Smoking promotes disease progression in multiple sclerosis

September 25, 2018  18:58

The smoker group exhibited higher rates of cough and sputum symptoms as well as higher rates of admission to the hospital.

The smoker group exhibited higher rates of cough and sputum symptoms as well as higher rates of admission to the hospital.

Cigarette smoking may lead to increased respiratory problems and decreased functional levels in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to findings published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

Participants in the study were smokers (n=68) and non-smokers (n=67) diagnosed with MS. All participants were self-reliant and capable of walking without help for about 12 hours per day. Investigators determined an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score for each participant based on their most recent neurological exam.

Investigators collected additional data in a questionnaire e-mailed to participants. Participants provided average daily walking distance, average daily sitting time, and average daily time without activity. They recorded shortness of breath using the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale and perceived effort and resting dyspnea using the modified Borg (mBORG) scale. Investigators quantified cigarette consumption in pack-years, the number of years a participant had been smoking and the number of packs of cigarettes that participant smoked daily.

The smoker group exhibited higher rates of cough (67%, P =.04) and sputum (69%, P=.01) symptoms as well as higher rates of admission to the hospital (29%, P =.01) due to respiratory complaints than the non-smoker group. In addition, the mean daily walking distance for the smoker group was lower than that of the non-smoker group. The smoker group also reported a high level of sedentary lifestyle, and non-smokers reported a low level of sedentary lifestyle.

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