According to a latest study published in the ‘Journal of Asthma’, short-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) caused significant changes in spirometry of female asthma patients but did not show changes in spirometric indices in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) patients. The study involved an interventional trial with an aim to assess lung functioning in asthma and COPD patients before and after exposure to short-term SHS.

The key findings were as follows:

• A statistically significant decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) was seen, overall, in asthma participants.
• Significant decrease was seen in forced expiratory volume in the first one (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in female asthmatic participants.
• No significant decreases were observed in respiratory measurements of COPD patients after 24 hours.

In conclusion, the results of the study imply that acute, short-term SHS exposure causes more prominent changes in lung functioning of asthmatic patients than COPD patients.