Abstract
Smoking is a known risk factor for various diseases—including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and all-cause mortality. Smoking cessation reduces the risk of CKD, CVD, and mortality in the general population. However, the effect of smoking cessation on adverse outcomes in patients with CKD remains unclear. This study conducted a narrative review of studies that examined the association between smoking cessation and adverse outcomes using data from the KoreaN cohort study for Outcomes in patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD). Among patients with CKD, the smoking load was proportionally associated with a higher risk of CKD progression, coronary artery calcification, and CVD or mortality. Conversely, a prolonged duration of smoking cessation was associated with a gradual decline in the aforementioned risks among former smokers when this population was compared to never smokers. These results underscore smoking cessation as a viable intervention strategy for patients with CKD, aimed at mitigating the increased risk of kidney function deterioration, CVD, and mortality. However, given the paucity of research in this area, further studies are needed. Furthermore, the development of effective smoking cessation policies for CKD patients is recommended.