Smoking cigarettes can increase one susceptibility to a variety of conditions. Those conditions most associated with smoking include lung cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and liver disease. Each of the former conditions can be deadly and often signs of the disease do not develop until the condition has progressed to a more severe stage.
COPD can be a deadly condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that by 2020 it will be the third largest cause of death in the world. COPD includes conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is often preceeded by long periods of increased mucous production and a chronic cough.
COPD is thought to develop from damage to the lung tissue caused by smoking cigarettes. The harmful chemicals contained in cigarettes can damage or paralyze the cilia lining the airways and make removal of mucous and phlegm difficult. Those same chemicals also increase the production of free radicals which cause oxidative damage throughout the lungs and body.
The skin is the other organ of the body most susceptible to oxidative damage. Over time increased damage causes the skin to lose its elasticity and smoothness, resulting in wrinkles. The wrinkles can be related to sun damage as well as smoking.
Given the strong coorelation between cigarette smoking, oxidative damage, and lung and skin disease researchers in England wanted to look for a relationship between the level of skin damage and the degree of lung disease, specifically the risk of COPD.
The results of the study were published in the journal Thorax this June. What the researchers found was not surprising, but may give insight into early diagnosis of COPD.
After reviewing the health of 149 smokers researchers concluded that heavy wrinkling may in fact be an early sign of COPD. Analysis included skin examinations by dermatologists and lung studies that included diagnositic imaging and breathing tests.
Those individuals with the highest degree of skin wrinkling had more changes in their lung function and tissue associated with COPD, without having a prior diagnosis of the condition. The results were significant after accounting for sun exposure, which can also cause heavy wrinkling due to oxidative damage from UV rays.
The authors were happy with the results and conclude that skin examination may be an important part of early diagnosis of COPD. Early treatment can have substantial effects on disease severity. Treatment with antioxidants can help decrease the damage to both the skin and lungs. However, the first step should be ceasation of smoking. It is a necessary step to avoid drastic changes to quality of life and early death.
References
1. Patel BD et al. "Smoking related COPD and facial wrinkling: is there a susceptibility?" Thorax, 2006 June 14.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on June 20, 2006 04:08 PM
