Smoking ‘can create symptoms akin to cystic fibrosis’

A new study has revealed similarities between the effect of smoking on the body and the symptoms of the recessive genetic disease cystic fibrosis.

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal has published research showing that smoking creates dry, sticky mucus in the lungs, leading to coughing, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This is similar to the processes involved in cystic fibrosis, with further research showing that hypertonic saline – a treatment used against the genetic disease – can also help to address lung damage related to smoking.

According to scientists, this could open the door for treatments developed for these separate but similar conditions to be used to help patients in the opposite group.

Dr Robert Tarran, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said: "We hope this study will highlight the importance of airway hydration in terms of lung health and that it will help provide a road map for the development of novel therapies."

Earlier this month, data from the University of California suggested that smoking is likely to be responsible for an additional 40 million deaths from tuberculosis over the next 40 years.