New study shows smoking increases risk of psoriasis
A recent study demonstrates that cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing psoriasis. Researchers in Boston and Vancouver, British Columbia analyzed data from the Nurses Health Study, a prospective study of 116,608 nurses who were between the ages of 25 and 42 years at baseline in 1989. Primary results indicate that the risk of developing psoriasis was 37% higher for past smokers and 78% higher for current smokers.  Furthermore, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of pack years and the risk of developing psoriasis, with a higher number of pack years associated with a substantially higher risk. Click here to read more about the research, which was recently published in The American Journal of Medicine.

Smoking not associated with more advanced, aggressive forms of breast cancer
Results from a recent study suggest that smoking is not associated with more advanced, aggressive forms of breast cancer at time of diagnosis. Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center examined data from 6,162 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1970 and 2006. At their initial evaluation, participants were queried about present and past smoking behavior. Interestingly, the researchers found no significant correlation between smoking behavior and the stage and aggressiveness of the tumor. That being said, the researchers caution that inferences about the rate of cancer or differences in the likelihood of developing breast cancer by smoking status cannot be made from this study. Click here to read more about the research, which was recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Risk of spontaneous abortion in women with childhood exposure to parental cigarette smoke
Results of a recent study suggest that exposure to secondhand smoke in childhood is associated with an increased risk of having a spontaneous abortion. Researchers studied 2,162 nonsmoking women, and compared their self-reported information about exposure to secondhand smoke in childhood to adjusted odds ratios for pregnancy outcomes. They found that women who reported having two parents that smoked during their childhood had increased odds of spontaneous abortion compared to women who reported that neither parent smoked. Secondary analysis also revealed increased risk of failed embryo implantation among women who reported current exposure to secondhand smoke. Click here to view the abstract of the study, which was recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Cigarette smoking may accelerate disability in multiple sclerosis
A recent study revealed that cigarette smoking contributes to the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) by causing shrinkage of brain tissue. Researchers at the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center examined the magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of 368 people with MS, who differed in terms of type of MS and smoking status. They found that smokers had significantly lower brain volume than non-smokers. Moreover, they observed a dose-response relationship between the number of packs smoked per day and the amount of volume in the neocortex, such that those who smoked more packs per day had smaller neocortex volumes. Click here to read more about the research.

As waterpipe smoking of tobacco increases, evidence suggests that it is not a safe alternative
As the rate of water-pipe smoking increases worldwide, there is a pressing need to learn more about this form of tobacco use and how to successfully treat it. Researchers at the Cochrane Library searched the literature for published and unpublished studies investigating the addictive properties of water-pipe smoking and cessation trials. Their search revealed zero results. Because many people mistakenly believe that this form of smoking is safer than smoking a cigarette, this is an area of tobacco control that would greatly benefit from comprehensive research. Click here to read more.

Impact of corrective health information on consumers’ perceptions of “reduced exposure” tobacco products
A recent study investigated whether providing smokers with accurate information about the health risks of ‘reduced exposure’ tobacco products changed risk perception. Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with 177 smokers placed in one of four conditions that varied in terms of the amount of health information provided about the claims of advertisements for the ‘reduced exposure’ products. Primary results indicate that the health information had a moderate effect on ratings of health risk, and weaker perceptions that switching to the ‘reduced exposure’ products would lower a smoker’s risk of developing cancer. Click here to view the abstract of the study, which was published in the October issue of Tobacco Control.

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