Background and Objectives: Tobacco usage is one of the most common problems in human societies that, In addition of getting several social, economic and health effects, it can cause respiratory, digestive and bladder cancer, also chromosomal and blood factors changes. Little study has been done about hookah effects on human. The aim of this study was to evaluate pulmonary function tests in hookah users in Ardabil city.

  Materials & Methods: In this case – control study, 133 male subjects which have used hookah 3 times a day for at least 3 years or more, were selected from Coffee house of ARDABIL city and then pulmonary function tests were carried out at least triplicate. For comparison of pulmonary parameters, the same number of healthy subjects without hookah consumption in the same age and socioeconomic status were used and spirometery was done. The data were analyzed with SPSS 11 software program and presented as mean ± SD. Statistical significance was assayed by student’s t-test for unpaired data and the differences were considered to be significant at the p<0.05 level.

  Results: Age range of hookah smokers and normal subjects was 17-78 and 20-82 years old, respectively. Age average of hookah smokers and normal subjects was 44.37 ± 14.9 and 41.54 ± 14.46 years old, respectively .Mean differences of age was not statistically significant. The average of PEF, FEV1%, FEV1, FEF25-75 and FEF 25 in hookah smokers were: 7.73, 83.11%, 3.56, 3.81, 6.32, respectively and in normal subjects was: 8.51, 85.69%, 3.78, 4.35, 7.29 respectively. The mean differences between two groups were statistically significant in each parameter (p < 0.05). In this study, there were 27 (20%) COPD patients in hookah smokers. Ten percent of hookah smokers had FEV1% less than 70.

  Conclusion: The results showed that using hookah disrupts pulmonary function parameters. So as cigarette, using hookah may have devastating effects on respiratory system. Knowing about effects of hookah to people, especially to young is necessary.