Study of the Correlation between the Kind of Tobacco Product Usage and the Incidence of Buerger's Disease in Buerger's Patients in Shahid Beheshty Medicine University Hospitals in 2008-2009

Introduction & Buerger’s diseases are an acute inflammation and thrombosis of arteries and veins of the hands and the feet. It is strongly associated with use of tobacco products. Buerger’s patients are mostly young males (below40-45 years old) who are a heavy cigarette smokers. More recently, however, a higher percentage of woman and people over the age of 50 have been recognized to have this disease. Buerger’s disease is most common in the Orient, Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East, but appears to be rare among African-Americans. People prefer to use light or ultra light cigarettes rather than full flavor cigarette because they think those products are less harmful. In this study, we have attempted in this study to assess the relation of buerger’s disease with the kind of tobacco product usage. In this retrospective study we evaluated 100 patients with buerger’s disease, in a period of one year at Shohada Tajrish hospital and Talaghani hospital. Because of underlying associated diseases five patients were excluded from our study. Data of these patients were gathered by through a direct questioning of the patients. We evaluated 95 patients in this project. The mean age of the patients was 42 years (26-75 /years). Mean duration of smoking was 21± 0.2 years (6- 57 / years). Last smoked cigarette in 29 persons was light or ultra light, 31 persons smoked full flavor and filtered Iranian cigarette, 21 persons smoked full flavor and filtered foreign cigarette, and 13 persons used non-filtered Iranian cigarette. The mean duration of usage of last cigarette brand before the onset of buerger’s disease was 2±0.2 years. The results of our study show that contrary to what is thought in our society light and ultra light cigarettes have the same detrimental effects on human health, including buerger’s disease, as full flavor cigarettes. Further research is needed for a more precise comparison of the effect of light and ultra-light cigarettes with and ordinary ones, available in the country, as far as leading to buerger’s disease is concerned.