Abstract

Objective: Both active and passive smoking increase the risk of developing asthma and respiratory symptoms and decrease pulmonary functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of active and passive smoking exposure on asthma severity and exacerbations in patients treated and followed-up regularly by the same physician in a specialized asthma outpatient clinic.

Material and Method: We used a questionnaire to assess the history, medications, severity and exacerbations of asthma, besides active and passive smoking exposure in 131 patients attending our asthma outpatient clinic and urinary cotinine levels were measured.

Results: Mean age of the patients was 52.0±11.7 [93 females (71%)]. Thirty nine patients (30%) reported passive smoking exposure, whereas seven (5%) patients were current smokers. Urinary cotinine levels were high (>500 ng/ml) in only two patients with passive smoking exposure. The average number of asthma exacerbations was 1.5/year in patients exposed to passive smoking and 1/year in patients without exposure (p>0.05). The number of patients with intermittent (32% vs. 24%) and mild persistent (53% vs. 46%) asthma were higher in passive smoking patients whereas there were more patients without smoking exposure in the moderate persistent (13% vs. 22%) and severe persistent (3% vs. 8%) groups.

Conclusion: We concluded that the percentage of current smokers was lower than the general population among asthma patients. This can emphasize the importance of educational therapy in the specific asthma outpatient clinic. On the other hand, we should improve the consciousness of the general public about asthma as one third of the patients were passive smokers.