Monitoring and quantification of smoking behaviors

Abstract

The invention provides methods for characterizing a subject's overall smoking behavior and the subject's puff morphology in dependence on tidal volume information provided by ambulatory physiological monitoring. This invention also systems for executing the methods of this invention and computer-readable media having encoded the methods of this invention.

1 . A method for characterizing a subject's smoking behavior comprising:
 receiving ambulatory monitoring data, including data reflecting tidal volume (Vt);   searching received Vt data for candidate puffs which are breaths having one or more characteristics indicative of a puff;   determining whether or not a candidate puff is an actual puff based on the number and type of all puff-indicative characteristics recognized; and   storing puff occurrence data, including times of occurrence data, and puff characteristic data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein puff-indicative characteristics include one or more of inspiratory durations, and/or flow rates and/or volumes; or expiratory durations, and/or flow rates and/or volumes; or duration of the period between an expiration and the follow inspiration. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein actual puff determination is suspended during periods of activity sufficient to cause puff determination to be unreliable. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising characterizing the subject's overall smoking behavior in dependence on the stored puff occurrence data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 searching at least one actual puff for morphological features;   storing puff morphology data; and   characterizing the subject's puff and manner of smoking in dependence on the stored puff morphology data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein puff morphology features include one or more of inspiratory durations, and/or flow rates and/or volumes; or expiratory durations, and/or flow rates and/or volumes; or duration of the period between an expiration and the follow inspiration. 
     
     
         7 . A method for characterizing a subject's smoking behavior comprising:
 receiving ambulatory monitoring data, including data reflecting tidal volume (Vt);   searching received Vt data for candidate puffs which are breaths having one or more characteristics indicative of a puff;   determining whether or not a candidate puff is an actual puff based on the number and type of all puff-indicative characteristics recognized;   storing puff occurrence data, including times of occurrence data, and puff characteristic data; and   searching at least one actual puff for morphological features;   storing puff morphology data; and   characterizing the subject's overall smoking behavior and the subject's puff behavior in dependence on the stored puff occurrence data and on the stored puff morphology data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising correlating the subject's overall smoking behavior and the subject's puff behavior with indicia of the functioning of other physiological systems. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising estimating the likelihood and severity of possible smoking-related diseases in dependence at least on part on the stored puff occurrence data and on the stored puff morphology data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising providing biofeedback to the subject in dependence at least in part on the stored puff occurrence data and on the stored puff morphology data. 
     
     
         11 . A system for characterizing a subject's smoking behavior comprising:
 an ambulatory monitoring device providing physiological monitoring data, including data reflecting Vt; and   a computer operatively coupled to the ambulatory monitoring device and including a computer-readable memory with encoded instructions for performing the methods of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the encoded instructions for further performing the methods of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the computer is operatively coupled to a plurality of ambulatory monitoring devices.