Impact of cigarette smoking on symptoms and quality of life of adults with asthma managed in public primary care clinics in Singapore: a questionnaire study

Cigarette smoking aggravates asthma exacerbations, yet some patients with asthma continue to smoke. To compare the quality of life of adult smokers and non-smokers with asthma. Asthma Quality of Life (AQLQ) questionnaires were administered to adult patients with asthma managed in primary care in Singapore. The survey also included data of their asthma status including symptom profiles. Independent two-sample t-test, ANCOVA model, χ2 test and ordinal logistic regression were used to compare the mean domain scores and the effect of smoking on nocturnal symptoms and awakening, respectively. 357 adult asthma patients (183 non-smokers and 174 smokers) were recruited. Smokers were mainly male (p