Research

Smoking not good for the brain – study
A meta-analysis examining the relationship between smoking and Alzheimer’s disease has found that smoking is a significant risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s. The study compared the results of 43 studies, controlling for design, quality, secular trend, and author affiliation with the tobacco industry. A search of the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library revealed that 11 of the 43 studies had authors connected to the tobacco industry through funding or consulting work, although these relationships were not disclosed in several cases. The analysis revealed that case-control studies generally yielded lower average risk estimates than cohort studies, and studies with links to the tobacco industry were more likely to show lower risk estimates or that smoking is protective against Alzheimer’s. Click here to read more about the research, or here for the abstract, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

When the smoke clears: Molecular link between tobacco carcinogen and cancer
A Chinese research team has found a potential mechanism by which the tobacco carcinogen nitrosamine ketone (NNK) causes lung tumor formation and growth. Researchers examined lung adenomas from NNK- treated mice and lung cancer cell lines, finding an accumulation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in these tissues. DNMT1 inhibits genes that normally curb tumor formation; its accumulation leads to the silencing of tumor suppression genes and the formation of tumors. Read more here, or read the abstract of the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Hazards: Are pipe and cigar users blowing smoke?
A new study has found that compared to nonsmokers, pipe and cigar smokers are at double the risk for abnormal lung function, which can potentially lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Researchers measured spirometry (a breathing test that can diagnose COPD) and urine cotinine levels of 3,528 people enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) to assess lung damage and nicotine levels. Nine percent of participants reported pipe smoking, 11% cigar smoking, and 52% cigarette smoking. Those that smoked pipes or cigars only had 2.3 times the risk of airflow obstruction of non-smokers, while those that smoked pipe or cigars along with cigarettes had 3.4 times the risk. Click here to read more, or read the abstract, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Heart disease "will kill 400,000 Americans in 2010"
Research published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization predicts that almost 400,000 Americans will die of coronary heart disease in 2010, despite major improvements in health from reductions of cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking over the past few decades. Recent rises in obesity, diabetes, and blood pressure, particularly in women, have stalled the decline of the death rate from coronary heart disease. Experts estimate that half of the predicted deaths could be prevented by diet, exercise, and avoiding tobacco. Read more here, or read the full study.

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