The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To evaluate in a clinical study, the causal factor of smoking for women pulmonary TB, in the condition of increasing prevalence of smoking among female population. To include tobacco control as an useful tool to face developing TB.

Methods: Overview of 376 active TB cases in females vs. general female population (n = 344,000) in 2004, were used to compare the prevalence of smoking behavior. Information on smoking status, tobacco consumption as well as additional data about alcohol use, education level, working, housing and public financial assistance status were obtained using a standard questionnaire.

Results: The annual female active TB rates were 109, 178 and 379 per 100,000 overall, never-smokers and current smokers (p<0.001). The estimate odd ratio (OR) of the association between smoking and TB was 2.13 (95%CI, 1.76-3.58). The smokers were more likely to have pulmonary involvement (OR 2,35; 95%CI, 1.82-3.64), positive smear/culture sputum (OR 1.49; 95%CI, 0.88-2.57), all p<0.05 and TB relapses treatment (OR 5.37; 95%CI, 3.84-6.91; p<0.001), but less for those with extra pulmonary involvement (OR 1.08). Current smokers, who developed TB had a higher tobacco consumption/day than no smokers. The OR for mild (1-10 cigarettes/day), moderate (11-20 cigarettes/day) and heavy (>20 cigarettes/day) smokers were 1.62 (95%CI, 1.01-2.58), 2.03 (95%CI, 1.36-3.18) and 3.09 (95%CI, 2.06-4.52), all p<0.001. There is a strong positive causal association between tobacco smoking and female pulmonary TB, with a clear dose-response relationship.