Influence of tobacco consumption: anthropometric, social and demographic variables on the spirometric values among spanish workforce

Introduction: The association between tobacco consumption and a high number of chronical conditions -both respiratory and non-respiratory- has been established. Among the respiratory diseases, besides cancer: Chronic-Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and conditions affecting the small airways, have been associated with smoking habit. Aim: to determine the influence of tobacco consumption, physical activity, and different socio-demographic (age and sex) and anthropometric (BMI) variables, on spirometry values; and to assess the utility of spirometry as an early detection instrument of respiratory conditions in the occupational environment. Material and Methods: A prospective, observational study, including 4,310 workers attending specific annual physical on a group of Spanish companies was run during 2019. Tests were performed by specially trained healthcare workers, to obtain high-quality, reliable data output. Smoker and non-smoker workers were separately studied. Results: Results on the influence of cumulative tobacco consumption (packages-year) on pulmonary function show a gradual worsening of pulmonary function parameters as cumulative tobacco consumption increases. Multi-variate analysis, by separately taking smoker and non-smoker groups, shows that all analysed risk factors seem to influence on pulmonary function, although they do not all have same strength in it. Those having a stronger influence are age and physical exercise among non-smokers, and cumulative consumption (packages-year) among smokers. Conclussions: Spirometry is a good screening and follow-up method for patients with a respiratory condition, particularly those with COPD, mostly among smokers. Our study shows a clear relation between tobacco consumption and pulmonary function deterioration, both on FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. This relation is mostly established with cumulative consumption (packages-year).