Research

Lung myeloid dendritic cells coordinately induce TH1 and TH17 responses in human emphysema
T helper 1 cells that recognize elastin are associated with the immune response that causes the destruction of lung tissue in smoking-induced emphysema. Learning how the development of autoreactive T cells occurs is important to further understand the development of several types of inflammatory diseases in smokers. According to research published in Science Translational Medicine, lung myeloid dendritic cells are sufficient to induce changes in two types of CD4 T cells. These changes direct the generation of pathogenic T cells and support a feedback mechanism that sustains both inflammatory cell recruitment and lung destruction. This mechanism may underlie disease in other elastin-rich organs and tissues such as those of the cardiovascular system and joints. Click here to view the abstract.

Cigarette smoking and cutaneous damage in systemic lupus erythematosus
A study published in The Journal of Rheumatology found that cigarette smoking was associated with damage to the skin in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Smoking may interfere with the effectiveness of medications used to control skin disease in SLE, as current cigarette smoking was associated in this study with hair loss, scarring, and active lupus rash. Although lupus patients are known to be at an elevated risk for other complications of smoking such as heart disease, this study further suggests the need to stress smoking cessation with SLE patients. Click here to read more about the study and here to view the abstract.

Smoking tied to suicide risk in bipolar disorder
New findings suggest that smokers with bipolar disorder have a heightened risk of suicidal behavior, potentially due to high levels of impulsivity. The researchers found that among a group of 116 individuals with bipolar disorder, smokers scored higher than nonsmokers on a standard measure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and were more likely than nonsmokers to make a suicide attempt within nine months of assessment. Smoking itself may not be a strong predictor of suicidal behavior, but this study provides evidence that smoking could be used as a clinical marker of higher risk in bipolar patients. Click here to read an article describing the findings or click here for the abstract of the article, published in Bipolar Disorders.

Smoking may now be considered an established risk factor for Lou Gehrig's disease
According to a new review article, there is enough evidence from the scientific literature to consider smoking an established risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This review article updates a 2003 review which considered smoking a “probable” ALS risk factor.  Now that there is even stronger evidence for smoking as an ALS risk factor, this is the closest link between an environmental factor and the development of ALS. Read more here. Click here to read the abstract of the research, which was published in the November 17 issue of Neurology.

Current cigarette smokers at increased risk of seizures
The results of a Harvard study suggest that current smokers are at a significantly increased risk of seizures, after adjusting for other factors. The amount of cigarettes smoked daily did not influence risk, but longtime smoking was found to increase seizure risk. The researchers used prospective data from 116,608 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II, so future research is needed to determine whether these findings are applicable to other populations. Click here for more details, or click here to read the abstract of the study. The study will be published in the February 2010 issue of Epilepsia.

Bladder cancer risks increase over time for smokers
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicates that the risk of bladder cancer for smokers has increased since the mid 1990s to a current level five times higher than nonsmokers. Smoking fewer cigarettes daily for a longer time was found to be more harmful than smoking more cigarettes daily for a shorter time. The increased cancer risk may be due to changes in the concentration of bladder carcinogens in cigarette smoke, and the popularity of “light” cigarettes. Click here to read a press release detailing the findings, or here for the full article.

Smoking while pregnant linked to behavioral problems in children
A study based in the UK assessed the behavior problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders of three-year-olds to see if there was an association with maternal smoking habits. Boys whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were more likely to have behavioral problems and hyperactivity than boys whose mothers did not smoke, with stronger effects for heavy smokers. The study suggests that smoking while pregnant can damage the structure and function of the fetal brain and boys’ brains may be more sensitive than girls’ during development. Click here to read a summary of the findings, or click here to read the abstract of the research. The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Cigarettes harbor many pathogenic bacteria
A research team from the University of Maryland and the Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France has found that commercially-available cigarettes are contaminated with hundreds of species of bacteria, including strains that cause disease in humans. Some of these bacterial strains may survive the burning process, potentially exposing smokers to bacterial pathogens and contributing to infectious and chronic disease. More research must be done to fully understand the public health implications. The research team will conduct follow-up research to investigate the possible roles of these organisms in tobacco-related diseases. Click here to read more about the study. Click here to read the full article in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Cancer Institute studies smokeless tobacco
The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring a new series of medical studies to determine the safety of smokeless tobacco products such as snus. Studies will also establish whether or not the products serve as a gateway to smoking for non-tobacco users, and whether the products can be marketed as lower-risk alternatives to cigarettes. One set of studies aims to develop ways to discourage use or promote cessation of smokeless tobacco products; the other focuses on whether smokeless tobacco products are less harmful than smoked tobacco products. Click here to read more.

Nonsmokers top smokers in well-being across all incomes
According to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index data collected from 650,000 American adults in 2008 and 2009, smokers are less likely than nonsmokers to be “thriving” by at least twelve percentage points, regardless of income bracket. The results show that not smoking has roughly the equivalent impact on overall well-being as moving up one income bracket. Smokers scored lower than nonsmokers on indicators that evaluated their perceptions of their present and future lives, emotional and physical health, and access to food, shelter, and healthcare. Smokers were also more likely than nonsmokers to report being diagnosed with depression at some point during their lives. Click here to read more about the results or here to learn more about the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

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