Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease related to wood smoke and impact of the combined exposure to tobacco

• Published in: IJTLD open Vol. 1; no. 3; pp. 130 - 135
• Main Authors: Torres-Duque, C.A., Jaramillo, C., Caballero, A., Proaños-Jurado, N.J., Pareja-Zabala, M.J., Soriano, J.B., González-García, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01.03.2024; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)
• Subjects: Airflow Obstruction; Biomass Smoke; COPD; Original; Tobacco Smoke; TS-COPD; WS-COPD; TS-COPD; biomass smoke; tobacco smoke; WS-COPD; airflow obstruction; COPD
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtldopen.24.0004
• ISSN: 3005-7590

BACKGROUND Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2023 highlights the need to explore aetiotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) beyond the tobacco-smoking COPD. Exposure to wood smoke (WS) is a risk factor for COPD in women, but the effect of the combined exposure to tobacco smoke (TS) in the general population and among COPD patients, and the characteristics of WS-COPD are unclear. METHOD This was an analysis of data from PREPOCOL (Prevalence of COPD in Five Colombian Cities Situated at Low, Medium, and High Altitude), a random cross-sectional population-based study (n = 5,539) focusing on the effect of combined WS and TS exposure and WS-COPD characterisation. RESULTS Prevalence of COPD was significantly higher in those exposed to both WS and TS (16.0%) than in those exposed to WS (6.7%) or TS (7.8%) only (P < 0.001). Exposure to WS was associated with COPD in men (OR 1.53, P = 0.017). WS-COPD individuals were more frequently female, older, shorter and had higher forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) (all P < 0.05). Those exposed to both WS and TS had more symptoms and worse airflow limitation (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This was the first random population-based study showing that WS is an associated risk factor for COPD also in men, and that people exposed to both WS and TS have a significantly higher prevalence of COPD. Similarly, COPD subjects exposed to both types of smoke have more symptoms and greater airflow obstruction. This suggests an additive effect of WS and TS.