Introduction
Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common pathology. In several cases, the contributing factor may be related to a high consumption of tobacco and/or cannabis. The aim of our work is to study the clinical and evolutionary characteristics of pneumothorax in patients who smoke tobacco and cannabis.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study, carried out at the pneumology department of Hassan II Hospital in Agadir over a period of two years, from January 2021 to December 2022.
Results
Out of a total of 85 cases of primary and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, we included 54 cases of tobacco smoking patients, with 51.8% being tobacco consumers with an average of 25 pack-years. Cannabis consumption was found in 48.1% of cases, with an average duration of 4 years. All patients were male. The mean age was 32 years. The revealing clinical signs were dominated by chest pain in 97% of cases, dyspnea in 75%, and frequent cough in cannabis consumers at 36%. Chest X-ray revealed hyperlucency without vascular markings in all patients. Pneumothorax was primary in 58% of cases and secondary in 42%, mainly due to emphysema lesions which were more frequent in cannabis consumers. The evolution was favorable in 96% of patients. We noted that cannabis smokers would present homolateral recurrences more quickly than tobacco smokers alone after one month.
Conclusion
The tobacco-cannabis association seems to have harmful consequences on the lung parenchyma and is a risk factor for the occurrence of pneumothorax. Withdrawal remains the best preventive method.