The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To examine the differences in respiratory symptoms and results of lung function tests between smoking and non-smoking asthmatic counterparts during the follow-up period.

Methods: We used anamnestic questionnaires; clinical examinations, lung function tests and skin prick tests to follow a group of 54 asthmatics from the age of 16 till the age of 30. They were examined every two years.

Results: 37% of subjects were male and 63% female. The percentage of smokers increased dramatically from 16.5% at the age of 16 to 57.5% at the age of 30. The number of cigarettes smoked per day increased from 7 in adolescence to 16.5 cigarettes in young adult age. Average smoking experience at the age of 30 was 11.5 years for both female and male smokers. At the age of 30 smokers with asthma cough and expectorate three times more then non-smokers. The values of VC, FVC, FEV1, PEF and MEF75 were always lower in asthmatic smokers, but not statistically. After the age of 21, FEV1 started to fall in the group of smokers, but with no statistic difference. On the other hand, Tiffeneau index, MEF25 and MEF50 statistically decreased in smokers with asthma at the age of 21-30. Conclusions: Smoking habit does impact on respiratory simptoms (everyday cough and expectoration) and disturb lung function in young asthmatic smokers (Tiffeneau index, MEF25 and MEF50) as early as the age of 30.