Study the Pulmonary Hypertension among Heavy Smokers Young Adult Males before the Clinical Evidences of Chronic Lung Disease

Background: Smoking is a well-known risk factor for development of COPD. Prevalence of smoking is high. Its effect on the pulmonary pressure before the development of COPD still needs to be explored on human model. Aim of the study: The aim of the study is to evaluate the pulmonary hypertension in young heavy smokers adult population prior to the development of the clinical and the abnormal pulmonary function test. Material and Methods: The study was carried out at Al Sader Najaf Teaching Hospital during the period April 2015 to April 2016 where 93 Smokers who smoke at least 2 packets/day for minimal two years period were included in the study with 93 non-smokers used as a control group. The age of the smokers group and non- smokers group was less than 40 year with mean age 25 ± 4.1 for smokers and 24.9 ± 3 for non –smokers. BMI for all was >30. All had their pulmonary function test with the clinical examination to exclude any evidences of the chronic lung disease. Transthoracic Echocardiography and Doppler study was done for the smokers and non-smokers groups to evaluate the Maximum tricuspid valve velocity, the Mean pulmonary pressure gradient and the Pulmonary artery pressure. Results: Mean tricuspid maximum velocity (TGmax) for smokers was 0.9 ± 0.1 and for non-smokers 0.60 ± 0.20 (p value less than 0.001). The mean pulmonary pressure gradient for smokers was 3.4 ± 1.0 and for non-smokers 1.5 ± 0.8 with p value less than 0.001. The mean pulmonary artery pressure for smokers group was 12.2 ± 1.6 and for non-smokers group 7.0 ± 1.2 with p value less than 0.001. Conclusion: There is an increase in the pulmonary arterial pressure among the heavy smokers young adults when was compared with the non-smokers young adults.