Adolescent E-Cigarette Users’ Perceptions of the Harm and Addictiveness of Conventional Cigarette Smoking

As the popularity of e-cigarettes continues to rise and their link with conventional cigarette smoking becomes clearer, it is important to understand how e-cigarette users compare with non-users, conventional cigarette smokers, and dual users on perceptions of addiction risk of conventional cigarette smoking as well as on other risk factors associated with smoking. PRC graduate student trainee Olusegun Owotomo, PRC faculty research associate Julie Maslowsky, and co-author Alexandra Loukas found that adolescent e-cigarette users endorsed a number of attitudes, perceptions, and characteristics that are risk factors for conventional cigarette smoking. These perceptions may leave them vulnerable to becoming conventional cigarette smokers or dual users in the future and potentially increase their risk for nicotine addiction.Population Research Cente

Influence of Cigarette Smoking on Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) in Japanese Male Workers

The link between changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cigarette smoking was evaluated in Japanese male workers with a 5-year follow-up. We examined the data of 456 Japanese male workers, aged 22-70 years, who were taking no medications, and from this group, 286 men (43.5±8.2 years) were followed for 5-years. Habits of cigarette smoking were obtained during interviews by well-trained staff. The influence of cigarette smoking on eGFR was evaluated. In the first analysis, there was no significant difference in eGFR between subjects with and without cigarette smoking. In the second analysis, eGFR was significantly reduced after 5 years in all subjects. Changes in eGFR in subjects with cigarette smoking (－1.90±12.31ml/min/1.73m2) were significantly smaller than those in subjects without cigarette smoking (－4.97±12.05ml/min/1.73m2). At follow-up, we found that eGFR was weakly and negatively correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked (/day). The present study indicated that cigarette smoking may be an important modifiable factor for eGFR in Japanese male workers who are not taking any medications

Cigarette smoking and perception of its advertisement among antenatal clinic attendees in referral health facilities in Enugu, Nigeria

Background: The most predominant form of tobacco use is cigarette smoking, and it poses serious threats to maternal and child health. The magnitude of cigarette smoking in pregnancy in our environment is not well.known. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking among pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria as well as their exposures and perceptions of cigarette smoking advertisement.Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were administered to a  cross.section of pregnant women randomly selected from three hospitals in Enugu, South.East Nigeria, from May 2, 2012 to June 12, 2012. Analysis was both descriptive and inferential at 95% confidence levels.Results: The prevalence of tobacco smoking in pregnancy was 4.5%  (9/200). Over 90% of respondents admitted that cigarette smoking could harm both mother and unborn baby. In all, 79.5% (159/200) of respondents had seen or heard of advertisement for cigarette smoking as against 82.5% (165/200) that had seen or heard of antismoking  advertisement (P = 0.444, odds ratio = 1.2 [95% confidence intervals: 0.74, 2.00]).Conclusions: The prevalence of cigarette smoking in pregnancy in Enugu, Nigeria was low, and there was high exposure to both pro.and anti.smoking advertisement. The awareness of harmful health effect of smoking was high but, that of the specific diseases associated with smoking in pregnancy was limited. Hence, antenatal classes and antismoking  advertisement should be scaled.up to include maternal and peri-natal diseases/conditions associated with cigarette smoking. Key words: Cigarette advertisement, cigarette smoking, Enugu-Nigeria, pregnanc

Cigarette Smoking as a Risk Factor of Coronary Artery Disease and its Effects on Platelet Function

It has been well established that cigarette smoking is a powerful risk factor for coronary artery disease. A number of epidemiologic studies have shown a strong association between cigarette smoking and atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and death from coronary artery disease. In addition to active smoking, passive smoking can also carry a risk of coronary artery disease. Although the detailed mechanism through which cigarette smoking is associated with cardiovascular disease has not yet been clarified, it is suggested that cigarette smoking is related to thrombogenesis, as well as atherogenesis, and blood platelet behavior is thought to be prominent among the proposed mechanisms involved in atherogenesis and thrombogenesis. The following is a review of evidence that cigarette smoking affects platelet function

A Cross-sectional study to assess the Level of knowledge of Youths aged 18-35 regarding negative Consequences of Cigarette smoking at Napier market, Jinja City.

Background: Cigarette smoking is on the increase among youths, especially in developing countries, and is a leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality worldwide. Youths incorrectly perceive that cigarette smoking is less risky than other behaviors such as alcohol consumption and drug use. The purpose of this study is to assess the determinants of cigarette smoking among youths in Napier market, Jinja city Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study design employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection was employed. 30 respondents were selected using a convenient non-probability sampling method and data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Results: Regarding knowledge of the dangers of cigarette smoking Majority of the respondents had heard about the dangers of cigarette smoking (80%). Commonly mentioned dangers of cigarette smoking included lung cancer (70%), mouth cancer (36%), heart diseases (30%), hypertension (32%), and stroke (22%). Sources of information were radios (64%) and peers (17%). Of the 57% of the respondents that were willing to quit, 74% did not know the exact time at which they hoped to quit cigarette smoking Conclusion: Respondents’ related factors associated with smoking were lack of employment (66%) non involvement in religious activities (66%) negative life experiences (63%), having a smoking friend (43%), and having smoking parents (36%) Recommendation: Although the majority of respondents had heard about the dangers of cigarette smoking, the majority scored below average on common dangers of cigarette smoking and the majority were not sure of when to quit the smoking habit, therefore there is an urgent need to create awareness about the specific dangers associated with cigarette smoking, the transient nature of its perceived benefits and the fact that the risks associated with smoking are severe

Cigarette smoking differentially affects immunoglobulin class levels in serum and saliva: An investigation and review

The aim of the present study was to compare concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM and IgD in both serum and saliva samples from smoking and non-smoking subjects using a protein microarray assay. The findings were also compared to previous studies. Serum and saliva were collected from 48 smoking male subjects and 48 age-matched neversmoker male subjects. The protein microarray assays for detection of human IgG, IgM, IgA and IgD were established and optimized using Ig class-specific affinity purified goat anti-human Ig-Fc capture antibodies and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)- conjugated goat anti-human Ig-Fc detection antibodies. The Ig class specificity of the microarray assays was verified and the optimal dilutions of serum and saliva samples was determined for quantification of Ig levels against standard curves. We found that smoking is associated with reduced IgG concentrations and enhanced IgA concentrations in both serum and saliva. By contrast, smoking differentially affected IgM concentrations – causing increased concentrations in serum, but decreased concentrations in saliva. Smoking was associated with decreased IgD concentrations in serum, and did not have a significant effect on the very low IgD concentrations in saliva. Thus, cigarette smoking differentially affects the levels of Ig classes systemically and in the oral mucosa. Although there is variation between the results of different published studies, there is a consensus that smokers have significantly reduced levels of IgG in both serum and saliva. A functional antibody deficiency associated with smoking may compromise the body’s response to infection and result in a predisposition to the development of autoimmunity

Cigarette Smoking and Low Back Pain

The purpose of this independent study is to define presently existing theories linking cigarette smoking and low back pain. It also provides a detailed description of nicotine and its physiological and psychological effects. There are four theories outlined in this study which could serve as explanations for the correlation of cigarette smoking and low back pain. The first is the chronic cough associated with smoking. This cough increases mechanical stress including higher disc pressures and poor union and healing following spinal fusion surgery. The second theory deals with the vascular changes caused by nicotine which decreases vertebral blood flow and solute transport. Thirdly, smoking accelerates osteoporosis. The last theory links cigarette smoking and low back pain with similar psychological and physiological traits. There is enough evidence to show a strong correlation between cigarette smoking and low back pain, however no conclusive evidence exists to demonstrate cigarette smoking as a causative factor of low back pain. The information is strong enough to alert the healthcare provider to not overlook cigarette smoking when treating a patient with low back pain

Does the cigarette smoking influence the perinatal outcome?

Cigarette smoking, active or passive, is related to adverse perinatal outcome, and affects breastfeeding. It increases risks of spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, low birthweight, malformations, placenta previa, abruption. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether cigarette smoking has influence to perinatal outcome. Material : newborns and their mothers admitted to Gynecology&Obstetric Clinic, Skopje, Macedonia. Methods : epidemiological, clinical, statistical. Our results showed high influence of the cigarette smoking to some indicators of perinatal outcome (prematurity, low birthweight, Apgar scores). These finding derive conclusion that cigarette smoking is the most frequent and completely preventable risk factor for the adverse neonatal outcome. Key words: newborn, cigarette smoke, outcome, prematurit

Waterpipe a gateway to cigarette smoking initiation among adolescents in Irbid, Jordan: a longitudinal study

SETTING: According to anecdotal evidence, waterpipe smoking may lead to the initiation of cigarette smoking among young people. This hypothesis is yet to be examined using an appropriate study design and a theoretical model for behavioral change. OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of cigarette smoking initiation among waterpipe-only smokers and never smokers in a school-based sample of adolescents from Irbid, Jordan. METHODS: A total of 1454 cigarette-naïve participants were drawn from a longitudinal study on smoking behavior conducted in Irbid among 1781 seventh graders who were enrolled at baseline (2008) and completed the study questionnaire on smoking behavior annually until 2011. Grouped time-survival analysis was used to compare the risk of subsequent initiation of cigarette smoking between waterpipe smokers (n = 298) and never smokers (n = 1156) using adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: Risk of initiation of cigarette smoking among waterpipe smokers was significantly higher than among never smokers after adjusting for potential confounders (aHR 1.67, 95%CI 1.46–1.92). The association between waterpipe and cigarette smoking initiation was dose-dependent. The risk of initiating cigarette smoking increased with increase in the frequency of waterpipe smoking (P for linear trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Waterpipe smoking led to the initiation of cigarette smoking among this cohort of Jordanian adolescents; the effect was dose-dependent