Egyptian Smoking
Prevention Research Institute (ESPRI)1, Ain Shams University Faculty
of Medicine 2, Cairo University Faculty of Medicine 3, University of
Maryland 4. Georgetown University 5
Abstract
A community survey was
carried out to study the profile of lung dysfunction among waterpipe
in comparison to cigarette smokers.
Methods:
A total of 358 cigarette
smokers (10 or more cigarettes per day), 84 waterpipe smokers and 32
controls were tested for lung function using an expiratory flow/volume
curve. The percent of predicted of FEV1 , FEF 25-75 and FVC values
were calculated. The large airway ( FEV1 <80%) and small
airway(FEF25-75 <65%) dysfunctions were categorized using the
American Thoracic society guidelines.
Results:
Duration of smoking
cigarette and waterpipe smoking was Mean (+S.D) 18.8+-11.5 and
13.0+-12.5 years respectively. Among cigarette smokers, 12.3% had both
small and large airway dysfunction whereas 8.3% had both small and
large airway dysfunction among waterpipe smokers , 14% of cigarette
smokers had large airway dysfunction disease alone as compared to 8.3%
for waterpipe smokers. Small airway dysfunction alone was present in
1.1% among cigarette smokers as compared to 4.8% for waterpipe
smokers. As a validity check, persons with COPD were checked against
large and small airway disease and 19 out of 22 COPD cases were found
to have both large and small airway obstruction.
Conclusions:
Isolated small
airway dysfunction alone is uncommon for both cigarette and waterpipe
smokers. Large airway alone or in combination with small airway
dysfunction is the most common manifestation accounting for over a
quarter of the cigarette smokers and one sixth of the waterpipe
smokers. Cigarette smokers have significantly higher degree of small
and large airway dysfunction.
