TOBACCO BRONCHITIS: AN ANESTHESIOLOGIC STUDY

Abstract

An unselected series of 4322 preoperative patients were studied for etiology and incidence of bronchitis, utilizing a preanesthetic test-cough in correlation with other methods of diagnosis. Inhaled smoking of 20 or more cigarettes a day is 4-7 times more common as a cause of bronchitis than all other causes combined. "Smoker''s bronchitis" is a basic factor in pathogenesis of a majority of episodes of laryngospasm or atelectasis during anesthesia and atelectasis and pneumonia after operation. Pipe and cigar smokers do not devolop "smoker''s bronchitis" unless they inhale. Frequency of smoking habits and bronchitis is tabulated in relation to sex and age. Men smoke twice as commonly as females but daily consumption of 20 or more cigarettes occurs in 70% of male smokers, in 63% of female smokers. Frequency of bronchitis is 9% in children and nonsmoking adolescents and 7.4 - 19.3% in nonsmoking adults. The incidence rises with the quantity and duration of smoking to 76 - 80% of those who consume 20 or more cigarettes a day. Cessation of smoking cures "smoker''s bronchitis" in 1-4 wks., depending on its severity.