Lung Volume in Smokers and Nonsmokers

TOBACCO smoking has long been suspected as an etiologic factor in res-piratory symptoms and chronic bronchopulmonary disease, largely on the basis of clinical impression. Recent evidence tends to confirm this im-pression. Auerbach and associates reported greater prevalence of patho-logic changes in the bronchial mucosa of smokers than in nonsmokers.1 Eich, Gilbert and Auchincloss found increased airway resistance as an acute effect of cigarette smoking in a few patients with pulmonary emphysema. They observed no change in pulmonary mechanics after smoking in normal subjects.2 In Higgins ' field study of a random population sample in Eng-land there was evidence of reduced ventilatory capacity (peak flow rates) in smokers.3 A number of epidemiologic reports have suggested that there is an increased prevalence of cough, chronic bronchitis, obstructive emphy-sema and lung cancer in smokers vis-a-vis nonsmokers.4"11 Little has sum-marized valid criticism of the methodology and conclusions of certain of the epidemiologic studies on smoking and lung cancer, and has questioned the