RESPIRATORY RESPONSE TO CIGARETTE-SMOKING AMONG ADOLESCENT SMOKERS - A PILOT-STUDY

Background. Because cigarette smoking affects the respiratory system e arlier than many other systems of the human body, an attempt was made to identify objective and subjective respiratory problems among adoles cent smokers. Methods. Two studies based on a pulmonary function test (PFT), respiratory symptom assessment, and other smoking-related varia bles were undertaken. Study 1 involved cigarette smokers (N = 18, 22% males, mean age 18.7 years) from a freshman college class who particip ated in an acute smoking experiment that involved performing a PFT bef ore and after smoking a single cigarette. Study 2 was performed on a c ombined group of vocational-technical high school students and; freshm an college students (N = 44, 48% males, mean age 17.8 years) where PFT parameters, respiratory symptoms, and smoking-related health vulnerab ility were assessed among smokers vs nonsmokers. Results. In Study 1, the average reduction across PFT parameters was 4.4% and the mean esti mated lung age increased from 27.15 to 29.84 years. In Study 2, a cons istent trend toward reduction of PFT values among smokers vs nonsmoker s was observed; the mean forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vita l capacity ratio (90.51% vs 94.59%), peak expiratory flow rate (80.32% vs 92.06%), and how rate of 50% of forced vital capacity (88.39% vs 1 02.81%) differed significantly. Significant differences in respiratory symptoms were also observed among smokers vs nonsmokers. Conclusions. The beginning of respiratory health disorders can be identified among adolescent smokers, These findings might provide important clues on h ow to improve outcomes from health care provider-based adolescent smok ing cessation counseling. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.