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Increased Awareness Needed Regarding Smoking Risks in Crohn's Disease

While patients with Crohn's disease are aware of the dangers of smoking on general health and lung disease, they are generally unaware of risks related to Crohn's disease, according to a recent English and American study.

Crohn's disease is a chronic, non-specific inflammatory disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is most often treated with surgery; but unfortunately, relapse is commonly experienced after surgery.

Multiple studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of recurring Crohn's disease. Patient and physician awareness of factors that exacerbate the disease is important to prevent disease recurrence.

Professor M.R.B. Keighley and colleagues at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom, and Stanford University, California, United States, evaluated patient awareness regarding the risks of smoking in CD.

The study evaluated the awareness of 312 patients with CD. Each patient was asked to answer 8 multiple choice questions regarding the effects of smoking on CD and general health. Patients' demographics and medical and smoking history were also included in the analysis.

Overall, the patients were aware of the negative effects of smoking on general health, lung cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease.

In contrast, few patients were aware of the risks of smoking on the development of Crohn's disease (10% of patients) and on the need for additional operations related to recurring disease (12% of patients). There was also a lack of recognition that the number of cigarettes and duration of smoking increases the risk of reoperation.

While patients that were employed, educated and owned homes were the most aware of these risks, patients that were over 65 years old and those that smoked were unaware of smoking-related risks on lung disease and lung cancer, respectively.

Professor Keighley concludes that "although patients with Crohn's disease are aware of the hazardous effects of smoking on general health, lung cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, they are unaware of the risks of smoking with regard to the development and recurrence of Crohn's disease."

Therefore, "this study demonstrates the need for more patient education concerning the particular harmful effects of smoking on Crohn's disease."
J Gastrointest Surg 2003;7:5:706-711. "Patients With Crohn's Disease Are Unaware of the Risks That Smoking Has on Their Disease"

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