Quitting smoking is the most important step smokers can take to improve their health. Nonetheless, there is little information on long-term improvements in lung function and/or respiratory symptoms after smoking cessation. Here we illustrate long-term changes in spirometric indices as well as in respiratory symptoms in smokers invited to quit or reduce their cigarette consumption by switching to electronic cigarettes (ECs). Prospective evaluation of cigarette consumption, spirometry and symptoms was performed in a 1-year randomized controlled trial of smokers receiving EC containing 2.4%, 1.8% or 0% nicotine. Spirometric data are presented on the basis of participants’ pooled continuous smoking phenotype classification (Quitters, Reducers, Failures), whereas respiratory symptoms on the basis of their point prevalence-smoking phenotype. Smoking phenotype classification (Quitters, Reducers, Failures) had no significant effect on spirometric indices (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) with the exception of FEF25–75%, which significantly (P =0.034) increased over the time among Quitters; their FEF25–75% (% predicted) improving from (means±S.D.) 85.7±15.6% at baseline (BL) to 100.8±14.6%. High prevalence of cough/phlegm (43.1%) and shortness of breath (SoB; 34.8%) was reported at BL with substantial reduction in their frequency at subsequent follow-up visits. These symptoms virtually disappeared very quickly in both quitters and reducers. Smokers invited to switch to ECs who completely abstained from smoking showed steady progressive improvements in their FEF25–75%. Normalization of peripheral airways function was associated with improvement in respiratory symptoms, adding to the notion that abstaining from smoking can reverse tobacco harm in the lung.
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The effect on lung function and respiratory symptoms of reducing of consumption of conventional cigarettes by switching to electronic cigarettes is investigated by the Cibella et al. in their Clinical Science research article on pages 1929-1937 (volume 130, issue 21).
Research Article|
September 22 2016
Lung function and respiratory symptoms in a randomized smoking cessation trial of electronic cigarettes
Fabio Cibella;
*National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Correspondence: Fabio Cibella (email [email protected]).
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Davide Campagna;
Davide Campagna
†Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Pasquale Caponnetto;
Pasquale Caponnetto
†Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Maria Domenica Amaradio;
Maria Domenica Amaradio
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Massimo Caruso;
Massimo Caruso
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Cristina Russo;
Cristina Russo
†Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Donald W. Cockcroft;
Donald W. Cockcroft
§Division of Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N0W8
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Riccardo Polosa
Riccardo Polosa
†Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
‡Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
April 11 2016
Revision Received:
June 24 2016
Accepted:
August 19 2016
Accepted Manuscript online:
August 19 2016
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2016
Clin Sci (Lond) (2016) 130 (21): 1929–1937.
Article history
Received:
April 11 2016
Revision Received:
June 24 2016
Accepted:
August 19 2016
Accepted Manuscript online:
August 19 2016
Citation
Fabio Cibella, Davide Campagna, Pasquale Caponnetto, Maria Domenica Amaradio, Massimo Caruso, Cristina Russo, Donald W. Cockcroft, Riccardo Polosa; Lung function and respiratory symptoms in a randomized smoking cessation trial of electronic cigarettes. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 November 2016; 130 (21): 1929–1937. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20160268
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