Because smokers are less likely to develop ulcerative colitis (UC), a type of inflammatory bowel disease, patients with UC may be tempted to start smoking to lessen their symptoms. Researchers found no beneficial effects of smoking, however, in a nationwide study that included 6,754 patients with UC.
In the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics study, smokers and never-smokers with UC had similar outcomes with respect to flares, medication use, hospitalisations, and colon surgery. Also, smoking cessation did not worsen the course of disease in patients.
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