Background:
Smoking cessation is the most efficient treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The educational and motivational role of the “lung age” concept, used together with lung function testing and biochemical validation of tobacco exposure, deserves thorough attention for driving intention to quit. Aim: To demonstrate the motivational role of “lung age” measurement towards stopping smoking in COPD patients. To assess effects of continuing versus stopping smoking on “lung age” , on exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) and on lung function, and to determine correlations between these parameters, in such patients.

Methods:
100 COPD patients naive to any smoking cessation intervention, were invited to attend a “lung age” measurement study. Only 61 patients (30 smokers and 31 ex-smokers) agreed a full evaluation for demographics, smoking characteristics (packs-years -PY, nicotine dependence score), COPD status: lung function (FVC,FEV1,FEV1/FVC ratio), mMRC dyspnea, COPD assessment test (CAT), exhaled CO and “lung age”, in a prospective study, with statistic SPSS Inc pack analysis.

Results:
All participants acknowledged the motivational value of “lung age” for stopping smoking. Mean “lung age” was 118.3 years in smokers (mean 41.63 PY) and 119.58 years in ex- smokers (mean 36.32 PY). Lung age was statistically significant correlated with FVC % (p=0.03), with FEV1% (p< 0.001) and respectively with mMRC dyspnea (p< 0,026). CAT scores ranged from 20.9 (smokers) to 22.7 (ex-smokers). Significant statistic differences were found in exhaled CO concentrations of smokers (9.73 ppm) compared to ex-smokers (0.58 ppm) (p≤ 0.001). Exhaled CO was statistically correlated with FEV1/FVC ratio (p= 0.05).

Conclusions:
“Lung age” measurement, used together with lung function and exhaled CO testing, adds value to proving impact of tobacco exposure on COPD patients and helps increasing motivation to quit smoking in this difficult to treat category of patients.