Pulmonary function of smokers in an air polluted environment

ABSTRACT

The relation of smoking and air pollution impact on pulmonary function was studied in a cohort of 158 persons. Subjects from three different departments in the Baiji oil refinery complex were examined. A control group from the staff members of the medical college of Tikrit university were also selected randomly. Anthropometric, health status, and environmental information were collected about each subject. A researcher filled, twenty two relevant variable questionnaire was designed to obtain maximum necessary data. The results indicated that statistically significant changes in PEFR readings were among smokers in the air polluted area. However, there might be synergistic effect of cigarette smoking and industrial air pollution. Non measurable obstructive changes might be present in the exposed nonsmokers, but are detectable by PEFR