Aim. Many athletes smoke tobacco and many athletes suffer from asthma; however, data is scant on smoking in athletes with asthma. The aim of this study was to identify in a sample of athletes with diagnosed bronchial asthma those who also smoked and to determine the effects of smoking on respiratory function. Methods. Bronchial asthma was diagnosed by functional lung testing, in addition to history taking, physical examination, and spirometry. Pulmonary function was measured by forced expiratory volume (FEV1), forced expiratory volume/ forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC), and maximal (mid-) expiratory flow (MMEF). Results. A sizeable proportion of athletes with asthma also smoked (8.5%) and had a greater degree of airway obstruction than the non-smokers. Conclusion. Our data show that cigarette smoking exacerbates asthma inflammation in athletes. Sports physicians can play a pivotal role in smoking prevention and cessation in efforts to control asthma and improve physical performance.
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