We are launching a new non-commercial study among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who have a history of long-term conventional cigarette smoking., who are burdened by long-term smoking of conventional cigarettes. The study is non-commercial in nature (an Investigator-Initiated Study) and is part of the ongoing scientific discussion on how different methods of nicotine delivery affect the health of patients with chronic diseases.

The project aims to better understand how various ways of using tobacco products influence the clinical condition of patients with COPD — including the frequency of disease exacerbations, levels of inflammatory markers, and quality of life. The researchers want to determine whether changing one’s smoking habits can lead to measurable health benefits in individuals who, despite multiple attempts, are unable to completely quit nicotine.

Similar research is currently being conducted at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw among patients with coronary artery disease, demonstrating the growing interest of the scientific community in this issue.

Worldwide, there is an ongoing and intense debate regarding so-called harm reduction policies related to smoking. Numerous clinical and observational studies have shown that completely switching from traditional cigarettes to heated tobacco systems may reduce the body’s exposure to toxic substances and, in the case of COPD patients, lead to improved respiratory function, fewer exacerbations, and better exercise tolerance.

The study aims to provide data that will help better understand the potential differences in health outcomes between traditional smoking and alternative forms of nicotine intake. In the long term, its results may form the basis for developing more effective risk-reduction strategies for patients who are unable to completely give up smoking.