Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Asbestos and silica
Disease area: Airway diseases, Interstitial lung diseases

Abstract

Smoking is common among patients admitted to chest high resolution computed tomography (HR CT), so interpreters of chest CT should be familiar with findings related to smoking. Asbestos-exposed workers are screened radiologically in many countries. We investigated 587 asbestos-exposed construction workers (11 women, 576 men) with spiral CT and HR CT to study the effects of smoking on chest CT findings. Thirteen radiological signs were scored by three radiologists independently. Information on medical data, smoking habits and occupational exposures were collected in an interview. The effects of smoking status (18 never smokers, 406 ex-smokers, 163 current smokers) and pack-years on the CT signs were studied using multivariate analysis adjusting for confounders. Smoking increased all emphysema signs and contributed to bronchial wall thickening. Smoking was negatively associated with curvilinear and perpendicular lines and with parenchymal bands. In persons who had smoked less than 10 pack-years, smoking was positively related to paraseptal emphysema and bronchial wall thickening and negatively to perpendicular lines, subpleural nodules and honeycombing. In conclusion, smoking was related to several abnormal radiological signs in (HR)CT, even among those with a relatively limited cumulative exposure, indicating that CT can detect changes due to smoking at an early stage. Tobacco smoking promotes emphysema, but may diminish CT signs of fibrosis.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
T. Vehmas, L. Kivisaari, M. S. Huuskonen, M. S. Jaakkola (Helsinki, Finland). Effects of tobacco smoking on findings in chest computed tomography among asbestos-exposed workers. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 834

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