Effects of smoking cessation on airflow obstruction and quality of life in asthmatic smokers.
OBJECTIVE
Smoking elicits airway inflammation and airflow obstruction in patients with asthma, even after smoking cessation. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of smoking cessation on lung function and quality of life (QOL) in asthmatic patients.


METHODS
Thirty-two patients with asthma who were active smokers were recruited. After education on the effects of smoking on asthma, 22 patients continued to smoke, and 10 quit smoking. All patients were treated with inhaled fluticasone propionate (1 mg/day) for 3 months. We compared forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% FVC (FEF(25-75%)), and scores on a QOL questionnaire at baseline, 1, 2, and 3 months.


RESULTS
Quitters showed a greater percent change in FEV1 (19.1±6.3 vs. 7.9±2.4%, P=0.024) and FEV1/FVC (6.5±4.14 vs. 3.5±1.5%, P=0.05) than smokers. Both quitters and smokers showed improved QOL scores after 1, 2, and 3 months of fluticasone treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with asthma who quit smoking showed less airway obstruction, suggesting that smoking cessation is crucial in the management of asthma.
Jang
An-Soo
AS
Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Korea.
Park
Sung-Woo
SW
Kim
Do-Jin
DJ
Uh
Sootaek
S
Kim
Young Hoon
YH
Whang
Hun Gyu
HG
Lim
Gun Il
GI
Park
Choon-Sik
CS