Table 5. Characteristics of population according to smoking status.

Patients with respiratory symptoms (n = 892) were classified as current smokers, former smokers and non-smokers. Frequency data were compared using Chi-square test and continuous variables (age and BMI) were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. See Table 1 for abbreviations.

Characteristic	(current smoker /former smoker /non-smoker)	Current smoker	Former smoker	Non-smokers	P-value
		n = 140	n = 238	n = 514
Female—no. (%)	140 /238 /514	59 (42.1)	109 (45.8)	325 (63.2)	<0.0001
Median Age—y (IQR)	140 /238 /514	51.5 (41–58)	54.5 (46–63)	45 (34.0–55.0)	<0.0001
Median BMI—Kg/m2 (IQR)	138 /234 /509	20.66 (18.9–23.6)	22.82 (20.4–27.4)	23.2 (20.1–26.6)	<0.0001
Lifestyle habits—no. (%)
Chronic Alcoholism	140 /238 /513	20 (14.3)	7 (2.9)	14 (2.7)	<0.0001
Illicit drugs use	140 /238 /513	15 (10.7)	6 (2.5)	0 (0)	<0.0001
Comorbidity—no. (%)
Pulmonary TB	140 /238 /514	17 (12.1)	22 (9.2)	66 (12.8)	0.359
HIV/AIDS	140 /238 /514	4 (2.9)	3 (1.3)	4 (0.8)	0.141
Cancer	140 /238 /514	0 (0)	7 (2.9)	3 (0.6)	0.006
COPD	140 /238 /514	6 (4.3)	13 (5.5)	15 (2.9)	0.226
Silicosis	140 /238 /514	4 (2.9)	11 (4.6)	7 (1.4)	0.026
Clinical symptoms in TB patients- no. (%)
cough	17 /22 /66	17 (100)	21 (95.4)	65 (98.5)	0.547
fever	17 /22 /66	11 (64.7)	13 (59.1)	44 (66.7)	0.812
night sweats	17 /22 /66	12 (70.6)	14 (63.6)	44 (66.7)	0.901
malaise	17 /22 /66	10 (58.8)	15 (68.2)	50 (75.7)	0.360
weight loss	17 /22 /66	13 (76.5)	18 (81.8)	56 (84.8)	0.708
hemoptysis	17 /22 /66	4 (23.5)	5 (22.7)	12 (18.2)	0.830
dyspnea	17 /22 /66	6 (35.3)	13 (59.1)	42 (63.6)	0.106
AFB status in PTB patients—no. (%)	17 /22 /66				0.060
negative		4 (24)	9 (41)	36 (54)
positive		13 (76)	13 (59)	30 (46)