Study: Cooking with wood may cause lung damage
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 28-11-2020
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CT added important information on smoke's effect on the lungs that was underestimated by conventional tests. "The extent of damage from biomass fuels is not really well captured by traditional tests," Dr Kizhakke Puliyakote said. "You need more advanced, sensitive techniques like CT imaging. The key advantage to using imaging is that it's so sensitive that you can detect subtle, regional changes before they progress to full-blown disease, and you can follow disease progression over short periods of time."
The lack of emphysema in the study group suggests that exposure to biomass smoke is affecting the small airways in the lungs, Dr Kizhakke Puliyakote said, although more research is needed to understand the disease process. Regardless, the study results underscore the importance of minimizing exposure to smoke. Even in the absence of overt symptoms or breathing difficulties, the lung may have injury and inflammation that can go undetected and potentially unresolved in some people. "For people exposed to biomass smoke for any extended duration, it is critical to have a complete assessment of lung function by health care professionals to ensure that any potential injury can be resolved with appropriate interventions," Dr Kizhakke Puliyakote said.
While the study focused on cooking with biomass, the findings have important implications for exposure to biomass smoke from other sources, including wildfires. "In conjunction with the increasing prevalence of biomass smoke due to wildfires in the U.S., this study can provide valuable insights regarding similar study designs serving to understand what is certain to be a growing assault on lung health."
Source: timesnownews.com