Water-pipe smoking effects on pulmonary permeability using technetium-99m DTPA inhalation scintigraphy.
OBJECTIVE
Although extensive work has been done on cigarette smoking and its effects on pulmonary function, there are limited number of studies on water-pipe smoking. The effects of water-pipe smoking on health are not widely investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of water-pipe smoking on pulmonary permeability.


METHODS
Technetium-99m DTPA inhalation scintigraphy was performed on 14 water-pipe smoker volunteers (all men, mean age 53.7 +/- 9.8) and 11 passive smoker volunteers (1 woman, 10 men, mean age 43.8 +/- 12). Clearance half-time (T 1/2) was calculated by placing a monoexponential fit on the time activity curves. Penetration index (PI) of the radioaerosol was also calculated.


RESULTS
PI was 0.58 +/- 0.14 and 0.50 +/- 0.12 for water-pipe smokers (WPS) and passive smokers (PS) respectively. T 1/2 of peripheral lung was 57.3 +/- 12.7 and 64.6 +/- 13.2 min, central airways was 55.8 +/- 23.5 and 80.1 +/- 35.2 min for WPS and PS, respectively (p < or = 0.05). FEV1/FVC% was 82.1 +/- 8.5 (%) and 87.7 +/- 6.5 (%) for WPS and PS, respectively (0.025 < p < or = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that water-pipe smoking effects pulmonary epithelial permeability more than passive smoking. Increased central mucociliary clearance in water-pipe smoking may be due to preserved humidity of the airway tracts.
Aydin
Aysel
A
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. ayselaydin@yahoo.com
Kiter
Goksel
G
Durak
Hatice
H
Ucan
Eyup Sabri
ES
Kaya
Gamze Capa
GC
Ceylan
Emel
E
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013638:Tars / Q000009:adverse effects; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013638:Tars; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; C024746:tobacco tar; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate