” (e.g., Hispanic, African-American). Pair-wise comparisons of means, controlling for age, gender, income, education, and marital status, indicated that Native Hawaiian smokers reported significantly higher daily smoking rates and higher levels of nicotine dependence compared to East Asians. Native Hawaiian smokers reported significantly lower motivation to quit smoking than Caucasians. Further, Filipino and Native Hawaiian smokers reported lesser knowledge of cessation methods and products, and less frequent use of these methods and products than Caucasians. The results suggest that Native Hawaiian and Filipino smokers could be underserved with regard to receiving cessation-related advice, and may lack adequate access to smoking cessation products and services. In addition, cessation interventions tailored for Native Hawaiian smokers could benefit from a motivational enhancement component. PMID:22438074

Out of the Smokescreen: does an anti-smoking advertisement affect young women's perception of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke?

PubMed Central

Edwards, C; Harris, W; Cook, D; Bedford, K; Zuo, Y

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an anti-smoking advertisement on young women's perceptions of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke. Subjects/setting: 2038 females aged 12–17 years attending cinemas in New South Wales, Australia. Design/intervention: Quasi-experimental study of patrons, who were surveyed after having viewed a movie at their local cinema. The control group was surveyed during week 1 and the intervention group, during week 2. Before seeing the movie in week 2, a 30 second anti-smoking advertisement was shown, which featured a well known female actor drawing attention to the prevalence of smoking in movies. Outcomes: Attitude of current smokers and non-smokers to smoking in the movies; intention of current smokers and non-smokers to be smoking in 12 months time. Results: Among non-smokers, 48.2% of the intervention subjects thought that the smoking in the movie they viewed was "not OK" compared with 28.3% of the control subjects (p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference among smokers in the intervention (26.4%) and control (16.9%) groups (p = 0.28). A higher percentage of current smokers in the intervention group indicated they were unlikely to smoke in 12 months time (47.8%) than smokers in the control condition (31.9%) (p = 0.03). For non-smokers, there was no difference in smoking intentions between conditions, with 95% saying they would be unlikely to be smoking in 12 months time. Conclusions: This "real world" study suggests that placing an anti-smoking advertisement before movies containing smoking scenes can help to "immunise" young women against the influences of film stars smoking. PMID:15333884

Altered coronary endothelial function in young smokers detected by magnetic resonance assessment of myocardial blood flow during the cold pressor test.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Yasutaka; Kitagawa, Kakuya; Kato, Shingo; Dohi, Kaoru; Hirano, Tadanori; Ito, Masaaki; Sakuma, Hajime

2014-06-01

Endothelial dysfunction is a key element in early atherogenesis. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) assessment of altered myocardial blood flow (MBF) in response to the cold pressor test (CPT) and to determine if coronary endothelial dysfunction in young smokers can be detected with this noninvasive approach. Fourteen healthy non-smokers (31 ± 6 years) and 12 smokers (34 ± 8 years) were studied. Breath-hold phase-contrast cine MR imaging (PC-MRI) of the coronary sinus (CS) were obtained at rest and during the CPT. MBF was measured as CS flow divided by left ventricle mass and the rate pressure product. In non-smokers, MBF was 0.88 ± 0.19 ml/min/g at rest and significantly increased to 1.13 ± 0.26 ml/min/g during the CPT (P = 0.0001). In smokers, MBF was 0.94 ± 0.26 ml/min/g at rest and 0.96 ± 0.30 ml/min/g during the CPT (P = 0.73). ΔMBF (MBF during the CPT-MBF at rest) was significantly reduced in smokers compared with non-smokers (0.02 ± 0.20 vs. 0.26 ± 0.18 ml/min/g, P = 0.005). The intra-class correlation coefficient between measurements by two observers was 0.90 for ΔMBF. A significant reduction in MBF response to CPT was demonstrated in young smokers with PC-MRI at 1.5 T. This noninvasive method has great potential for assessment of coronary endothelial function.

Depressive Symptoms Delayed Quit Attempts and Shortened Abstinence in Young Smokers of the Hong Kong Youth Quitline.

PubMed

Wong, David C N; Chan, Sophia S C; Lam, Tai-hing

2016-03-01

Young smokers often report depressive symptoms while receiving smoking cessation counseling. This study examines time patterns in the quitting process among young smokers with or without notable depressive symptoms. The quitting trajectories of young smokers aged 12 to 25 (n = 578) who called the Youth Quitline in Hong Kong between March 2006 and May 2011 were recorded and analyzed through multiple telephone sessions over periods of up to 6 months. The time patterns of young smokers who had or did not have notable depressive symptoms were compared using nonparametric Kaplan-Meier methods with log-rank tests. Among young smokers with low levels of nicotine dependence, those who had notable depressive symptoms were less likely to initiate a quit attempt within 28 days after their baseline telephone intervention (probability = .38 vs. .60; P value = .04). Furthermore, young smokers who had notable depressive symptoms were less likely to remain abstinent from smoking for 2 days after starting a quit attempt (probability = .50 vs. .64; P value = .012). Young adults aged 18 or above were more likely to relapse into smoking (adjusted HR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.22). Depressive symptoms may delay young smokers from initiating quit attempts and shorten their abstinence. A baseline screening process is suggested for identifying youths with co-occurring depressive disorder and nicotine dependence. Further studies should examine a collaborative model of smoking cessation that involves both counselors and physicians in preventing young smokers from rapid relapses after they make quit attempts. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reassessing the importance of 'lost pleasure' associated with smoking cessation: implications for social welfare and policy.

PubMed

Pechacek, Terry Frank; Nayak, Pratibha; Slovic, Paul; Weaver, Scott R; Huang, Jidong; Eriksen, Michael P

2017-11-28

Benefit-cost analyses of tobacco regulations include estimates of the informed choice of smokers to continue smoking. Few studies have focused on subjective feelings associated with continued smoking. This study estimates how smoker discontent and regret relate to risk perceptions and health concerns. We analysed data from a 2015 nationally representative, online survey of 1284 US adult current smokers. Information was collected on regret, intention to quit, perceived addiction, risk perceptions and health concerns. Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographics and health status was used to examine factors associated with smoker discontent. More than 80% of current smokers report high (22.5%) or very high (59.8%) discontent due to inability to quit, perceived addiction and regret about having started to smoke. Higher levels of discontent did not vary significantly by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education or income (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) 0.5-1.2). Compared with the smokers expressing low (5.9%) or very low (3.6%) discontent, those expressing higher levels of discontent perceived their health status as fair/poor (AOR=2.3), worried most of the time about lung cancer (AOR=4.6) and felt they were more likely to develop lung cancer in the future (AOR=5.1). The proportion of smokers who might be characterised as having a preference to continue smoking are greatly outnumbered by addicted, discontent and concerned smokers who want to quit and regret ever having started to smoke. These discontent smokers could have a substantial net welfare gain if new regulations helped them escape their concerns about the health effects from continuing smoking. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Out of the Smokescreen: does an anti-smoking advertisement affect young women's perception of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke?

PubMed

Edwards, C A; Harris, W C; Cook, D R; Bedford, K F; Zuo, Y

2004-09-01

To evaluate the effect of an anti-smoking advertisement on young women's perceptions of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke. SUBJECTS/ SETTING: 2038 females aged 12-17 years attending cinemas in New South Wales, Australia. DESIGN/ INTERVENTION: Quasi-experimental study of patrons, who were surveyed after having viewed a movie at their local cinema. The control group was surveyed during week 1 and the intervention group, during week 2. Before seeing the movie in week 2, a 30 second anti-smoking advertisement was shown, which featured a well known female actor drawing attention to the prevalence of smoking in movies. Attitude of current smokers and non-smokers to smoking in the movies; intention of current smokers and non-smokers to be smoking in 12 months time. Among non-smokers, 48.2% of the intervention subjects thought that the smoking in the movie they viewed was "not OK" compared with 28.3% of the control subjects (p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference among smokers in the intervention (26.4%) and control (16.9%) groups (p = 0.28). A higher percentage of current smokers in the intervention group indicated they were unlikely to smoke in 12 months time (47.8%) than smokers in the control condition (31.9%) (p = 0.03). For non-smokers, there was no difference in smoking intentions between conditions, with 95% saying they would be unlikely to be smoking in 12 months time. This "real world" study suggests that placing an anti-smoking advertisement before movies containing smoking scenes can help to "immunise" young women against the influences of film stars smoking.

Differences Between Daily Smokers, Chippers, and Nonsmokers With Co-occurring Anxiety and Alcohol-Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Morissette, Sandra B.; Gulliver, Suzy B.; Kamholz, Barbara W.; Duade, James; Farchione, Todd; Devine, Eric; Brown, Timothy A.; Barlow, David H.; Ciraulo, Domenic

2008-01-01

Tobacco use is disproportionately represented among both alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) and anxiety disorders (ANX) compared to the general population (Kalman et al., 2005). Despite this common overlap, little is known about how smokers with co-occurring AUD-ANX differ from their nonsmoking counterparts. Seventy-two patients participated in a larger clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of venlafaxine and cognitive-behavioral therapy for AUD-ANX. Differences between daily smokers (n = 23), chippers (n = 12) and nonsmokers (n = 37) with AUD-ANX were examined with respect to intensity and frequency of alcohol use, anxiety symptoms, depressed mood, and stress. Point prevalence of current daily smoking was 31.9%, which is considerably lower than traditionally reported in AUD studies. Consistent with predictions, daily smokers reported higher levels of alcohol dependence, average drinks per drinking occasion, and peak blood concentration levels in a day than nonsmokers during the 90 days prior to assessment. Chippers were nonsignificantly different from either smokers or nonsmokers. Smokers and nonsmokers did not differ with respect to percent heavy drinking days or emotional symptoms. PMID:18656314

Results from the 1987 total exposure assessment methodology (team) study in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartwell, T. D.; Perritt, R. L.; Pellizzari, E. D.; Michael, L. C.

Volatile organic compound (VOC) levels in breath, personal air and fixed-site (indoor and outdoor) air were measured and compared for a sample of 50 individuals in the Los Angeles area of California. Comparisons were also made between seasons (winter and summer), between breath samples taken at three different times during the 24-h monitoring period, and between exposure levels of smokers and non-smokers. Personal air levels were higher than indoor air levels and indoor levels were much higher than outdoor levels. Air concentrations in the kitchen and living area were quite similar. Air and breath levels were higher in the winter than in the summer. Little difference was found between levels for the three breath sampling periods. Mean personal air levels of VOCs related to smoking were higher in individuals exposed to tobacco smoke vs those who were not exposed. The personal air levels of smokers and passive smokers (those non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke) were not significantly different; while similar air levels were found in the kitchen and primary living area of homes with smokers.

Smoking and its association with cataract: results of the Andhra Pradesh eye disease study from India.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Sannapaneni; Vilas, Kovai; Shamanna, Bindiganavale R; Rao, Gullapalli N; Thomas, Ravi; Balasubramanian, Dorairajan

2005-01-01

To investigate the associations between tobacco smoking and various forms of cataracts among the people of a state in India. A population-based cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP). A total of 10,293 subjects of all ages from one urban and three rural areas, representative of the population of AP, were interviewed, and each underwent a detailed dilated ocular evaluation by trained professionals. Data were analyzed for 7416 (72%) of the subjects aged >15 years. Increasing age was significantly associated with all cataract types and history of prior cataract surgery and/or total cataract. In multivariate analyses, after adjusting for all demographic factors and for history of smoking, females, illiterate persons, and those belonging to the extreme lower socioeconomic status group were found to have a significantly higher prevalence of any cataract, adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-1.96), 1.46 (95% CI: 1.17-1.70), and 1.92 (95% CI: 1.14-3.24), respectively. After adjustment, cigarette and cigar smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of any cataract, adjusted OR=1.51 (95% CI: 1.10-2.06) and 1.44 (95% CI: 1.12-1.84), respectively, compared with those who had never smoked ("never-smokers"). A significantly higher prevalence of nuclear, cortical cataract, and history of prior cataract surgery and/ or total cataract was found among cigarette smokers. A dose-response relationship was seen with respect to cigarette and cigar smoking. After adjustment, compared with never-smokers, cigarette smokers who smoked heavily (>14 "pack-years" of smoking) had a significantly higher prevalence of nuclear cataract (OR=1.65; 95% CI: 1.10-2.59), cortical cataract (OR=2.11; 95% CI: 1.38-3.24), and history of prior cataract surgery and/or total cataract (OR=2.10; 95% CI: 1.05-4.22). Nuclear cataract was significantly higher in cigar smokers (adjusted OR=1.55; 95% CI: 1.16-2.01) and in cigar smokers who smoked heavily (>21 person-years of smoking; OR=1.50; 95% CI: 1.10-1.95), compared with never-smokers. Consistent with other studies, tobacco smoking was strongly associated with a higher prevalence of nuclear and cortical cataracts and history of prior cataract surgery in this population. These findings suggest yet another need to educate the community on the importance of cessation of tobacco smoking and perhaps incorporating an antismoking message into school health programs.

The Association of Menthol Cigarette Use With Quit Attempts, Successful Cessation, and Intention to Quit Across Racial/Ethnic Groups in the United States.

PubMed

Keeler, Courtney; Max, Wendy; Yerger, Valerie; Yao, Tingting; Ong, Michael K; Sung, Hai-Yen

2017-11-07

Few studies have examined the relationship between menthol use and smoking cessation across various racial/ethnic groups; the findings were mixed. This study explored the association of menthol cigarette use with quit attempts, smoking cessation, and intention-to-quit among US adults and by race/ethnicity. Using the 2006/2007 and 2010/2011 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey data, this study analyzed 54 448 recent active smokers, defined as current smokers or former smokers who quit less than 12 months ago. Three behaviors were examined: any quit attempts in the past 12 months, successful cessation for ≥3 months, and intention-to-quit smoking in the next 6 months. For each cessation behavior, multiple logistic regression models were estimated separately for the full-sample and stratified racial/ethnic subsamples. While 72.3% of African American recent active smokers typically smoked menthol cigarettes, this proportion was 21.7%, 21.5%, and 28.0% for whites, Asians, and Hispanics, respectively. African American menthol smokers had higher odds of quit attempts compared to non-African American, non-menthol smokers (full-sample analysis), as well as African American non-menthol smokers (subsample analysis). Menthol use was not significantly associated with quit attempts in other racial/ethnic subsamples. There was no significant difference in either successful cessation or intention-to-quit between menthol and non-menthol smokers. African American menthol smokers were more likely to attempt to quit smoking than non-menthol smokers but these quit attempts did not translate into successful cessation. This study revealed no association of menthol use with quit attempts, successful cessation, and intention-to-quit among other racial/ethnic groups. The findings suggested that African American menthol smokers were more motivated to quit smoking; yet, the results also indicated no significant differences in successful cessation between African American menthol and non-menthol smokers. Interventions targeting menthol smokers within the African American community may help bridge this gap. While more local sales restrictions are beginning to occur (eg, Tobacco 21 efforts), additional policies restricting price discounting as well as the regulation of access to and the time, place, and/or manner of menthol tobacco advertising could also improve cessation rates. Further evaluation is needed to determine the viability of these policies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

12-h abstinence-induced functional connectivity density changes and craving in young smokers: a resting-state study.

PubMed

Zhao, Shuzhi; Li, Yangding; Li, Min; Wang, Ruonan; Bi, Yanzhi; Zhang, Yajuan; Lu, Xiaoqi; Yu, Dahua; Yang, Likun; Yuan, Kai

2018-06-20

Studying the neural correlates of craving to smoke is of great importance to improve treatment outcomes in smoking addiction. According to previous studies, the critical roles of striatum and frontal brain regions had been revealed in addiction. However, few studies focused on the hub of brain regions in the 12 h abstinence induced craving in young smokers. Thirty-one young male smokers were enrolled in the present study. A within-subject experiment design was carried out to compare functional connectivity density between 12-h smoking abstinence and smoking satiety conditions during resting state in young adult smokers by using functional connectivity density mapping (FCDM). Then, the functional connectivity density changes during smoking abstinence versus satiety were further used to examine correlations with abstinence-induced changes in subjective craving. We found young adult smokers in abstinence state (vs satiety) had higher local functional connectivity density (lFCD) and global functional connectivity density (gFCD) in brain regions including striatal subregions (i.e., bilateral caudate and putamen), frontal regions (i.e., anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbital frontal cortex (OFC)) and bilateral insula. We also found higher lFCD during smoking abstinence (vs satiety) in bilateral thalamus. Additionally, the lFCD changes of the left ACC, bilateral caudate and right OFC were positively correlated with the changes in craving induced by abstinence (i.e., abstinence minus satiety) in young adult smokers. The present findings improve the understanding of the effects of acute smoking abstinence on the hubs of brain gray matter in the abstinence-induces craving and may contribute new insights into the neural mechanism of abstinence-induced craving in young smokers in smoking addiction.

Use of nicotine replacement therapy and stop-smoking medicines in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers and ex-smokers.

PubMed

Thomas, David P; Briggs, Viki L; Couzos, Sophia; Panaretto, Kathryn S; van der Sterren, Anke E; Stevens, Matthew; Borland, Ron

2015-06-01

To examine the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and the stop-smoking medicines (SSMs) varenicline and bupropion in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers and recent ex-smokers. The Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project used a quota sampling design to recruit a nationally representative sample of 1721 smokers and ex-smokers who had quit ≤ 12 months before from communities served by 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one community in the Torres Strait. Baseline surveys were conducted from April 2012 to October 2013. These were compared with 1017 daily smokers from the general Australian population surveyed by the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project) from July 2010 to May 2011. Past and intended use of NRT and SSMs, duration of use, and whether participants thought NRT and SSMs help smokers to quit. Compared with other daily Australian smokers, lower proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers had ever used any NRT or SSMs (TATS, 37% v ITC, 58.5%) or used them in the past year (TATS, 23% v ITC, 42.1%). Nicotine patches were most commonly used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers and recent ex-smokers (24%), followed by varenicline (11%) and nicotine gum (10%); most (74%) had got their last NRT at no cost. Among dependent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers, those who were more socioeconomically advantaged were more likely than the disadvantaged to have used NRT or SSMs. Similar proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers and other Australian daily smokers said that NRT or SSMs help smokers to quit (TATS, 70% v ITC, 74.2%). Dependent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers who had previously used NRT or SSMs were more likely to believe they help in quitting and to intend to use them in the future. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers, particularly those who are most disadvantaged, are less likely to have used NRT or SSMs than other Australian daily smokers. Some of the barriers to use, including cost, are being overcome, but further improvements are possible.

Does Quitting Smoking Make a Difference Among Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Patients?

PubMed

Choi, Seung Hee; Terrell, Jeffrey E; Bradford, Carol R; Ghanem, Tamer; Spector, Matthew E; Wolf, Gregory T; Lipkus, Isaac M; Duffy, Sonia A

2016-12-01

To determine if smoking after a cancer diagnosis makes a difference in mortality among newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. Longitudinal data were collected from newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with a median follow-up time of 1627 days (N = 590). Mortality was censored at 8 years or September 1, 2011, whichever came first. Based on smoking status, all patients were categorized into four groups: continuing smokers, quitters, former smokers, or never-smokers. A broad range of covariates were included in the analyses. Kaplan-Meier curves, bivariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed. Eight-year overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality were 40.5% (239/590) and 25.4% (150/590), respectively. Smoking status after a cancer diagnosis predicted overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality. Compared to never-smokers, continuing smokers had the highest hazard ratio (HR) of dying from all causes (HR = 2.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.48-4.98). Those who smoked at diagnosis, but quit and did not relapse-quitters-had an improved hazard ratio of dying (HR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.29-4.36) and former smokers at diagnosis with no relapse after diagnosis-former smokers-had the lowest hazard ratio of dying from all causes (HR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.12-2.56). Similarly, quitters had a slightly higher hazard ratio of dying from cancer-specific reasons (HR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.13-5.01) than never-smokers, which was similar to current smokers (HR = 2.07, 95% CI = 0.96-4.47), followed by former smokers (HR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.00-2.89). Compared to never-smokers, continuing smokers have the highest HR of overall mortality followed by quitters and former smokers, which indicates that smoking cessation, even after a cancer diagnosis, may improve overall mortality among newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. Health care providers should consider incorporating smoking cessation interventions into standard cancer treatment to improve survival among this population. Using prospective observational longitudinal data from 590 head and neck cancer patients, this study showed that continuing smokers have the highest overall mortality relative to never-smokers, which indicates that smoking cessation, even after a cancer diagnosis, may have beneficial effects on long-term overall mortality. Health care providers should consider incorporating smoking cessation interventions into standard cancer treatment to improve survival among this population. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Influence of Smoking on Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients

PubMed Central

Bai, Kuan-Jen; Lee, Jen-Jyh; Chien, Shun-Tien; Suk, Chi-Won; Chiang, Chen-Yuan

2016-01-01

Background Both smoking and diabetes can increase the risk and influence the manifestations and outcomes of tuberculosis (TB). It is not clear whether the influence of smoking on pulmonary TB differs between non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Herein, we assessed the manifestations and outcomes of TB in relation to smoking in both diabetic and non-diabetic TB patients. Methodology/Principal Findings All diabetic culture-positive pulmonary TB patients notified from 2005–2010 at three teaching hospitals in Taiwan were enrolled. A culture-positive pulmonary TB patient without DM who was notified to the health authority immediately prior to each diabetic TB patient was selected for comparison. The 972 patients in this study cohort included 365 (37.6%) non-diabetic non-smokers, 149 (15.3%) non-diabetic smokers, 284 (29.2%) diabetic non-smokers, and 174 (17.9%) diabetic smokers. The adjusted relative risk of a pretreatment positive smear for a smoker compared with a non-smoker was 2.19 (95% CI 1.38–3.47) in non-diabetic patients and 2.23 (95% CI 1.29–3.87) in diabetic culture-positive pulmonary TB patients. The adjusted relative risk for a positive smear among diabetic smokers was 5.61 (95% CI 3.35–9.41) compared with non-diabetic non-smokers. Smoking was significantly associated with an increased frequency of bilateral lung parenchyma involvement (AdjOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.16–2.93), far-advanced pulmonary TB (AdjOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.04–3.50), cavitary lesions (AdjOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.29–3.20), and unfavorable outcomes of TB (AdjOR 2.35, 95% CI 1.02–5.41) in non-diabetic patients. However, smoking was not associated with cavitary lung parenchyma lesions regarding the location, number or size of the cavity in diabetic TB patients. Conclusions/Significance Smoking and diabetes have joint effects on a pretreatment positive smear. Diabetic smokers had more than a 5-fold increased risk of a pretreatment positive smear than did non-diabetic non-smokers, indicating remarkable joint effects of diabetes and smoking on the risk of TB transmission. PMID:27270725

E-cigarettes Associated With Depressed Smoking Cessation: A Cross-sectional Study of 28 European Union Countries.

PubMed

Kulik, Margarete C; Lisha, Nadra E; Glantz, Stanton A

2018-04-01

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often promoted to assist with cigarette smoking cessation. In 2016-2017, the relationship between e-cigarette use and having stopped smoking among ever (current and former) smokers was assessed in the European Union and Great Britain by itself. Cross-sectional logistic regression of the association between being a former smoker and e-cigarette use was applied to the 2014 Eurobarometer survey of 28 European Union countries controlling for demographics. Among all ever smokers, any regular ever use of nicotine e-cigarettes was associated with lower odds of being a former smoker (unadjusted OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.26, 0.43, AOR=0.43, 95% CI=0.32, 0.58) compared with smokers who had never used e-cigarettes. In unadjusted models, daily use (OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.31, 0.56); occasional use (OR=0.25, 95% CI=0.18, 0.35); and experimentation (OR=0.24, 95% CI=0.19, 0.30) of nicotine e-cigarettes were associated with lower odds of being a former smoker compared with having never used nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Comparable results were found in adjusted models. Results were similar in Great Britain alone. Among current smokers, daily cigarette consumption was 15.6 cigarettes/day (95% CI=14.5, 16.7) among those who also used e-cigarettes versus 14.4 cigarettes/day (95% CI=13.4, 15.4) for those who did not use them (p<0.05). These results suggest that e-cigarettes are associated with inhibiting rather than assisting in smoking cessation. On the population level, the net effect of the entry of e-cigarettes into the European Union (and Great Britain) is associated with depressed smoking cessation of conventional cigarettes. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alcohol and tobacco consumption affects bacterial richness in oral cavity mucosa biofilms.

PubMed

Thomas, Andrew Maltez; Gleber-Netto, Frederico Omar; Fernandes, Gustavo Ribeiro; Amorim, Maria; Barbosa, Luisa Fernanda; Francisco, Ana Lúcia Noronha; de Andrade, Arthur Guerra; Setubal, João Carlos; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo; Nunes, Diana Noronha; Dias-Neto, Emmanuel

2014-10-03

Today there are more than 2 billion alcohol users and about 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. The chronic and heavy use of these two substances is at the heart of numerous diseases and may wreak havoc on the human oral microbiome. This study delves into the changes that alcohol and tobacco may cause on biofilms of the human oral microbiome. To do so, we used swabs to sample the oral biofilm of 22 subjects; including 9 control-individuals with no or very low consumption of alcohol and no consumption of tobacco, 7 who were chronic and heavy users of both substances and 6 active smokers that reported no significant alcohol consumption. DNA was extracted from swabs and the V1 region of the 16S rRNA gene was PCR amplified and sequenced using the Ion Torrent PGM platform, generating 3.7 million high quality reads. DNA sequences were clustered and OTUs were assigned using the ARB SILVA database and Qiime. We found no differences in species diversity and evenness among the groups. However, we found a significant decrease in species richness in only smokers and in smokers/drinkers when compared to controls. We found that Neisseria abundance was significantly decreased in both groups when compared to controls. Smokers had significant increases in Prevotella and Capnocytophaga and reductions in Granulicatella, Staphylococcus, Peptostreptococcus and Gemella when compared to the two other groups. Controls showed higher abundance of Aggregibacter, whilst smokers/drinkers had lower abundances of Fusobacteria. Samples from only smokers clustered closer together than to controls and smokers/drinkers, and also had a significant reduction in inter-group dissimilarity distances, indicating a more homogenous group than controls. Our results indicate that the continued use of tobacco or alcohol plus tobacco significantly reduces bacterial richness, which apparently leads to a reduction in inter-group variability, turning the respective biofilms into a more homogenous microenvironment in terms of bacterial community composition, with possible consequences for human oral diseases.

Laryngeal findings and acoustic changes in hubble-bubble smokers.

PubMed

Hamdan, Abdul-latif; Sibai, Abla; Oubari, Dima; Ashkar, Jihad; Fuleihan, Nabil

2010-10-01

The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the laryngeal findings and acoustic changes in hubble-bubble smokers. A total of 42 subjects with history of hubble-bubble smoking were recruited for this study. A corresponding group with a history of cigarette smoking and controls were matched. All subjects underwent laryngeal video-endostroboscopic evaluation and acoustic analysis. In the hubble-bubble smoking group, 61.9% were males. The average age was 30.02 +/- 9.48 years and the average number of years of smoking was 8.09 +/- 6.45 years. Three subjects had dysphonia at the time of examination. The incidence of benign lesions of the vocal folds in the hubble-bubble group was 21.5%, with edema being the most common at 16.7% followed by cyst at 4.8%. The incidence of laryngeal findings was significantly higher in the hubble-bubble group compared to controls. In the cigarette-smoking group, the most common finding was vocal fold cyst in 14.8% followed by polyps in 7.4%, and edema, sulcus vocalis and granuloma. These findings were not significantly different from the hubble-bubble group except for the thick mucus, which was significantly higher in the latter. There were no significant changes in any of the acoustic parameters between hubble-bubble smokers and controls except for the VTI and MPT, which were significantly lower in the hubble-bubble group. In comparison with the cigarette-smoking group, hubble-bubble smokers had significantly higher Fundamental frequency and habitual pitch (p value 0.042 and 0.008, respectively). The laryngeal findings in hubble-bubble smokers are comparable to cigarette smokers. These laryngeal findings are not translated acoustically, as all the acoustic parameters are within normal range compared to controls.

Cigarette smokers have exaggerated alveolar barrier disruption in response to lipopolysaccharide inhalation.

PubMed

Moazed, Farzad; Burnham, Ellen L; Vandivier, R William; O'Kane, Cecilia M; Shyamsundar, Murali; Hamid, Umar; Abbott, Jason; Thickett, David R; Matthay, Michael A; McAuley, Daniel F; Calfee, Carolyn S

2016-12-01

Cigarette smoke exposure is associated with an increased risk of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); however, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain largely unknown. To assess pathways of lung injury and inflammation in smokers and non-smokers with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation using established biomarkers. We measured plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) biomarkers of inflammation and lung injury in smokers and non-smokers in two distinct cohorts of healthy volunteers, one unstimulated (n=20) and one undergoing 50 μg LPS inhalation (n=30). After LPS inhalation, cigarette smokers had increased alveolar-capillary membrane permeability as measured by BAL total protein, compared with non-smokers (median 274 vs 208 μg/mL, p=0.04). Smokers had exaggerated inflammation compared with non-smokers, with increased BAL interleukin-1β (p=0.002), neutrophils (p=0.02), plasma interleukin-8 (p=0.003), and plasma matrix metalloproteinase-8 (p=0.006). Alveolar epithelial injury after LPS was more severe in smokers than non-smokers, with increased plasma (p=0.04) and decreased BAL (p=0.02) surfactant protein D. Finally, smokers had decreased BAL vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (p<0.0001) with increased soluble VEGF receptor-1 (p=0.0001). Cigarette smoke exposure may predispose to ARDS through an abnormal response to a 'second hit,' with increased alveolar-capillary membrane permeability, exaggerated inflammation, increased epithelial injury and endothelial dysfunction. LPS inhalation may serve as a useful experimental model for evaluation of the acute pulmonary effects of existing and new tobacco products. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Comparison by optical coherence tomography of the frequency of lipid coronary plaques in current smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers.

PubMed

Abtahian, Farhad; Yonetsu, Taishi; Kato, Koji; Jia, Haibo; Vergallo, Rocco; Tian, Jinwei; Hu, Sining; McNulty, Iris; Lee, Hang; Yu, Bo; Jang, Ik-Kyung

2014-09-01

Smoking is associated with high incidence of cardiovascular events including acute coronary syndrome. We sought to characterize coronary plaques in patients with ongoing smoking using optical coherence tomography (OCT) compared with former smokers and nonsmokers. We identified 465 coronary plaques from 182 subjects who underwent OCT imaging for all 3 coronary arteries. Subjects were divided into 3 groups: current smokers (n = 41), former smokers (n = 67), and nonsmokers (n = 74). OCT analysis included the presence of lipid-rich plaque, thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), calcification, maximum lipid arc, lipid core length, lipid index, and fibrous cap thickness. Lipid index was defined by mean lipid arc multiplied by lipid core length. Compared with former smokers and nonsmokers, the incidence of lipid plaques and TCFA was significantly higher in current smokers (lipid plaques: 68.0% vs 45.9% and 52.6%, p = 0.002; TCFA: 18.4% vs 7.6% and 9.9%, p = 0.018). There was a trend for higher plaque disruption in current smokers. Former smokers were more likely to have calcified plaques than current and nonsmokers (52.9% vs 32.0% and 38.0%, p = 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, current smoking, low-density lipoprotein, and presentation with acute coronary syndrome were independently associated with the presence of TCFAs. In conclusion, current smokers are more likely to have lipid plaques and OCT-defined vulnerable plaques (TCFAs). Former smokers have increased number of calcified plaques. These results may explain the increased risk of acute cardiac events among smokers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Utility of Web-Based Social Media Advertising to Recruit Adult Heavy-Drinking Smokers for Treatment

PubMed Central

Hanrahan, Tess H; O'Malley, Stephanie S; Fucito, Lisa M

2016-01-01

Background Identifying novel ways to recruit smokers for treatment studies is important. In particular, certain subgroups of adult smokers, such as heavy-drinking smokers, are at increased risk for serious medical problems and are less likely to try quitting smoking, so drawing this hard-to-reach population into treatment is important for improving health outcomes. Objective This study examined the utility of Facebook advertisements to recruit smokers and heavy-drinking smokers for treatment research and evaluated smoking and alcohol use and current treatment goals among those who responded to the Web-based survey. Methods Using Facebook’s advertising program, 3 separate advertisements ran for 2 months targeting smokers who were thinking about quitting. Advertisements were shown to adult (at least 18 years of age), English-speaking Facebook users in the greater New Haven, Connecticut, area. Participants were invited to complete a Web-based survey to determine initial eligibility for a smoking cessation research study. Results Advertisements generated 1781 clicks and 272 valid, completed surveys in 2 months, with one advertisement generating the most interest. Facebook advertising was highly cost-effective, averaging $0.27 per click, $1.76 per completed survey, and $4.37 per participant meeting initial screening eligibility. On average, those who completed the Web-based survey were 36.8 (SD 10.4) years old, and 65.8% (179/272) were female. Advertisements were successful in reaching smokers; all respondents reported daily smoking (mean 16.2 [SD 7.0] cigarettes per day). The majority of smokers (254/272, 93.4%) were interested in changing their smoking behavior immediately. Many smokers (161/272, 59.2%) also reported heavy alcohol consumption at least once a month. Among smokers interested in reducing their alcohol use, more were heavy drinkers (45/56, 80.4%) compared to non-heavy drinkers (11/56, 19.6%; χ2[1,N=272]=13.0, P<.001). Of those who met initial screening eligibility from the Web-based survey, 12.7% (14/110) attended an in-person follow-up appointment. Conclusions Social media advertisements designed to target smokers were cost-effective and successful for reaching adult smokers interested in treatment. Additionally, recruiting for smokers reached those who also drink alcohol heavily, many of whom were interested in changing this behavior as well. However, additional social media strategies may be needed to engage individuals into treatment after completion of Web-based screening surveys. PMID:27194456

Anxiety sensitivity risk reduction in smokers: A randomized control trial examining effects on panic

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Norman B.; Raines, Amanda M.; Allan, Nicholas P.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Empirical evidence has identified several risk factors for panic psychopathology, including smoking and anxiety sensitivity (AS; the fear of anxiety-related sensations). Smokers with elevated AS are therefore a particularly vulnerable population for panic. Yet, there is little knowledge about how to reduce risk of panic among high AS smokers. The present study prospectively evaluated panic outcomes within the context of a controlled randomized risk reduction program for smokers. Participants (N = 526) included current smokers who all received a state-of-the-art smoking cessation intervention with approximately half randomized to the AS reduction intervention termed Panic-smoking Program (PSP). The primary hypotheses focus on examining the effects of a PSP on panic symptoms in the context of this vulnerable population. Consistent with prediction, there was a significant effect of treatment condition on AS, such that individuals in the PSP condition, compared to those in the control condition, demonstrated greater decreases in AS throughout treatment and the follow-up period. In addition, PSP treatment resulted in lower rates of panic-related symptomatology. Moreover, mediation analyses indicated that reductions in AS resulted in lower panic symptoms. The present study provides the first empirical evidence that brief, targeted psychoeducational interventions can mitigate panic risk among smokers. PMID:26752327

[Airway metaplasia related to smoking and environmental pollution through sputum].

PubMed

Ferman-Cano, Floribel; Padilla-Santamaría, Fernando; Moreno-Venegas, Luis; Torner-Aguilar, Carlos Alejandro; Molina-Medina, Miguel Angel

2018-01-01

Both environmental pollution and smoking affect the respiratory epithelium, causing cellular adaptation changes. Therefore, this work explores the presence of metaplasia in smokers compared with non-smokers from Mexico City. A prospective cohort study was performed. The sample was performed through a home interview covering the five Mexico City zones delimited to the study and monitoring of air quality. We searched metaplastic cells and inflammation in sputum cytology stained with Papanicolaou technique, and we assessed the air quality in Mexico City. We calculated relative risk (RR) and attributable risk (AR) in relation to the presence of metaplasia and smoking. We performed 1897 home interviews obtaining a final sample of 30 participants. There were no significant differences between smokers and non-smokers with the presence of metaplastic cells (p = 0.269), although the association of metaplastic cells and inflammation showed a significant difference in the non-smokers group (p = 0.010). The RR in association with the presence of metaplasia in sputum cytology and smoking was 1.6, and the RA was 0.2. The air quality in this city has led the population to undergo changes of cellular adaptation in the respiratory epithelium by the simple fact of being exposed to environmental pollution. Metaplastic changes in non-smokers suggest strongly that pollution causes the same effect as smoking.

Tachykinin activation of human alveolar macrophages in tobacco smoke and sarcoidosis: a phenotypical and functional study.

PubMed

Brunelleschi, S; Guidotto, S; Viano, I; Fantozzi, R; Pozzi, E; Ghio, P; Albera, C

1996-10-01

Substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA), which exert bronchoconstrictor effects on human airways, are known to interact with inflammatory and immune cells, including monocyte macrophages. We have evaluated the effects of SP, NKA and the NK2 selective agonist [beta-Ala8]-NKA(4-10) on alveolar macrophages (AM) isolated from 4 healthy smokers and 4 non-smoker active pulmonary sarcoid patients. An accumulation of activated mononuclear phagocytes, as well as elevated angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity, has been evidenced in both clinical conditions. The phenotype of AMs in the studied subjects was characterized by an elevated expression of CD68+, HLA-DR+ and CD14+, CD14+ being significantly less in sarcoidosis as compared to smokers. SP, NKA and the NK2 selective agonist evoked superoxide anion (O2-) production in AMs obtained from sarcoid patients or healthy smokers. While SP acted in a non-dose-dependent manner in both conditions, NKA and [beta-Ala8]-NKA(4-10) evoked a dose-dependent respiratory burst (ED50 = 0.25 and 0.26 nM, respectively) in smokers, but not in sarcoidosis. The more marked phenotypical expression correlated well with the ability of NK2 receptors to activate AMs in smoker subjects.

Anxiety sensitivity risk reduction in smokers: A randomized control trial examining effects on panic.

PubMed

Schmidt, Norman B; Raines, Amanda M; Allan, Nicholas P; Zvolensky, Michael J

2016-02-01

Empirical evidence has identified several risk factors for panic psychopathology, including smoking and anxiety sensitivity (AS; the fear of anxiety-related sensations). Smokers with elevated AS are therefore a particularly vulnerable population for panic. Yet, there is little knowledge about how to reduce risk of panic among high AS smokers. The present study prospectively evaluated panic outcomes within the context of a controlled randomized risk reduction program for smokers. Participants (N = 526) included current smokers who all received a state-of-the-art smoking cessation intervention with approximately half randomized to the AS reduction intervention termed Panic-smoking Program (PSP). The primary hypotheses focus on examining the effects of a PSP on panic symptoms in the context of this vulnerable population. Consistent with prediction, there was a significant effect of treatment condition on AS, such that individuals in the PSP condition, compared to those in the control condition, demonstrated greater decreases in AS throughout treatment and the follow-up period. In addition, PSP treatment resulted in lower rates of panic-related symptomatology. Moreover, mediation analyses indicated that reductions in AS resulted in lower panic symptoms. The present study provides the first empirical evidence that brief, targeted psychoeducational interventions can mitigate panic risk among smokers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cigarette craving is associated with blunted reward processing in nicotine-dependent smokers.

PubMed

Peechatka, Alyssa L; Whitton, Alexis E; Farmer, Stacey L; Pizzagalli, Diego A; Janes, Amy C

2015-10-01

Dysfunctional reward processing leading to the undervaluation of non-drug rewards is hypothesized to play a crucial role in nicotine dependence. However, it is unclear if blunted reward responsivity and the desire to use nicotine are directly linked after a brief period of abstinence. Such an association would suggest that individuals with reduced reward responsivity may be at increased risk to experience nicotine craving. Reward function was evaluated with a probabilistic reward task (PRT), which measures reward responsivity to monetary incentives. To identify whether smoking status influenced reward function, PRT performance was compared between non-depressed, nicotine-dependent smokers and non-smokers. Within smokers, correlations were conducted to determine if blunted reward responsivity on the PRT was associated with increased nicotine craving. Time since last nicotine exposure was standardized to 4h for all smokers. Smokers and non-smokers did not differ in reward responsivity on the PRT. However, within smokers, a significant negative correlation was found between reward responsivity and intensity of nicotine craving. The current findings show that, among smokers, the intensity of nicotine craving is linked to lower sensitivity to non-drug rewards. This finding is in line with prior theories that suggest reward dysfunction in some clinical populations (e.g., depressive disorders, schizophrenia) may facilitate nicotine use. The current study expands on such theories by indicating that sub-clinical variations in reward function are related to motivation for nicotine use. Identifying smokers who show blunted sensitivity to non-drug rewards may help guide treatments aimed at mitigating the motivation to smoke. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Possible Indicator of Oxidative Damage in Smokers: (13Z)-Lycopene?

PubMed

Graham, Daniel L; Lorenz, Mario; Young, Andrew J; Lowe, Gordon M

2017-09-13

In vitro, the gaseous phase of cigarette smoke is known to induce both isomerization and degradation of dietary carotenoids, such as β-carotene and lycopene. However, the effects of cigarette smoke on the composition of circulating lycopene in vivo are not well understood. In this study, we examined the lycopene profiles of plasma from non-smokers and smokers. No oxidative intermediates of lycopene that have been observed previously in vitro were detected in the plasma, but evidence of isomerization of the carotenoid was seen. Four geometric forms of lycopene were detected in the plasma of both smokers and non-smokers, namely the (5 Z ), (9 Z ), (13 Z ) and (all- E ) forms. The relative amounts of these isomers differed between the two cohorts and there was a significant difference ( p < 0.05) between smokers and non-smokers for the ratio of total-Z:all- E lycopene, and in the relative amounts of (13 Z ) and (all- E )-lycopene. The ratio of (all- E ):(13 Z )-lycopene was 0.84:1.00 in smokers compared to 1.04:1.00 in non-smokers. In smokers, the (13 Z )-isomer was generated in preference to the more thermodynamically stable (5 Z ) and (9 Z )-isomers. This mirrors the scenario seen in vitro, in which the formation of (13 Z )-lycopene was the main isomer that accompanied the depletion of (all- E ) lycopene, when exposed to cigarette smoke. The results suggest that the relative amount of (13 Z )-lycopene could be used as an indicator of oxidative damage to lycopene in vivo.

Correlates of use of electronic cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy for help with smoking cessation.

PubMed

Pokhrel, Pallav; Little, Melissa A; Fagan, Pebbles; Kawamoto, Crissy T; Herzog, Thaddeus A

2014-12-01

Electronic- or e-cigarettes are nicotine-delivery devices commonly used by smokers to quit or reduce smoking. At present, not much is known about the characteristics of smokers who specifically try e-cigarettes to quit smoking compared to the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Determining the characteristics of smokers who are likely to choose e-cigarettes as cessation aids would help develop strategies to impart valid information about e-cigarettes to such smokers as facts regarding the safety and utility of e-cigarettes emerge. This study is based on 834 daily smokers [mean age=45.8 (standard deviation=13)] from Hawaii. Demographic, smoking- and cessation-related variables were examined as correlates of ever use of e-cigarette only or any FDA-approved NRT product only or both as cessation aids. Results indicated that younger smokers, non-White smokers, and smokers reporting higher income, lower nicotine dependence, shorter smoking history, and higher lifetime quit attempts were more likely to have tried e-cigarettes but not NRT products for help with smoking cessation. Smokers who are attracted to use e-cigarettes but not FDA-approved NRT products may differ from smokers who are likely to have used NRT products but not e-cigarettes in terms of demographic (e.g., age, ethnicity) and smoking- or cessation-related characteristics (e.g., nicotine dependence, quit attempts). Given the lack of knowledge regarding the health effects of e-cigarettes and their efficacy as cessation aids, future research needs to continue characterizing smokers who are likely to use e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Mobile Device Based Intervention to Reduce the Influence of Smoking Cues Among African American Cigarette Smokers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-04

lower rates of smoking cessation compared to Whites. African American smokers also live in communities that have a disproportionately high number of...Eye Tracker Screen Shots ................................................................... 139 Figure 6. Schematic Depiction of a PDA field...for African American smokers. African American smokers also live in communities that have a disproportionately high number of tobacco cues and

Impact of smoking cessation on estimated cardiovascular risk in Spanish type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: The DIABETES study.

PubMed

Luque-Ramírez, M; Sanz de Burgoa, V

2018-06-08

To assess the cardiovascular risk according to the UKPDS risk engine; Framingham function and score comparing clinical characteristics of diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) patients according to their habits status. A descriptive analysis was performed. A total of 890 Spanish patients with DM2 (444 smokers and 446 former-smokers) were included in a cross-sectional, observational, epidemiological multicenter nationwide study. Coronary heart disease risk at 10 years was calculated using the UKPDS risk score in both patient subgroups. Results were also compared with the Spanish calibrated (REGICOR) and updated Framingham risk scores. The estimated likelihood of coronary heart disease risk at 10 years according to the UKPDS score was significantly greater in smokers compared with former-smokers. This increased risk was greater in subjects with poorer blood glucose control, and was attenuated in women ≥60 years-old. The Framingham and UKPDS scores conferred a greater estimated risk than the REGICOR equation in Spanish diabetics. Quitting smoke in patients with DM2 is accompanied by a significant decrease in the estimated risk of coronary events as assessed by UKPDS. Our findings support the importance of quitting smoking among diabetic patients in order to reduce cardiovascular risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

History of smoking and olfaction in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Lucassen, Elisabeth B; Sterling, Nicholas W; Lee, Eun-Young; Chen, Honglei; Lewis, Mechelle M; Kong, Lan; Huang, Xuemei

2014-07-01

Olfactory dysfunction is the most common pre-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), and smoking is known to be associated with lower risk of PD. This study tested the hypothesis that smoking is associated with better olfaction in PD. Smoking history was obtained from 76 PD subjects (22 with a history of smoking [smokers], 54 who never smoked [nonsmokers]), and 70 controls (17 smokers, 53 nonsmokers). Olfaction was assessed using the 40-item University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). The olfactory scores between groups and subgroups were compared using analysis of covariance with adjustment for age, gender, and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor usage. Overall the olfactory score was lower in PD compared with controls (olfactory scores: 21.5 vs. 33.5, P < 0.0001). Among controls, there was no significant difference in olfaction between smokers and nonsmokers (olfactory scores, 33.2 vs. 34.2; P = 0.95). Among PD subjects, however, smokers scored significantly better regarding olfaction compared with nonsmokers (olfactory scores: 24.4 vs. 19.9, P = 0.02). These data suggest that a history of smoking is associated with better olfaction among PD patients. The finding may be related to why smoking may be protective against PD. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding and investigate the underlying mechanisms. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Does Motivation Matter? Analysis of a Randomized Trial of Proactive Outreach to VA Smokers.

PubMed

Danan, Elisheva R; Joseph, Anne M; Sherman, Scott E; Burgess, Diana J; Noorbaloochi, Siamak; Clothier, Barbara; Japuntich, Sandra J; Taylor, Brent C; Fu, Steven S

2016-08-01

Current guidelines advise providers to assess smokers' readiness to quit, then offer cessation therapies to smokers planning to quit and motivational interventions to smokers not planning to quit. We examined the relationship between baseline stage of change (SOC), treatment utilization, and smoking cessation to determine whether the effect of a proactive smoking cessation intervention was dependent on smokers' level of motivation to quit. Secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. A total of 3006 current smokers, aged 18-80 years, at four Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers. Proactive care included proactive outreach (mailed invitation followed by telephone outreach), offer of smoking cessation services (telephone or face-to-face), and access to pharmacotherapy. Usual care participants had access to VA smoking cessation services and state telephone quitlines. Baseline SOC measured with Readiness to Quit Ladder, and 6-month prolonged abstinence self-reported at 1 year. At baseline, 35.8 % of smokers were in preparation, 38.2 % in contemplation, and 26.0 % in precontemplation. The overall interaction between SOC and treatment arm was not statistically significant (p = 0.30). Among smokers in preparation, 21.1 % of proactive care participants achieved 6-month prolonged abstinence, compared to 13.1 % of usual care participants (OR, 1.8 [95 % CI, 1.2-2.6]). Similarly, proactive care increased abstinence among smokers in contemplation (11.0 % vs. 6.5 %; OR, 1.8 [95 % CI, 1.1-2.8]). Smokers in precontemplation quit smoking at similar rates (5.3 % vs. 5.6 %; OR, 0.9 [95 % CI, 0.5-1.9]). Within each stage, uptake of smoking cessation treatments increased with higher SOC and with proactive care as compared with usual care. Mostly male participants limits generalizability. Randomization was not stratified by SOC. Proactive care increased treatment uptake compared to usual care across all SOC. Proactive care increased smoking cessation among smokers in preparation and contemplation but not in precontemplation. Proactively offering cessation therapies to smokers at all SOC will increase treatment utilization and population-level smoking cessation.

Relationship of cotinine-verified and self-reported smoking status with metabolic syndrome in 116,094 Korean adults.

PubMed

Kim, Byung Jin; Han, Ji Min; Kang, Jung Gyu; Rhee, Eun Jung; Kim, Bum Soo; Kang, Jin Ho

No study has reported the relationship between cotinine-verified and self-reported smoking status with metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between urinary cotinine-verified and self-reported smoking status with MetS and determine the effects of unobserved smokers on MetS in Korean adults. A total of 116,094 individuals (66,875 men and 49,219 women) with mean age of 36.7 ± 6.8 years included in Kangbuk Samsung Health Study and Kangbuk Samsung Cohort Study between 2011 and 2013 who had urinary cotinine measurements were enrolled. Cotinine-verified current smoking was defined as urinary cotinine level of above 50 ng/mL. Unobserved smoking was defined as urinary cotinine level of above 50 ng/mL in self-reported never smokers. The overall prevalence rates of cotinine-verified current smokers and MetS were 22.9% and 10.5%, respectively. The misclassification rate to cotinine-verified current smokers among self-reported never smokers was 1.7%. A multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for variables with univariate relationship (model 1) showed that cotinine-verified current smokers significantly increased the odds ratio for MetS compared with cotinine-verified never smokers (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.30 [1.23, 1.37]). Log-transformed cotinine levels were also associated with MetS (1.04 [1.03, 1.05]). However, the association was not significant in the previously mentioned model including the traditional 5 components of MetS (model 2). Unobserved smokers significantly increased the ORs for MetS in both model 1 (1.43 [1.23, 1.67]) and model 2 (1.57 [1.06, 2.33]). This study shows that unobserved smoking and cotinine-verified current smoking are associated with MetS but urinary cotinine could be 1 conditional factor that interacts with traditional MetS components. Copyright © 2017 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cigarette Smoking During Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Secondary Outcomes from a National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network study.

PubMed

McClure, Erin A; Campbell, Aimee N C; Pavlicova, Martina; Hu, Meichen; Winhusen, Theresa; Vandrey, Ryan G; Ruglass, Lesia M; Covey, Lirio S; Stitzer, Maxine L; Kyle, Tiffany L; Nunes, Edward V

2015-06-01

The majority of patients enrolled in treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) also use tobacco. Many will continue to use tobacco even during abstinence from other drugs and alcohol, often leading to smoking-related illnesses. Despite this, little research has been conducted to assess the influence of being a smoker on SUD treatment outcomes and changes in smoking during a treatment episode. In this secondary analysis, cigarette smoking was evaluated in participants completing outpatient SUD treatment as part of a multi-site study conducted by the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. Analyses included the assessment of changes in smoking and nicotine dependence via the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence during the 12-week study among all smokers (aim #1), specifically among those in the experimental treatment group (aim #2), and the moderating effect of being a smoker on treatment outcomes (aim #3). Participants generally did not reduce or quit smoking throughout the course of the study. Among a sub-set of participants with higher baseline nicotine dependence scores randomized to the control arm, scores at the end of treatment were lower compared to the experimental arm, though measures of smoking quantity did not appear to decrease. Further, being a smoker was associated with poorer treatment outcomes compared to non-smokers enrolled in the trial. This study provides evidence that patients enrolled in community-based SUD treatment continue to smoke, even when abstaining from drugs and alcohol. These results add to the growing literature encouraging the implementation of targeted, evidence-based interventions to promote abstinence from tobacco among SUD treatment patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of color discrimination in chronic heavy smokers and healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Fernandes, Thiago Monteiro de Paiva; Almeida, Natalia Leandro; dos Santos, Natanael Antonio

2017-01-01

Background: Cigarette smoke is probably the most significant source of exposure to toxic chemicals for humans, involving health-damaging components, such as nicotine, hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of chronic heavy smoking on color discrimination (CD). Methods: All subjects were free of any neuropsychiatric disorder, identifiable ocular disease and had normal acuity. No abnormalities were detected in the fundoscopic examination and in the optical coherence tomography exam. We assessed color vision for healthy heavy smokers ( n = 15; age range, 20-45 years), deprived smokers ( n = 15, age range 20-45 years) and healthy non-smokers ( n = 15; age range, 20-45 years), using the psychophysical forced-choice method. All groups were matched for gender and education level. In this test, the volunteers had to choose the pseudoisochromatic stimulus containing a test frequency at four directions (e.g., up, down, right and left) in the subtest of Cambridge Colour Test (CCT): Trivector. Results: Performance on CCT differed between groups, and the observed pattern was that smokers had lower discrimination compared to non-smokers. In addition, deprived smokers presented lower discrimination to smokers and non-smokers. Contrary to expectation, the largest differences were observed for medium and long wavelengths. Conclusions: These results suggests that cigarette smoking, chronic exposure to its compounds, and withdrawal from nicotine affect color discrimination. This highlights the importance of understanding the diverse effects of nicotine on attentional bias. PMID:28928940

Out of the smokescreen II: will an advertisement targeting the tobacco industry affect young people's perception of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke?

PubMed Central

Edwards, Christine; Oakes, Wendy; Bull, Diane

2007-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effect of an antismoking advertisement on young people's perceptions of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke. Subjects/setting 3091 cinema patrons aged 12–24 years in three Australian states; 18.6% of the sample (n = 575) were current smokers. Design/intervention Quasi‐experimental study of patrons, surveyed after having viewed a movie. The control group was surveyed in week 1, and the intervention group in weeks 2 and 3. Before seeing the movie in weeks 2 and 3, a 30 s antismoking advertisement was shown, shot in the style of a movie trailer that warned patrons not to be sucked in by the smoking in the movie they were about to see. Outcomes Attitude of current smokers and non‐smokers to smoking in the movies; intention of current smokers and non‐smokers to smoke in 12 months. Results Among non‐smokers, 47.8% of the intervention subjects thought that the smoking in the viewed movie was not OK compared with 43.8% of the control subjects (p = 0.04). However, there was no significant difference among smokers in the intervention (16.5%) and control (14.5%) groups (p = 0.4). A higher percentage of smokers in the intervention group indicated that they were likely to be smoking in 12 months time (38.6%) than smokers in the control group (25.6%; p<0.001). For non‐smokers, there was no significant difference in smoking intentions between groups, with 1.2% of intervention subjects and 1.6% of controls saying that they would probably be smoking in 12 months time (p = 0.54). Conclusions This real‐world study suggests that placing an antismoking advertisement before movies containing smoking scenes can help to immunise non‐smokers against the influences of film stars' smoking. Caution must be exercised in the type of advertisement screened as some types of advertising may reinforce smokers' intentions to smoke. PMID:17565137

Four-year prospective evaluation of the relationship between meaning in life and smoking status

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To date, all investigations on the relationship between smoking and perceived level of meaning in life have used cross-sectional designs. Therefore, the purpose of the present prospective study, conducted with a four-year time lag, was to test the predictive power of the life meaning construct concerning changes in smoking status. Methods The data of 4,294 respondents (40.3% male, Mage = 54.7 ± 16.5 yrs) from the Hungarian Epidemiological Panel Survey were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann–Whitney U-test and structural equation modeling (SEM) with a nominal outcome variable. Gender, age, and educational level were included in the study as covariates. Results On the bivariate level, results showed that both baseline and follow-up meaning in life scores were higher in stable non-smokers when compared to stable smokers. However, quitters and starters differed from stable non-smokers in their baseline but not in follow-up life meaning scores. The other relationships (stable smokers vs. quitters; stable smokers vs. starters, starters vs. quitters) were non-significant in both time points. According to the SEM-analysis, a higher sense of meaning in life measured at baseline and follow-up is associated with a lower likelihood (OR = 0.54, z = 2.80, p = 0.005; OR = 0.64, z = 2.88, p = 0.004, respectively) of being a stable smoker compared to being a stable non-smoker, confirming the expected relationship between smoking and decreased level of meaning in life. However, neither baseline nor follow-up life meaning scores predicted significantly quitting and uptake of smoking. Conclusions If future research from other cultures verifies the protective role of a higher level of meaning in life against smoking, then smoking prevention and cessation programs will also have to include such components that help individuals experience more meaning in their lives. PMID:23433067

The Heterogeneous Effects of Cigarette Prices on Brand Choice in China: Implications for Tobacco Control Policy

PubMed Central

Li, Jing; White, Justin S.; Hu, Teh-wei; Fong, Geoffrey T.; Jiang, Yuan

2015-01-01

Background China has long kept its tobacco taxes below international standards. The Chinese government has cited as two rationales against raising tobacco tax, namely the unfair burden it places on low-income smokers and the ability of consumers to switch to cheaper brands. Objective This study examines how different socioeconomic subgroups of Chinese smokers switch brands in response to cigarette price changes. Methods We model smokers’ choice of cigarette tier as a function of tier-specific prices. We examine heterogeneous responses to prices by estimating mixed logit models for different income and education subgroups that allow for random variation in smokers’ preferences. We use data from three waves of the longitudinal ITC China Survey, collected in six large Chinese cities between 2006 and 2009. Findings Low-income and less educated smokers are considerably more likely to switch tiers (including both up-trading and down-trading) than are their high-socioeconomic status (SES) counterparts. For those in the second-to-lowest tier, a ¥1 ($0.16, or roughly 25%) rise in prices increases the likelihood of switching tiers by 5.6% points for low-income smokers and 7.2% points for less educated smokers, compared to 1.6% and 3.0% points for the corresponding high-SES groups. Low-income and less educated groups are also more likely to trade down compared to their high-SES counterparts. Conclusion Only a small percentage of low-income and less educated Chinese smokers switched to cheaper brands in response to price increases. Hence, the concern of the Chinese government that a cigarette tax increase will lead to large-scale brand switching is not supported by this study. PMID:25855642

Association between salivary cotinine and cardiovascular biomarkers among nonsmokers and current smokers: cross-sectional study of 10,081 participants.

PubMed

Lu, L; Mackay, D F; Newby, D E; Pell, J P

2014-12-01

Both active smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) are associated with cardiovascular disease, but sidestream smoke contains higher levels of small particles and toxic gases than mainstream smoke. The relationship between the concentration of cotinine and a number of cardiovascular biomarkers among nonsmokers and active smokers was examined. A cross-sectional study using the Scottish Health Surveys conducted between 1998 and 2010 was undertaken. Inclusion was restricted to participants aged ≥16 years who had provided saliva and blood samples. Uni- and multivariate regression models were used to examine the relationships between the concentration of cotinine and C-reactive protein (CRP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and fibrinogen concentrations, as well as total:HDL cholesterol ratios. Of the 10,018 eligible participants, 7,345 (73.3%) were confirmed to be nonsmokers (cotinine <15.0 ng/mL) and 2,673 (26.7%) were confirmed to be current smokers (cotinine ≥15.0 ng/mL). CRP and total:HDL cholesterol increased, and HDL cholesterol decreased, with increasing cotinine concentration across nonsmokers and smokers (all p < .001). However, there were step changes at the interface, whereby nonsmokers with a high exposure to SHS had lower concentrations of cotinine than light active smokers but comparable concentrations of CRP (p = .709), HDL cholesterol (p = .931), and total:HDL cholesterol (p = .405). Fibrinogen concentrations were significantly raised in moderate and heavy active smokers only (both p < .001). Exposure to SHS is associated with disproportionately higher biomarkers of cardiovascular risk compared with active smoking. Protection from exposure to SHS should be a public health priority. Copyright © 2014 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Greater Risk-Sensitivity of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Young Smokers than in Nonsmokers

PubMed Central

Galván, Adriana; Schonberg, Tom; Mumford, Jeanette; Kohno, Milky; Poldrack, Russell A.; London, Edythe D.

2013-01-01

Rationale Despite a national reduction in the prevalence of cigarette smoking, ~19% of the adult U.S. population persists in this behavior, with the highest prevalence among 18–25-year-olds. Given that the choice to smoke imposes a known health risk, clarification of brain function related to decision-making, particularly involving risk-taking, in smokers may inform prevention and smoking cessation strategies. Objectives This study aimed to compare brain function related to decision-making in young smokers and nonsmokers. Methods The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) is a computerized risky decision-making task in which participants pump virtual balloons, each pump associated with an incremental increase in potential payoff on a given trial but also with greater risk of balloon explosion and loss of payoff. We used this task to compare brain activation associated with risky decision-making in smokers (n=18) and nonsmokers (n=25) while they performed the BART during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The participants were young men and women, 17–21 years of age. Results Risk level (number of pumps) modulated brain activation in the right dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices more in smokers than in nonsmokers; and smoking severity (Heaviness of Smoking Index) was positively related to this modulation in an adjacent frontal region. Conclusions Given evidence for involvement of the right dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices in inhibitory control, these findings suggest that young smokers have a different contribution of prefrontal cortical substrates to risky decision-making than nonsmokers. Future studies are warranted to determine whether the observed neurobiological differences precede or result from smoking. PMID:23644912

Relationships between exercise, smoking habit and mortality in more than 100,000 adults.

PubMed

O'Donovan, Gary; Hamer, Mark; Stamatakis, Emmanuel

2017-04-15

Exercise is associated with reduced risks of all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality; however, the benefits in smokers and ex-smokers are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between exercise, smoking habit and mortality. Self-reported exercise and smoking, and all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality were assessed in 106,341 adults in the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey. There were 9149 deaths from all causes, 2839 from CVD and 2634 from cancer during 999,948 person-years of follow-up. Greater amounts of exercise were associated with decreases and greater amounts of smoking were associated with increases in the risks of mortality from all causes, CVD and cancer. There was no statistically significant evidence of biological interaction; rather, the relative risks of all-cause mortality were additive. In the subgroup of 26,768 ex-smokers, the all-cause mortality hazard ratio was 0.70 (95% CI 0.60, 0.80), the CVD mortality hazard ratio was 0.71 (0.55, 092) and the cancer mortality hazard ratio was 0.66 (0.52, 0.84) in those who exercised compared to those who did not. In the subgroup of 28,440 smokers, the all-cause mortality hazard ratio was 0.69 (0.57, 0.83), the CVD mortality hazard ratio was 0.66 (0.45, 0.96) and the cancer mortality hazard ratio was 0.69 (0.51, 0.94) in those who exercised compared to those who did not. Given that an outright ban is unlikely, this study is important because it suggests exercise reduces the risks of all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality by around 30% in smokers and ex-smokers. © 2017 UICC.

Smoking status is inversely associated with overall diet quality: Findings from the ORISCAV-LUX study.

PubMed

Alkerwi, Ala'a; Baydarlioglu, Burcu; Sauvageot, Nicolas; Stranges, Saverio; Lemmens, Paul; Shivappa, Nitin; Hébert, James R

2017-10-01

Relationships between food consumption/nutrient intake and tobacco smoking have been described in the literature. However, little is known about the association between smoking and overall diet quality. This study examined the associations between eight diet quality indices, namely, the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), Recommendation Compliance Index (RCI), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, Energy Density Score (EDS), Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), Recommended Food Score (RFS), non-Recommended Food Score (non-RFS), and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and smoking status with a focus on smoking intensity. Analyses were based on a sample of 1352 participants in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX) survey, a nationwide population-based cross-sectional study of adults aged 18-69 years. Nutritional data from food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were used to compute selected diet quality indices. Participants were classified as never smoker, former smoker (≥12 months cessation period), occasional or light smokers (≤1 cig/d), moderate smokers (≤20 cig/d) and heavy smokers (>20 cig/d). Descriptive and linear regression analyses were performed, after adjustment for several potential covariates. Compared to the other groups, heavy smokers had significantly higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (83%), obesity (34%), and elevated glycemic biomarkers. About 50% of former smokers had hypertension. Diet quality of heavy smokers was significantly poorer than those who never smoked independent of several socioeconomic, lifestyle, and biologic confounding factors (all p < 0.001). Heavy smokers were less compliant with national or international dietary recommendations, expressed by RCI, DQI-I, and RFS. In addition, they consumed a more pro-inflammatory diet, as expressed by higher DII scores (P < 0.001) and self-reported less dietary diversity in their food choices, as expressed by DDS. This study provides new evidence concerning an inverse relationship between the intensity of tobacco consumption and overall diet quality. The implication is that efforts aimed at tobacco control should target heavy smokers and intervention on smoking cessation should take into account diet quality of smokers and their nutritional habits, to increase effectiveness and relevance of public health messages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Smoking habits, exposure to passive smoking and attitudes to a non-smoking policy among hospital staff.

PubMed

Zanetti, F; Gambi, A; Bergamaschi, A; Gentilini, F; De Luca, G; Monti, C; Stampi, S

1998-01-01

A survey was carried out into the smoking habits and exposure to passive smoking among health staff in the hospitals of Faenza, Forli and Rimini (Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy), 2453 subjects answered anonymously a 41 question questionnaire. 53% of the subjects were professionals nurses, 16% doctors, 15% maintenance staff, 10% ancillary staff, 1% non-medical graduates, 2% were administrators and 3% were assigned to the category ¿other'. Of the subjects answering the questionnaire 39% were smokers, 19% ex-smokers and 42% non smokers. The highest number of smokers was found among women (41%) compared to men (37%) and among ancillary staff (48%) compared to nurses (41%) and doctors (31%). The males were mostly heavy smokers (> or = 20 cigarettes/d) and smoked strong cigarettes (> or = 12 mg/cig condensate content). The females were mostly light smokers (< 10 cigarettes/d) and smoked light cigarettes (1-6 mg/cig condensate content). A high percentage of subjects (87%) smoked at work especially in areas reserved for staff. 43% and 26% of shift workers and non-shift workers tended not to modify their habit when on morning or afternoon shifts. During night shifts the majority of them increased their tobacco consumption. Around 87% of hospital employees stated they were exposed to passive smoking inside the hospital especially in cooking areas, at information desks and corridors. Nurses, ancillaries and maintenance staff were those most exposed and for a greater number of hours per day compared to doctors. Almost all subjects were aware of the harm caused by passive smoking. 56% of smokers, 65% of ex-smokers and 72% of non smokers said they were willing to participate in future campaigns to limit smoking in their hospitals.

Do current and former cigarette smokers have an attentional bias for e-cigarette cues?

PubMed

Lochbuehler, Kirsten; Wileyto, E Paul; Tang, Kathy Z; Mercincavage, Melissa; Cappella, Joseph N; Strasser, Andrew A

2018-03-01

The similarity of e-cigarettes to tobacco cigarettes with regard to shape and usage raises the question of whether e-cigarette cues have the same incentive motivational properties as tobacco cigarette cues. The objective of the present study was to examine whether e-cigarette cues capture and hold smokers' and former smokers' attention and whether the attentional focus is associated with subsequent craving for tobacco cigarettes. It was also examined whether device type (cigalike or mod) moderated this relationship. Participants (46 current daily smokers, 38 former smokers, 48 non-smokers) were randomly assigned to a device type condition in which their eye-movements were assessed while completing a visual probe task. Craving was assessed before and after the task. Smokers, but not former or non-smokers, maintained their gaze longer on e-cigarette than on neutral pictures ( p = 0.004). No difference in dwell time was found between device type. None of the smoking status groups showed faster initial fixations or faster reaction times to e-cigarette compared with neutral cues. Baseline craving was associated with dwell time on e-cigarette cues ( p = 0.004). Longer dwell time on e-cigarette cues was associated with more favorable attitudes towards e-cigarettes. These findings indicate that e-cigarette cues may contribute to craving for tobacco cigarettes and suggest the potential regulation of e-cigarette marketing.

Clinical and genetic features of lung squamous cell cancer in never-smokers

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yang; Li, Hang; Cheng, Chao; Zheng, Difan; Zheng, Shanbo; Li, Yuan; Shen, Xuxia; Hu, Haichuan; Cai, Deng; Wang, Shengfei; Zhang, Yawei; Xiang, Jiaqing; Sun, Yihua; Zhang, Jie; Chen, Haiquan

2016-01-01

To evaluate the importance of specific driver mutations to the development and outcome of lung squamous cell cancer (SQCC) in never-smokers, we assessed the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of 597 patients who underwent complete resection of SQCCs. In total, 88 (14.7%) never-smokers and 509 (85.3%) ever-smokers were compared. The never-smokers included more females (42.05% vs. 1.57%, P < 0.001) and more often had a personal history of malignant disease (9.09% vs. 2.36%, P = 0.003). The tumors of never-smokers were more often poorly differentiated (70.45% vs. 53.24%, P = 0.010) and more often contained oncogenic mutations (21.05% vs 11.05%, P = 0.023), particularly EGFR mutations (13.16% vs 3.40%, P = 0.001). Never-smokers also tended to have poorer OS than smokers. Our results suggest lung SQCCs in never-smokers are a subtype distinct from SQCCs occurring in smokers. PMID:27092882

Is There an Association Between Smoking Status and Prosthetic Joint Infection After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?

PubMed

Gonzalez, Amanda I; Luime, Jolanda J; Uçkay, Ilker; Hannouche, Didier; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Lübbeke, Anne

2018-02-23

Recent reports highlighted the association between smoking and higher risk of postsurgical infections. The aim was to compare the incidence of prosthetic joint infection after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) according to smoking status. A prospective hospital registry-based cohort study was performed including all primary knee and hip TJAs performed between March 1996 and December 2013. Smoking status preoperatively was classified into never, former, and current smoker. Incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) for prosthetic joint infection according to smoking status were assessed within the first year and beyond. We included 8559 primary TJAs (mean age 69.5 years), and median follow-up was 67 months. There were 5722 never, 1315 former, and 1522 current smokers. Incidence rates of infection within the first year for never, former, and current smokers were, respectively, 4.7, 10.1, and 10.9 cases/1000 person-years, comparing ever vs never smokers, crude and adjusted HRs were 2.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-3.98) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.04-3.2). Beyond the first year, crude and adjusted HRs were 1.37 (95% CI 0.78-2.39) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.61-2.04). Smoking increased the infection risk about 1.8 times after primary hip or knee TJA in both current and former smokers. Beyond the first year, the infection risk was similar to never smokers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coronary Artery Calcium Scores and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Stratification in Smokers: MESA.

PubMed

Leigh, Adam; McEvoy, John W; Garg, Parveen; Carr, J Jeffrey; Sandfort, Veit; Oelsner, Elizabeth C; Budoff, Matthew; Herrington, David; Yeboah, Joseph

2018-02-09

This study assessed the utility of the pooled cohort equation (PCE) and/or coronary artery calcium (CAC) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk assessment in smokers, especially those who were lung cancer screening eligible (LCSE). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services currently pays for annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography scans in a specified group of cigarette smokers. CAC can be obtained from these low-dose scans. The incremental utility of CAC for ASCVD risk stratification remains unclear in this high-risk group. Of 6,814 MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) participants, 3,356 (49.2% of total cohort) were smokers (2,476 former and 880 current), and 14.3% were LCSE. Kaplan-Meier, Cox proportional hazards, area under the curve, and net reclassification improvement (NRI) analyses were used to assess the association between PCE and/or CAC and incident ASCVD. Incident ASCVD was defined as coronary death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or fatal or nonfatal stroke. Smokers had a mean age of 62.1 years, 43.5% were female, and all had a mean of 23.0 pack-years of smoking. The LCSE sample had a mean age of 65.3 years, 39.1% were female, and all had a mean of 56.7 pack-years of smoking. After a mean of 11.1 years of follow-up 13.4% of all smokers and 20.8% of LCSE smokers had ASCVD events; 6.7% of all smokers and 14.2% of LCSE smokers with CAC = 0 had an ASCVD event during the follow-up. One SD increase in the PCE 10-year risk was associated with a 68% increase risk for ASCVD events in all smokers (hazard ratio: 1.68; 95% confidence interval: 1.57 to 1.80) and a 22% increase in risk for ASCVD events in the LCSE smokers (hazard ratio: 1.22; 95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 1.47). CAC was associated with increased ASCVD risk in all smokers and in LCSE smokers in all the Cox models. The C-statistic of the PCE for ASCVD was higher in all smokers compared with LCSE smokers (0.693 vs. 0.545). CAC significantly improved the C-statistics of the PCE in all smokers but not in LCSE smokers. The event and nonevent net reclassification improvements for all smokers and LCSE smokers were 0.018 and -0.126 versus 0.16 and -0.196, respectively. In this well-characterized, multiethnic U.S. cohort, CAC was predictive of ASCVD in all smokers and in LCSE smokers but modestly improved discrimination over and beyond the PCE. However, 6.7% of all smokers and 14.2% of LCSE smokers with CAC = 0 had an ASCVD event during follow-up. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cellular profile of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in Turkish miners

PubMed Central

Kayacan, O; Beder, S; Karnak, D

2003-01-01

Pneumoconiosis is still a health problem in Turkey and has a relatively high incidence. Retired underground miners were investigated to document alveolitis, and to observe the difference in the cellular profiles of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid with or without pneumoconiosis. Twenty nine retired male miners and 17 controls, eight non-smokers (four male, four female) and nine smokers (six male, three female), without any dust exposure were evaluated. According to the International Labor Office 1980 classification system, the miners were allocated to three subgroups: eight without pneumoconiosis, 11 with simple pneumoconiosis, and 10 with progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Spirometric tests and arterial blood gases analysis were done and fibreoptic bronchoscopy and BAL were performed in all subjects. The study and the control subjects were comparable in respect to age, smoking habits, except the non-smoker controls, and the duration of dust exposure, except the controls. The amount of recovered BAL fluid was lower in all miners compared with the non-smoker controls (p<0.05). The amount of recovered BAL fluid and the total cell count correlated significantly (r = 0.48, p<0.01). The percentage of lymphocytes in the BAL fluid of miners without pneumoconiosis and with PMF (p<0.05) and that of simple pneumoconiosis (p<0.01) was significantly lower compared with the non-smoker controls. Alveolitis was not a representative feature of Turkish subjects with an occupational history of underground mining, and BAL fluid cellular profile did not seem to be different in miners with or without pneumoconiosis. PMID:13679550

Slower nicotine metabolism among postmenopausal Polish smokers.

PubMed

Kosmider, Leon; Delijewski, Marcin; Koszowski, Bartosz; Sobczak, Andrzej; Benowitz, Neal L; Goniewicz, Maciej L

2018-06-01

A non-invasive phenotypic indicator of the rate of nicotine metabolism is nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) defined as a ratio of two major metabolites of nicotine - trans-3'-hydroxycotinine/cotinine. The rate of nicotine metabolism has important clinical implications for the likelihood of successful quitting with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). We conducted a study to measure NMR among Polish smokers. In a cross-sectional study of 180 daily cigarette smokers (42% men; average age 34.6±13.0), we collected spot urine samples and measured trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3-HC) and cotinine levels with LC-MS/MS method. We calculated NMR (molar ratio) and analyzed variations in NMR among groups of smokers. In the whole study group, an average NMR was 4.8 (IQR 3.4-7.3). The group of women below 51 years had significantly greater NMR compared to the rest of the population (6.4; IQR 4.1-8.8 vs. 4.3; IQR 2.8-6.4). No differences were found among group ages of male smokers. This is a first study to describe variations in nicotine metabolism among Polish smokers. Our findings indicate that young women metabolize nicotine faster than the rest of population. This finding is consistent with the known effects of estrogen to induce CYP2A6 activity. Young women may require higher doses of NRT or non-nicotine medications for most effective smoking cessation treatment. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Where there's smoke, there's fire: the brain reactivity of chronic smokers when exposed to the negative value of smoking.

PubMed

Dinh-Williams, Laurence; Mendrek, Adrianna; Bourque, Josiane; Potvin, Stéphane

2014-04-03

The addictive nature of smoking is characterized by responses to cigarette stimuli that significantly impede smoking cessation efforts. Studies have shown that smokers are roused by appetitive smoking-related stimuli, and their consumption tends to be unaffected by the negative value of smoking. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the goal of this study was two-fold: to examine the brain reactivity of chronic smokers when processing the negative value of smoking using aversive smoking-related cues; to further characterize this response by comparing the latter to the processing of aversive nonsmoking-related and appetitive smoking-related cues. Thirty chronic smokers passively viewed aversive smoking-related, aversive nonsmoking-related, appetitive smoking-related and neutral images presented in a block design while being scanned. Aversive smoking-related stimuli elicited significantly greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, inferior frontal gyrus and lateral orbitofrontal cortex than neutral stimuli. Aversive smoking-related stimuli elicited lower activation in the parahippocampal gyrus, insula and inferior frontal gyrus compared to the aversive nonsmoking-related condition, as well as lower activation in the posterior cingulate, precuneus and medial prefrontal cortices compared to appetitive smoking-related cues. The brain activation pattern observed suggests that chronic smokers experience an aversive response when processing aversive smoking-related stimuli, however we argue that the latter triggers a weaker negative emotional and driving response than the aversive non-smoking-related and appetitive smoking-related cues respectively. These fMRI results highlight potentially important processes underlying the insensitivity to the negative value of smoking, an important characteristic of addiction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of smoking on surgical outcomes in ventral hernia repair: a propensity score matched analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data.

PubMed

Borad, N P; Merchant, A M

2017-12-01

Although studies have implicated smoking as a positive predictor of post-operative outcomes in inguinal hernia repair, its impact on ventral hernia repair (VHR) is not as clear. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the impact of smoking on developing adverse 30-day post-operative outcomes in VHR. Patients undergoing VHR between 2005 and 2014 were extracted from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were stratified by smoking status and compared for significant differences in baseline characteristics. Logistic regression modeled the impact of smoking on the primary outcome variable of 30-day mortality and the secondary outcome variables of 30-day overall, cardiac, respiratory, or wound morbidity. To evaluate the influence of smoking in comparable groups undergoing VHR, a propensity score matched analysis was performed. Out of 169,458 patients identified, 32,973 (19.5%) were classified as current smokers. Smokers and non/ex-smokers differed significantly in multiple pre-operative baseline characteristics. Unmatched univariate analyses revealed smoking status as a positive predictor of every post-operative outcome. These findings were validated with propensity score matching analyses, which found current smokers have an increased likelihood of 30-day mortality (OR 1.42), overall morbidity (OR 1.39), wound (OR 1.40), respiratory (OR 1.14), or cardiac morbidity (OR 1.88) compared to non/ex-smokers (p < 0.05 for all). Smoking is a modifiable risk factor with a detrimental impact on outcomes in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair. Delaying VHR and promoting smoking cessation prior to surgery may help reduce the odds of adverse 30-day post-operative outcomes.

Who smokes in Hollywood? Characteristics of smokers in popular films from 1940 to 1989.

PubMed

McIntosh, W D; Bazzini, D G; Smith, S M; Wayne, S M

1998-01-01

We examined how smokers were depicted in 100 popular films spanning 5 decades. Smokers were depicted as more romantically and sexually active than nonsmokers and as marginally more intelligent than nonsmokers. Smokers and nonsmokers did not differ in terms of attractiveness, goodness, socioeconomic status, aggression, friendliness, or outcome at film's end. Thus, if anything, smokers are depicted a bit more positively than nonsmokers. We compared Hollywood's depiction of smokers to real-world demographics on smoking and found that Hollywood's depiction of smoking tends to ignore the negative consequences and correlates (e.g., ill health, low socioeconomic status, aggressive behavior) of smoking.

E-cigarettes and expectancies: why do some users keep smoking?

PubMed

Harrell, Paul T; Simmons, Vani N; Piñeiro, Barbara; Correa, John B; Menzie, Nicole S; Meltzer, Lauren R; Unrod, Marina; Brandon, Thomas H

2015-11-01

Many smokers who have tried electronic cigarettes ('e-cigarettes') continue to smoke, perhaps influenced by their beliefs about the outcomes of using e-cigarettes ('e-cigarette expectancies'). The primary aims of this study were to compare expectancies of dual users to former smokers, and to examine the association between expectancies and intentions to quit or reduce 'vaping' among former smokers. A large cross-sectional online survey of e-cigarette users conducted in the United States. We surveyed current e-cigarette users (n = 1815), including both current cigarette smokers ('dual users', n = 381) and former smokers (n = 1434). We further subdivided former smokers into those with (n = 686) and without (n = 748) intentions to reduce or quit e-cigarette use. The primary outcomes were self-reported past-month smoking status and, among former smokers, current intentions to reduce or quit e-cigarette use, both adjusted for potential confounders. E-cigarette expectancy items were derived primarily from a previously validated measure of smoking expectancies. Dual users reported less positive expectancies than former smokers about e-cigarettes, rating e-cigarettes as more physically irritating (β = 0.10, P < 0.001) and addictive (β = 0.06, P = 0.016), as well as less satisfying (β = -0.11, P < 0.001). Former smokers with intentions to quit e-cigarettes also rated e-cigarettes less positively than former smokers without intentions to quit e-cigarettes, rating them more likely to damage health (β = 0.16, P < 0.001) and cause addiction (β = 0.10, P < 0.001), but less likely to taste good (β = -0.08, P = 0.006). Positive e-cigarette expectancies among e-cigarette users are associated with a greater likelihood of having quit smoking, but lower likelihood of intention to quit e-cigarette use. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

An Online Survey of Cigarette Use in College Students: Using Demographic Information to Influence Health Education, Prevention and Intervention Efforts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Abundo, Michelle Lee; Marinaro, Laura Marie; Fiala, Kelly Ann

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics of undergraduate smokers and non-smokers at a mid-sized, Mid-Atlantic university using an online survey. Five hundred ten students (77.7% response rate) participated. Data analysis revealed major, year, and athlete status were related to smoking, while gender and age were…

Relationship between smoking status and body weight in a military population of young adults.

PubMed

Sherrill-Mittleman, Deborah; Klesges, Robert C; Massey, Virginia; Vander Weg, Mark W; DeBon, Margaret

2009-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the association between smoking and body weight in a cohort of young U.S. Air Force recruits (mean age=20 years) enrolled in basic military training (N=35986). Twenty-two percent of recruits smoked daily prior to basic military training (n=8087) and were compared to never smokers, former smokers, and experimental or nondaily smokers. A three-way interaction among smoking status, gender and ethnicity suggested a small effect for daily smoking among White male recruits only and no significant differences for female recruits or members of any other ethnic group. Although there was a statistically significant relationship between smoking and body weight in White males, the effect size was approximately 1 kg. These results suggest that the energy balance differences in body weight between young smokers and nonsmokers are minimal and that it would take decades to accrue the differences typically seen in adult smokers.

Role of 1% alendronate gel as adjunct to mechanical therapy in the treatment of chronic periodontitis among smokers.

PubMed

Sharma, Anuj; Raman, Achala; Pradeep, Avani Raju

2017-01-01

Alendronate (ALN) inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption and triggers osteostimulative properties both in vivo and in vitro, as shown by increase in matrix formation. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of 1% ALN gel as local drug delivery (LDD) in adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of chronic periodontitis among smokers. 75 intrabony defects were treated in 46 male smokers either with 1% ALN gel or placebo gel. ALN gel was prepared by adding ALN into carbopol-distilled water mixture. Clinical parameters [modified sulcus bleeding index, plaque index, probing depth (PD), and periodontal attachment level (PAL)] were recorded at baseline, at 2 months, and at 6 months, while radiographic parameters were recorded at baseline and at 6 months. Defect fill at baseline and at 6 months was calculated on standardized radiographs by using the image analysis software. Mean PD reduction and mean PAL gain were found to be greater in the ALN group than in the placebo group, both at 2 and 6 months. Furthermore, a significantly greater mean percentage of bone fill was found in the ALN group (41.05±11.40%) compared to the placebo group (2.5±0.93%). The results of this study showed 1% ALN stimulated a significant increase in PD reduction, PAL gain, and an improved bone fill compared to placebo gel in chronic periodontitis among smokers. Thus, 1% ALN, along with SRP, is effective in the treatment of chronic periodontitis in smokers.

Reaching young adult smokers through the internet: comparison of three recruitment mechanisms.

PubMed

Ramo, Danielle E; Hall, Sharon M; Prochaska, Judith J

2010-07-01

While young adults have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking of any adult age group, studies of tobacco and other substance use have reported challenges in recruiting this age group. The Internet may be a useful tool for reaching young adult smokers. The present study compared three Internet-based recruitment methods for young adult smokers to complete a survey about tobacco and other substance use: Craigslist advertisements, other Internet advertisements, and E-mail invitations through a survey sampling service. Recruitment campaigns invited young adults aged 18-25 years who had smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days to complete an online survey. Recruitment methods were compared across recruitment numbers, costeffectiveness, and demographic and smoking characteristics of recruited participants. In 6 months, 920 people gave online consent to determine eligibility to complete the survey, of which 336 (36.5%) were eligible, and 201 (59.8%) completed the survey. While Internet advertisements yielded the largest proportion of recruited participants and completed surveys overall, Craigslist and sampling strategies were more successful at targeting young adult smokers who went on to complete the survey and were more costeffective. Participants differed in demographic and substance use characteristics across the three recruitment mechanisms. We identified success at reaching young adults who have smoked cigarettes recently through the Internet, though costs, participant eligibility, proportion of completed surveys, and respondent characteristics differed among the three methods. A multipronged approach to Internet recruitment is most likely to generate a broad diverse sample of young adult smokers.

Visual cue-specific craving is diminished in stressed smokers.

PubMed

Cochran, Justinn R; Consedine, Nathan S; Lee, John M J; Pandit, Chinmay; Sollers, John J; Kydd, Robert R

2017-09-01

Craving among smokers is increased by stress and exposure to smoking-related visual cues. However, few experimental studies have tested both elicitors concurrently and considered how exposures may interact to influence craving. The current study examined craving in response to stress and visual cue exposure, separately and in succession, in order to better understand the relationship between craving elicitation and the elicitor. Thirty-nine smokers (21 males) who forwent smoking for 30 minutes were randomized to complete a stress task and a visual cue task in counterbalanced orders (creating the experimental groups); for the cue task, counterbalanced blocks of neutral, motivational control, and smoking images were presented. Self-reported craving was assessed after each block of visual stimuli and stress task, and after a recovery period following each task. As expected, the stress and smoking images generated greater craving than neutral or motivational control images (p < .001). Interactions indicated craving in those who completed the stress task first differed from those who completed the visual cues task first (p < .05), such that stress task craving was greater than all image type craving (all p's < .05) only if the visual cue task was completed first. Conversely, craving was stable across image types when the stress task was completed first. Findings indicate when smokers are stressed, visual cues have little additive effect on craving, and different types of visual cues elicit comparable craving. These findings may imply that once stressed, smokers will crave cigarettes comparably notwithstanding whether they are exposed to smoking image cues.

Somatotype, physical growth, and sexual maturation in young male smokers.

PubMed Central

Lall, K B; Singhi, S; Gurnani, M; Singhi, P; Garg, O P

1980-01-01

One thousand school boys aged 8 to 16 were examined for their somatotype, physical growth, sexual maturation, and smoking habits. Fifty-two boys were found to be smokers, of whom 30 were regularly smoking between two and 20 bidis or cigarettes a day for a mean duration of 2.5 years. The mean height and weight of the smokers was significantly lower than that of the non-smokers at all ages, more so in regular than occasional smokers. Sixty-nine per cent of the smokers had mesomorphic type of body build; about 65% of the non-smokers had ectomorphic somatotype (P less than 0.001). Onset of puberty occurred significantly earlier among smokers compared with non-smokers, as was evident from the early appearance of genital stage 2, and an early and rapid increase in testicular size. Genital stage 2 appeared at a mean age of 11 years in smokers and 11.6 years in non-smokers. However, the appearance of pubic, axillary, and facial hair was delayed. The possible significance of this is discussed. PMID:7241030

Effects of dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) and transporter (SLC6A3) polymorphisms on smoking cue-induced cigarette craving among African-American smokers.

PubMed

Erblich, J; Lerman, C; Self, D W; Diaz, G A; Bovbjerg, D H

2005-04-01

Cue-induced craving for addictive substances has long been known to contribute to the problem of persistent addiction in humans. Research in animals over the past decade has solidly established the central role of dopamine in cue-induced craving for addictive substances, including nicotine. Analogous studies in humans, however, are lacking, especially among African-American smokers, who have lower quit rates than Caucasian smokers. Based on the animal literature, the study's objective was to test the hypothesis that smokers carrying specific variants in dopamine-related genes previously associated with risk for addictive behaviors would exhibit heightened levels of cigarette craving following laboratory exposure to cues. To this end, cigarette craving was induced in healthy African-American smokers (n=88) through laboratory exposure to smoking cues. Smokers carrying either the DRD2 (D2 dopamine receptor gene) TaqI A1 RFLP or the SLC6A3 (dopamine transporter gene) 9-repeat VNTR polymorphisms had stronger cue-induced cravings than noncarriers (Ps <0.05 and 0.01, respectively). Consistent with the separate biological pathways involved (receptor, transporter), carriers of both polymorphisms had markedly higher craving responses compared to those with neither (P<0.0006), reflecting additive effects. Findings provide support for the role of dopamine in cue-induced craving in humans, and suggest a possible genetic risk factor for persistent smoking behavior in African-American smokers.

Hypotheses and fundamental study design characteristics for evaluating potential reduced-risk tobacco products. Part I: Heuristic.

PubMed

Murrelle, Lenn; Coggins, Christopher R E; Gennings, Chris; Carchman, Richard A; Carter, Walter H; Davies, Bruce D; Krauss, Marc R; Lee, Peter N; Schleef, Raymond R; Zedler, Barbara K; Heidbreder, Christian

2010-06-01

The risk-reducing effect of a potential reduced-risk tobacco product (PRRP) can be investigated conceptually in a long-term, prospective study of disease risks among cigarette smokers who switch to a PRRP and in appropriate comparison groups. Our objective was to provide guidance for establishing the fundamental design characteristics of a study intended to (1) determine if switching to a PRRP reduces the risk of lung cancer (LC) compared with continued cigarette smoking, and (2) compare, using a non-inferiority approach, the reduction in LC risk among smokers who switched to a PRRP to the reduction in risk among smokers who quit smoking entirely. Using standard statistical methods applied to published data on LC incidence after smoking cessation, we show that the sample size and duration required for a study designed to evaluate the potential for LC risk reduction for an already marketed PRRP, compared with continued smoking, varies depending on the LC risk-reducing effectiveness of the PRRP, from a 5-year study with 8000-30,000 subjects to a 15-year study with <5000 to 10,000 subjects. To assess non-inferiority to quitting, the required sample size tends to be about 10 times greater, again depending on the effectiveness of the PRRP. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Disparities in Unaided Quit Attempts Among Daily Current and Former Smokers: Results From the 2010-2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey.

PubMed

McCarthy, Molly; Siahpush, Mohammad; Shaikh, Raees A; Sikora Kessler, Asia; Tibbits, Melissa

2016-08-01

There are well-documented inverse relationships between smoking and smoking cessation with measures of socioeconomic status. This study used nationally representative data to examine unaided quit attempts and their sociodemographic determinants among daily current and former smokers who made a quit attempt in the last 12 months. We used data from the 2010-2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey. We limited the analysis to current daily smokers who made a quit attempt in the past year and former smokers who were daily smokers 1 year prior to the survey (N = 8201). Nearly 62% (n = 5078) of the sample made an unaided quit attempt. Adjusted results indicated unaided quit attempts were more likely among males compared to females (P < .001), younger age groups compared to older age groups (P < .001), non-Hispanic blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites (P < .001), among people with lower income compared to people with higher income (P < .001), and among people with lower nicotine dependence compared to those with higher nicotine dependence (P < .001). Most quit attempts were unaided and there were significant sociodemographic disparities in unaided quit attempts. Considering that cessation aids enhance the likelihood of quitting, policies and programs should target populations which are more likely to attempt quitting without an aid and encourage them to use or provide subsidized cessation aids. Healthcare providers should advise their patients about approaches to quitting. This study used the most recent nationally representative data for the United States to examine sociodemographic disparities in unaided quitting among current and former daily smokers who made a quit attempt in the last 12 months. Most quit attempts were unaided. People who were male, younger, non-Hispanic black, had lower nicotine dependence, and those who were low income were more likely to make an unaided quit attempt. These results could be used by policy makers and program planners to develop cessation interventions directed at specific populations to improve smoking cessation rates. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Low Carbohydrate and Moderately Fat-Reduced Diets Similarly Affected Early Weight Gain in Varenicline-Treated Overweight or Obese Smokers.

PubMed

Heggen, Eli; Svendsen, Mette; Klemsdal, Tor Ole; Tonstad, Serena

2016-06-01

Weight gain is common when stopping smoking. This study compared the effect of advising smokers to follow a diet low in carbohydrates versus a usual fat-reduced diet on weight gain and nicotine withdrawal. In a randomized clinical trial, 122 men and women smokers with body mass index 25-40kg/m(2) were assigned low-carbohydrate versus moderately fat-reduced diets. Within a week thereafter all participants started treatment with a 12-week course of varenicline 10 days prior to the target quit date. Brief dietary and motivational counseling was given at all visits. Self-reported abstinence was validated. Protein intake in the low-carbohydrate versus fat-reduced diets was 26.4% of total energy versus 20.0%, fat 38.2% versus 30.1%, and carbohydrates 29.0% versus 41.7% (all P < .001). Mean weight changes for the low-carbohydrate versus fat-reduced groups were -1.2 (SD 2.2) versus -0.5 (SD 2.0) kg, -0.2 (SD 3.3) versus 0.5 (SD 2.6) kg, and 2.2 (SD 4.5) versus 2.1 (SD 3.9) kg at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after the target quit date, respectively (not statistically significant). Smoking abstinence rates did not differ between diets. In the combined groups, point prevalence abstinence rates were 71.0% at 12 weeks and 46.3% at 24 weeks. The Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms score was lower in the fat-reduced group compared with the low-carbohydrate group at weeks 4 and 12. In overweight or obese smokers using varenicline a low-carbohydrate diet was no better than a fat-reduced diet in reducing weight gain but may result in more severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Compared to previous studies, cessation rates with varenicline were not impaired by dietary counseling. The study implies that a popular low-carbohydrate diet does not result in greater weight loss than a moderately fat-reduced diet in overweight and obese smokers who are attempting to quit smoking with the aid of varenicline. Dietary counseling combined with varenicline treatment did not appear to unfavorably influence quit rates compared to previous studies in smokers not selected for overweight or obesity. Notably, the withdrawal symptoms score was lower in the fat-reduced dietary group than the low-carbohydrate group, suggesting a venue for further study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Factors Associated with Short-Term Transitions of Nondaily Smokers: Socio-demographic Characteristics and Other Tobacco Product Use

PubMed Central

Wang, Yingning; Sung, Hai-Yen; Yao, Tingting; Lightwood, James; Max, Wendy

2016-01-01

Aims To examine the transitions in smoking status among nondaily smokers who transitioned to daily or former smokers or remained as nondaily smokers over a 12-month period. We analyzed factors associated with these transitions, including the use of cigars and smokeless tobacco (SLT). Design Secondary data analyses using pooled data from the 2003, 2006/07 and 2010/11 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS). Setting USA Participants Self-respondents aged 18+ who have smoked for more than 5 years and were nondaily smokers 12 months before the interview (n = 13,673 or 14.5% of current smokers). Measurements Multinomial logistic regression model to determine the correlates of nondaily-to-daily, stable nondaily, and nondaily-to-former smoking transitions among nondaily smokers at baseline. The model controlled for socio-demographic factors and the use of cigars and SLT. Findings 2.6% of adults in our sample were nondaily smokers at baseline. Among these, 69.7% remained nondaily smokers (stable nondaily smokers), 18.4% became daily smokers (nondaily-to-daily smokers), and 11.9% quit smoking (nondaily-to-former smokers) after 12 months. The nondaily-to-daily vs. stable nondaily smoking transition was less likely among those who were aged 65+ (p=0.018), male (p<0.001), Hispanic (p<0.001), with income of $25,000–49,999 or ≥$75,000, and current users of SLT (p=0.003), but more likely among those without a college degree compared with the appropriate reference group. The nondaily-to-former vs. stable nondaily smoking transition was less likely among those aged 25+, male (p=0.013), non-Hispanic Asian (p=0.032), without a college degree, widowed/divorced/separated (p=0.013) or never married (p=0.011), and current users of cigars (p=0.003) compared with the appropriate reference group. Conclusions While over two-thirds of nondaily smokers in the USA remain as such after 12 months, others become daily smokers or quit. The likelihood of remaining stable nondaily smokers and of transition from nondaily-to-daily and nondaily-to-former smokers is associated with socio-demographics factors and current use of cigars and smokeless tobacco. PMID:27886652

Personality traits and smoking in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Bejerot, S; von Knorring, L; Ekselius, L

2000-11-01

As opposed to other psychiatric populations, subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) smoke less than the general population. The present study aims at further investigating the relationship between smoking in OCD subjects and personality traits. Sixty-four subjects with OCD were interviewed concerning their smoking habits. Personality traits were evaluated using the Karolinska Scales of Personality, and specific obsessive-compulsive personality traits were elicited through self-report questionnaires. Non-smokers were more easily fatigued, more inclined to worry, more remorseful, less self-confident, less impulsive and became uneasy more frequently when urged to speed up, than smokers with OCD. Additionally, non-smokers fulfilled significantly more obsessive-compulsive personality disorder criteria as compared to the smokers (P < 0.001). We propose a clinical subtype of OCD related to non-smoking, psychasthenia, anxiety, and pronounced obsessive-compulsive personality disorder traits.