Research

Researchers update risk-of-death charts
New risk-of-death charts from the National Cancer Institute illustrate the risk of death from various causes in the next ten years, based on a person’s age, sex, and smoking status. Researchers calculated the risks on the charts based on data on causes of death from National Cancer Institute statistics. The calculations indicated that smoking increases the risk of death the same amount as a five to ten year increase in age. The charts are intended to facilitate discussion between patients and physicians about their health risks and possible risk reduction actions. Click here for more information on the update, or click here to view the abstract of the related article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

'Gender equality' of lung cancer
A National Cancer Institute study found that there is virtually no difference in lung cancer risk between male and female smokers. This study measured the tobacco use, diet, exercise, and alcohol consumption of 450,000 American adults, and found that the difference in lung cancer risk between men and women is a paltry 0.9%. Smoking was the greatest risk factor for lung cancer; smokers were 15 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. Click here to read a summary of the study results.

Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of SIDS
A study of the effects of cigarette smoke on rat pups has strengthened the link between secondhand smoke exposure and SIDS in humans. Pregnant rats were exposed to the amount of smoke a pack-a-day smoker would take in, and their offspring were compared to control rats that were not exposed to smoke. Rats previously exposed to smoke were nearly three times more likely than control rats to gasp for air when exposed to heat stress and hypoxia (low oxygen levels). The smoke-exposed rats also took longer to return to normal breathing patterns following periods of hypoxia, which could illustrate the link between cigarette smoke and SIDS. According to the principal investigator, since the SIDS prevention campaign that taught mothers to put infants to sleep on their backs, smoking during pregnancy has become the main risk factor for SIDS. Click here for a summary of the research. To read the abstract of the article in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, click here.

Telltale toenail nicotine predicts heart problems
Scientists have found that examining the nicotine content in a smoker’s toenail clippings is an accurate way to determine a person’s exposure to tobacco smoke. This approach could be useful in cases where it is not possible to determine a person’s past smoking status, or when self-reported smoking is not accurate. According to data from women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study, the higher the nicotine content in a person’s toenails, the more likely they were to have a variety of health problems. Women with the highest nicotine content had nearly a four-fold increase in their risk of heart disease, compared to women with the lowest toenail nicotine content. Click here to find out more. This research was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology; click here to view the abstract.

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