Women who are exposed to secondhand smoke over a long period of time have an increased risk of developing COPD. That’s according to a study published in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
The study, “Increased Incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Women Due to Long-Term Passive Smoking,” involved 2,360 women under 40 years old in Jinan, China. Participants underwent comprehensive assessments including pulmonary function tests, hematological analyses and structured questionnaires evaluating COPD symptoms and passive smoking exposure.
Based on exposure history, the women were divided into long-term passive smoking (LPS) and non-passive smoking (NPS) cohorts.
The researchers found significant pulmonary function impairment in the LPS group compared to the NPS controls. These impairments included lower forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and a decreased FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio. The LPS group also demonstrated a higher prevalence of preserved ratio impaired spirometry, increased annual exacerbation frequency, elevated systemic inflammatory markers and greater symptom severity.
The researchers concluded their study “demonstrates that long-term passive smoking significantly increases the risk and severity of COPD among women.” Specifically, they said long-term passive smoking is associated with reduced pulmonary function, exacerbated inflammation and increased frequency of acute exacerbations.
