Association Between Tuberculosis and Smoking

Abstract

BackgroundThe association between smoking and tuberculosis (TB), which has been proven in multiple studies with different study population ethnicity, has not yet received sufficient attention in terms of TB control.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to determine the association between TB and cigarette smoking in southeastern Iran, an endemic area for tuberculosis.Patients and MethodsThis prospective case-control study conducted at a University-Affiliated Hospital (Boo-Ali Hospital, Zahedan, and Southeastern Iran) from March 2007 to March 2012 enrolled 253 TB patients and 312 healthy controls. Factors including history of cigarette smoking, duration of smoking, number of cigarettes smoked per day, consumption of other drugs (parenteral and non-parenteral), and family history of tuberculosis and smoking, were evaluated in both cases and controls. Univarate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to compare TB cases and controls. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were also estimated.ResultsThe results of the study revealed a significant difference between TB and control groups in relation to smoking (P < 0.0001). In multivariate logistic regression, cigarette smokers were 3.1 (95% CI: 1.4-10.3) times more frequent in TB patients compared with controls. Other factors that showed significant differences between TB patients and controls were the use of non-parenteral drugs (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 2.2-21.4), family history of TB (OR = 6.6, 95% CI: 2.3-18.2), family history of smoking (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-8.4), and smoking history of more than 10 years (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-9.8).ConclusionsThe present study evidenced the association between TB and smoking. It is therefore recommended to include interventions for smoking cessation in the current TB control practice.

The second national tuberculosis prevalence survey in Vietnam

“…Interestingly, the male-to-female ratio increased with age, suggesting that age is also a predictor for the TB prevalence difference between men and women. The increase in the TB prevalence male-to-female ratio along with increasing age can potentially be explained by the accumulation of the established TB risk factors over time, for example, smoking gradually damages the lungs and affects the immune response over decades, making long-time smokers more susceptible to TB disease [39].…”

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“…Furthermore, the efficient medical and laboratory services with professional staff are aware of increased TB cases. Because the Makkah region is visited yearly by millions of hajis for the Hajj and Umrah festivals, this could attribute to high incidence rates of M.tb transmission to residents during such festivals [31][32][33]. Precise data on the real TB infection and transmission risk associated with mass gatherings are scarce [33].…”

“…Yearly, about 10 million hajis from 184 countries travel to the KSA to perform the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Most pilgrims originate from high-TB-burden and MDR-TB endemic regions, of which many could have undiagnosed active TB, sub-clinical TB, and latent TB infections [33]. The Hajj pilgrimage is a unique opportunity for the 184 countries of origin and the KSA to perform high-quality research on TB under the responsibility of the Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine.…”

“…More research is required to develop international strategies for managing and controlling TB [33,34].…”

Underweight increases the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in adult

“…(8) Smoking behavior is also a factor that is associated with pulmonary tuberculosis incidence, in addition to nutrient intakes. (9) One study showed that there is an association between smoking and pulmonary tuberculosis incidence and that smokers have a 3.1-fold higher risk for pulmonary tuberculosis than nonsmokers. (9) Up to the present, pulmonary tuberculosis has been associated solely with poor nutrition caused by environmental factors and the epidemiological spread of the disease, so that there is a need for a more specific study on nutrient intakes, in order to know the nutrient adequacy levels at risk for pulmonary tuberculosis.…”