Abstract
Introduction: Smoking is associated with the risk of asthma and asthma exacerbations. Tobacco smoke has also been linked to allergic diseases. However, little is known about the effect of personal smoking on the risk of atopic adult-onset asthma.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of personal tobacco smoking on the risk of atopic and non-atopic adult-onset asthma.
Methods: Our study population, the Finnish environment and asthma study (FEAS) consists of 521 new cases of adult-onset asthma, and 932 population based controls, all aged 21 to 63 years and from a geographically defined area of Pirkanmaa, South Finland. Asthma was clinically defined and atopy was defined as a positive Phadiatop-test to common aeroallergens. Information about life-time smoking was collected by a questionnaire.
Results: The Phadiatop-test was available for 463 cases, 212 of them had a positive result and were considered as atopic, whereas 251 cases were non-atopic. Regular smoking showed a statistically significant effect only on atopic asthma in women (adjusted OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.04-2.93). On the other hand, recent quitting of smoking associated with an increased risk of atopic, and non-atopic asthma both in men and in women. Interestingly, of the regular smokers, the women with atopic asthma had a shorter history of smoking (cigarette years Md 150.0, Q1-Q3 70.0-230.0) than any other asthma subgroup, for example men with non-atopic asthma, who had the highest exposure history (Md 563.6, Q1-Q3 359.1-768.0).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest, that women with atopic tendency are, with respect to new-asthma, especially sensitive to even relatively low exposure levels of regular smoking.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 3060.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020