New research about smoking/addiction

WHAT KIDS KNOW ABOUT TOBACCO

(Tuesday, October 23, 3:30 PM EST)

A new study surveys how much young children know about the ill effects of tobacco smoke. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M administered questionnaires to more than 4,000 first, second, and third grade students, none of whom had undergone previous antismoking programs. Results showed that while overall knowledge about the ill effects of smoking was good, there was still room for improvement. Researchers suggest implementing antismoking classes as early as the first grade.

VITAMINS MAY IMPROVE SMOKERS’ LUNG FUNCTION

(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)

New research shows that antioxidants—vitamins A, C, and E—may help improve lung function in people who smoke. Researchers from Bangladesh compared the lung function of 200 healthy male smokers who took one vitamin—A, C, or E— or all three in combination for 2 months. Results showed that patients taking vitamins, improved their lung function after 2 months, with those taking all three vitamins in combination experiencing the largest improvement in lung function. The study also found that when vitamin supplementation was ceased, smokers’ lung function decreased, leading researchers to conclude that the beneficial effects of vitamins are temporary if they are not taken consistently.

HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS IN LUNG DONORS

(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)

Lung transplant patients may benefit from receiving organs from donors thought to have exhibited high-risk social behaviors (HRSB) prior to death, according to a new study. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University reviewed the charts of more than 200 lung transplantation patients from 1998 to 2003. Those patients who received HRSB lungs were found to have better pulmonary function tests prior to discharge and at follow-up, compared to the other recipients. In addition, there were no differences in overall survival between the two groups. Researchers suggest HRSB donors can provide viable organs and help to expand the donor pool.

INSOMNIA IN PULMONARY FIBROSIS WORSE THAN IN ADDICTS

(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) commonly experience insomnia. But new research from the Medical University of South Carolina reveals how severe insomnia experienced by these patients can be. After using the Insomnia Severity Index to survey patients in an IPF support group, researchers found that some patients experienced levels of insomnia which were more severe than that experienced due to pain or substance abuse.