The relationship between nicotine dependence level and community-acquired pneumonia in young soldiers: a case control study.
OBJECTIVE
Smoking is an important risk factor in the development of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This study was designed to investigate the relationship between nicotine dependence level and the development of CAP.


METHODS
The Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was performed to measure nicotine dependence level (NDL). Subjects with a Fagerstrom score (FS) of 5 or lower were defined as low dependence level and a FS score of 6 or higher was defined as high dependence level.


RESULTS
The risk of pneumonia development was higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (OR=2.19, 95% CI 1.13-4.23). The pneumonia development risk was 1.91 times higher in the low dependence level group compared to nonsmokers (OR=1.91, 95% CI 0.95-3.83). In the high nicotine dependence level group pneumonia risk was 2.93 times higher than in nonsmokers (OR=2.93, 95% CI 1.34-6.36). We also studied the relationship between CAP and the time to the first cigarette of the day. Risk was the lowest in the smoker group of after 60 minutes and risk ratios increased with decreased time.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, a high nicotine dependence level was found to be a risk factor associated with smoking for CAP development. The time period of the first cigarette after waking up is also important in pneumonia development as well as in the nicotine dependence level.
Tas
Dilaver
D
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dilavertas@gmail.com
Sevketbeyoglu
Haldun
H
Aydin
Ahmet Fakih
AF
Celik
Kamil
K
Karaca
Mehmet Ali
MA
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult