Recovery after Ordeal: Respiratory Alterations Linked to Quitting Smoking

Background: Smoking cessation has been long considered a sole precautionary mode of respiratory disability in both developed and developing countries. Aim of Work: our study aims to assess the impact of smoking cessation on clinical features as well as pulmonary functional measurement and exhaled CO level in ex-smokers. Patients and Methods: This observational cross sectional study was conducted on 306 subjects who were attending to outpatient pulmonology clinic in Center of medical services in Taibah University at Al-Medina Al-Munwara, Kingdom of Saudi. Subjects included in this study were selected as being ex-smoker for more than 6 months. They were classified according to the duration of smoking cessation into a) recent smoking quitter (stopped smoking ≤2 years) and; b) remote smoking quitter (stopped smoking >2 years). They were subjected to clinical evaluation, spirometry and exhaled CO level measurement in exhaled air. Results: All clinical features including cough, dyspnea, chest pain, hemoptysis, wheezes, hospitalization and relapse in both recent quitter and remote quitter subjects were statistically comparable but without statistical significant difference. There was statistical positive correlation between duration of smoking cessation and actual FEV1, actual FVC, actual PEFR, actual TLC, functional defect FEV1, functional defect of FVC, functional defect of PEFR and functional defect of TLC while statistical negative correlation was with CO exhaled level. Conclusion: Smoking cessation demonstrated an appreciated role in recovering patient clinical as well as pulmonary functional and gaseous characters towards healthy side.