Table 3.

Complications of Radiation Therapy in Abstainers and Continued Smokers and the Relative Risks for Each Complication Associated With Continued Smoking

	Abstainers, n=517		Continued Smokers, n=533
Complication	No.	%	No.	%	P *	RR of Complication Associated With Continued Smoking (95% CI)
Skin changes
Grade 0-I	7	41.2	20	60.6	.19	0.7 (0.36–1.28)
Grade II-IV	10	58.8	13	39.4
Mucositis
Grade 0-I	7	41.2	7	21.2	.13	1.9 (0.81–4.63)
Grade II-III	10	58.8	26	78.8
Feeding tube needed
No	7	41.2	11	33.3	.58	0.9 (0.42–1.75)
Yes	10	58.8	22	66.7
Hospitalization during treatment
No	15	88.2	20	60.6	.04	1.5 (1.05–2.02)
Yes	2	11.8	13	39.4
Pharyngeal stricture requiring dilatation
No	17	(100)	30	(90.9)	.20	1.1 (.99–1.23)
Yes	0	(0)	3	(9.1)
Osteoradionecrosis
No	17	(100)	25	(75.8)	.03	1.3 (1.09–1.6)
Yes	0	(0)	8	(24.2)
Osteoradionecrosis needing major resection
No	17	(100)	29	(87.8)	.13	1.1 (1.0–1.29)
Yes	0	(0)	4	(12.2)
Variable	Mean ± SD	Median [Range]	Mean ± SD	Median [Range]	P *	RR (95% CI)
Feeding tube duration, d†	250.0 ± 119.6	225 [48–362]	208.2 ± 225.4	152 [42–1043]	.31	—
Hospitalization duration, d	3.5 ± 2.4	3.5 [2–5]	8.7 ± 12.8	3.5 [2–43]	.26	—

RR indicates relative risk; CI, confidence interval; SD, standard deviation.

^*The chi-square or Fisher exact test, as appropriate, was used for categorical variables, and t tests were used to compare means (with adjustment for unequal variances. as appropriate) for continuous variables.

^†Includes 12 patients (3 abstainers and 9 continued smokers) who had a feeding tube present at last contact.