GRONINGEN, Netherlands, Dec 8, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Asthmatic smokers may
be able to reverse some of the damage to their lungs by snuffing out their
cigarettes, Dutch researchers say.
Lead author Martine Broekema of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands
and colleagues examined patients with asthma who were assessed for the severity
of their asthma and allergy, given questionnaires to determine the extent of
their smoke-induced symptoms and then underwent bronchial biopsies.
Of the 147 patients, 66 had never smoked, 46 were ex-smokers and 35 were current
smokers.
"We found that exposure to cigarette smoke appears to increase the thickness of
the epithelium, or lining, of the airways in the lung," Broekema said in a
statement.
"This may be the underlying cause of the fact that smoking asthma patients
experience more asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath and phlegm
production, compared to non-smoking asthma patients."
In addition to the epithelial thickening, the researchers found that cigarette
smoke negatively affects levels of exhaled nitric oxide, making it an unreliable
indicator of asthma severity in smokers, Broekema said.
The study, to be published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, suggests smoking cessation can reverse
the thickening of the lining of the airways.
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