Professional paper

Are women suffering from COPD more sensitive to tobacco and its ingredients?

Dubravka Pelicarić ; Klinika za plućne bolesti „Jordanovac”, KBC Zagreb, Zagreb
Bojana Butorac Petanjek ; Klinika za plućne bolesti „Jordanovac”, KBC Zagreb, Zagreb
Sanja Grle Popović ; Klinika za plućne bolesti „Jordanovac”, KBC Zagreb, Zagreb
Tajana Jalušić-Glunčić ; Klinika za plućne bolesti „Jordanovac”, KBC Zagreb, Zagreb
Mile Bogdan ; Klinika za plućne bolesti „Jordanovac”, KBC Zagreb, Zagreb

Abstract

Aim: To determine the possible difference in disease severity between men and women suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) attributed to smoking. Sub- jects and methods: The study comprised a total of 250 subjects suffering from COPD: 82 (32,8 %) women and 168 (67,2 %) men with the average age of 68.2 years. Subjects were first divided into two gender-based groups. Each of the latter groups was subsequently subdivided into the following subgroups: non-smokers, ex-smokers and active smokers. The study group comprised of women was dominated by non-smokers (N = 35; i.e. 42 %), while that comprised of men was dominated by smokers (N = 58; i.e. 34.5 %). In line with the GOLD criteria observed back in 2010, subjects were divided into three groups (GOLD I, GOLD II and GOLD III) based on their disease severity. Results: Comparison of the length of smoking expressed in the number of cigarettes smoked per day divided by 20 (no of cigarettes in a single pack) and further multiplied by the number of years of active smoking (pack/year; p/y), made be- tween former and active smokers of both genders, shows inter-gender differences in disease severity. A lower total number of former and active female smokers having a lower p/y attains the same degree of the disease severity as men having a substantially higher p/y (p =0.009). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that female airways might be more sensitive to tobacco smoke and its ingredients as compared to those of men.

Keywords

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; gender; smoking

Hrčak ID:

121894

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/121894

Publication date:

2.6.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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