Tobacco smoke exposure in occupational lung disease

It is clear that smoking has profound effects on persons who are occupationally exposed. Occupationally exposed workers who smoke have an apparent increased prevalence of industrial bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as increased mortality rates from lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis compared with similarly exposed nonsmokers. These findings highlight the need to curtail exposure to workplace agents, which upon interaction with cigarette smoke can produce adverse health effects. Smoking cessation programs should be initiated in the workplace and basic research, clinical, and epidemiologic investigation should continue to be performed in order to enhance our understanding of the interaction between cigarette smoke and occupational exposure. These studies should provide the much needed information that may lead to better defined therapeutic strategies that may limit these adverse health effects.