Anthropometric thoracic measurements and smoking habits in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax: A case-control study

BACKGROUND: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is the spontaneous accumulation of air in the pleural space without any obvious reason. Although PSP typically occurs in young, thin, healthy males, the chest anthropometrics in PSP remain insufficiently explored. We aim to evaluate the chest anthropometrics and smoking habits of patients with PSP compared to healthy volunteers. METHODS: Fifty-eight adult male participants (38 PSP patients and 20 healthy volunteers) aged between 18 and 30 years were included. The study focused on thoracic anthropometric measurements, including body mass index (BMI), height, weight, circumference, sagittal, transverse diameters, and chest height. Smoking habits and place of residence were also assessed. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between PSP patients and healthy controls in terms of weight (70.1 ± 9.7 kg vs. 78.1 ± 12.4 kg, P = 0.009) and BMI (20.9 ± 2.0 vs. 23.5 ± 3.9, P = 0.010). In addition, significant differences in thoracic sagittal diameter during inhalation (22.3 ± 2.1 cm vs. 24.0 ± 2.5 cm, P = 0.007) and exhalation (19.9 ± 2.0 cm vs. 21.4 ± 2.5 cm, P = 0.016) and transverse diameter during inhalation (30.7 ± 2.0 cm vs. 32.0 ± 2.5 cm, P = 0.037) were noted. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that height, weight, and chest circumference on exhalation significantly influence PSP. CONCLUSION: PSP patients exhibit distinct thoracic anthropometric characteristics compared to healthy individuals. Although no statistically significant relationship between smoking and PSP incidence was established, a notable trend suggests that smoking may increase the risk, highlighting the need for further research on this potential association.