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According to a new meta-analysis by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, male smokers are also at risk for osteoporosis, and fractures - factors associated with premature death.
The research team analyzed about 30,000 cases of fractures over the past three decades, with data from 27 research publications. It found that smoking increased the risk of a bone fracture by 37%. In fact, it is the first time they have looked at a wide range of fractures other than the hip, including wrists, shoulders, forearms, thigh bones, lower limbs and spine.
This study complements data from previous studies, which concluded that smoking increases the chance of spine and hip fractures in men by 32% and 40% respectively. In addition, according to the earlier studies, between 21% and 37% of these male smokers die within a year from their bone fractures."
"Smoking is a major risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture risk," noted study lead author Qing Wu, a researcher at the UNLV School of Public Health and the University of Nevada's Institute for Personalized Medicine. "Men tend to smoke more than women, increasing the risk for osteoporosis, which traditionally affects women."
However, the impact of cigarette smoking regarding fracture risk is not fully understood, according to the researchers.
How tobacco affects bones
Smoking is thought to increase the risk of skeletal fractures because cigarette chemicals negatively affect bone cells and reduce the body's ability to absorb vitamin D and calcium, the most essential nutrients for bone density, according to Dr. Wu. In addition, he said that smoking is considered a risk factor for injuries in general because there is evidence that nicotine interferes with the tissue repair process, making the body more sensitive to wounds and inhibiting fracture healing.
The researchers draw attention to the effects of smoking, as fractures are a major cause of disability and premature death for the elderly: "Smoking cessation would significantly reduce the risk of fracture in all smokers, especially men," the researchers conclude.
Source: ygeiamou.gr
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