Association of thromboangiitis obliterans with cigarette and bidi smoking in Bangladesh: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: In addition to cigarettes, bidi, made of unprocessed and low-grade tobacco, is being smoked widely in Bangladesh and in other south Asian countries. The cause-and-effect relationship is established between thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) and smoking. However, type of smoking material(s) most strongly related to TAO is not yet determined. METHODS: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, to examine the relationship of type of smoking materials (cigarette versus bidi) with TAO on 103 pairs of cases and controls matched by age and sex during the period 1995 to 1996. The inclusion criteria for cases were newly diagnosed TAO and current smoker, while those for controls were current smokers admitted to the hospital due to non-cardiovascular diseases. RESULTS: Among…