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The effects of secondhand smoke on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in nonsmoking Korean adults

The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2014년 29권 5호 p.613 ~ p.619

김웅준(Kim Woong-Jun) - Chunggoo Sungsim Hospital Department of Internal Medicine
(Song June-Seok) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
박동원(Park Dong-Won) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
곽현정(Kwak Hyun-Jung) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
문지용(Moon Ji-Yong) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
김상헌(Kim Sang-Heon) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
손장원(Sohn Jang-Won) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
윤호주(Yoon Ho-Joo) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
신동호(Shin Dong-Ho) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
박성수(Park Sung-Soo) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine
김태형(Kim Tae-Hyung) - Hanyang University College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine

Abstract

Background/Aims: Smoking is widely acknowledged as the single most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the risk of COPD in nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the association of secondhand smoke exposure with COPD prevalence in nonsmokers who reported never smoking.

Methods: This st udy was based on data obtained from the Korea n National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) conducted from 2008 to 2010. Using nationwide stratified random sampling, 8,596 participants aged ≥ 40 years of age with available spirometry results were recruited. After selecting participants who never smoked, the duration of exposure to secondhand smoke was assessed based on the KNHANES questionnaire.

Results: The prevalence of COPD was 6.67% in participants who never smoked. We divided the participants who had never smoked into those with or without exposure to secondhand smoke. The group exposed to secondhand smoke was younger with less history of asthma and tuberculosis, higher income, and higher educational status. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that secondhand smoke did not increase the prevalence of COPD.

Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of COPD between participants who had never smoked with or without exposure to secondhand smoke in our study. Thus, secondhand smoke may not be an important risk factor for the development of COPD in patients who have never smoked.