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Role of passive smoking in non-smoking related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Tahira Zubair1, Amanullah Abbasi1, Osama Ahsan Khan1
1Dow University Hospital, Ojha Campus, Karachi.
Objective:
To determine the association between passive smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Methods:
The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to March 2016 at the Ojha campus of Dow University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised individuals who denied past or current active smoking and exposure to bio-mass fuel. The subjects were attendants coming with patients, hospital staff, faculty and medical students aged 15-64 years. Each subject undertook pulmonary function tests via spirometer after filling a proforma based on assessment and quantification of the exposure to second- hand smoke and common symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Data was analysed using SPSS20.
Results:
Out of 307 subjects, 196(63.84%) were currently exposed to passive smoke either at home or at workplace or at both, and 24(12.24%) of them had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diagnosed by means of spirometry. Out of these subjects, 5(20.8%) had stage I, 9(37.5%) had stage II, 8(33.3%) had COPD stage III and 2(8.3%) had stage IV disease. A significant association was found between density of passive smoke inhaled over a period of time and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Passive smokers were found to be at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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