Pulmonary functions of narghile smokers compared to cigarette smokers: a case–control study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Age distribution of participants.

ENS, exclusive narghile smokers; ECS, exclusive cigarette smokers. ^a p < 0.05 (χ² test): ENS vs. ECS.

Table 1. Subjects’ characteristics: exclusive narghile smokers (ENS, n=36) and exclusive cigarette smokers (ECS, n=106)

		ENS	ECS	% difference
Anthropometric and spirometric data (data are mean±SD)
Chronological-lung-age (CLA)	(yr)	45±7	47±5	−4.44
Estimated-lung-age (ELA)	(yr)	63±23^#	89±34^#	−41.27*
Height	(m)	1.73±0.06	1.72±0.06	0.58
Weight	(kg)	88±13	74±17	15.91*
Body mass index	(kg/m^2)	29±4	25±5	13.79*
FEV1	(L)	3.39±0.58	2.41±0.88	28.91*
FEV1	(% pred)	84±12	60±21	28.57*
FVC	(L)	4.24±0.69	3.54±0.94	16.51*
FVC	(% pred)	90±12	76±18	15.56*
FEV1/FVC	(absolute value)	0.80±0.06	0.67±0.14	16.25*
FEV1/FVC	(% pred)	99±7	83±17	16.16*
TGV	(L)	3.93±2.16	4.35±1.53	−10.69
TGV	(% pred)	110±60	120±42	−9.09
RV	(L)	2.89±1.97	3.27±1.68	−13.15
RV	(% pred)	136±97	159±82	−16.91
TLC	(L)	7.17±2.21	7.00±1.93	2.37
TLC	(% pred)	98±30	97±26	1.02
Obesity status (data are number; percentage)
Underweight		0 (0.00%)	7 (6.60%)
Normal weight		3 (8.33%)	51 (48.11%)^†
Overweight		17 (47.22%)	26 (24.53%)^†
Obesity		16 (44.44%)	22 (20.75%)^†

FEV₁, first second forced expiratory volume; FVC, forced vital capacity; RV, residual volume; TGV, thoracic gas volume; TLC, total lung capacity; Pred, predicted.

% difference=(ENS – ECS)/ENS.

*p < 0.05 (t-test): ENS vs. ECS.

^# p < 0.05 (Wilcoxon test): ‘CLA’ vs. ‘ELA’ for the same group.

^† p < 0.05 (χ² test): ENS vs. ESC.

Table 2. Comparison of the plethysmographic profiles of exclusive narghile smokers (ENS, n=36) and exclusive cigarette smokers (ECS, n=106)

	ENS	ECS
Plethysmographic values lower than the lower-limit-of-normal
Forced vital capacity (FVC)	10 (28)	55 (52)*
First second forced expiratory volume (FEV1)	17 (47)	93 (88)*
FEV1/FVC	3 (8)	61 (58)*
Total lung capacity	13 (36)	63 (31)
Plethysmographic values higher than the upper-lower-of-normal
Thoracic gas volume	13 (36)	42 (40)
Residual volume	13 (36)	60 (57)*
Total lung capacity	13 (19)	11 (10)
Other ventilatory defects
Mixed-ventilatory-defect	1 (3)	10 (9)
Non-specific-ventilatory-defect	7 (19)	14 (13)

Data are numbers (percentage).

*p<0.05 (χ² test): ENS vs. ESC.