title: The prevalence of smoking among the population in the city of Mashhad (north east of Iran) and pulmonary function tests among smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smoking is known as a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study the prevalence of smoking in the population of Mashhad city was evaluated as well as pulmonary function tests (PFTs) of smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of smoking was studied using a standard questionnaire. Pulmonary function tests, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal expiratory flow at 75%, 50%, and 25% of the FVC (MEF75,50,25), were measured in all smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 1435 individuals were interviewed including 999 males and 436 females. The number of smokers among the interviewed individuals was 183 (12.7%) including 172 male (17.2%) and 11 female (2.5%). The results showed that all values of PFTs in smokers were reduced. There were significant negative correlations between smoking duration and rate as pack/year and values of PFT (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study the prevalence of smoking in the population of Mashhad city was shown for the first time. The effect of smoking on PFTs showed that smoking leads to constriction of large and medium airways, which is due to duration and rate of smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmaceutical Research Centre, Medical School, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. boskabadymh@mums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Boskabady
authors.forename: Mahbobeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoudinia
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eslamizade
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boskabady
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghai
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shakeri
authors.forename: Gholam Reza
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Heydari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult