 we performed a cross - sectional study that included 100 hiv - infected japanese men without hemophilia to examine the influence of smoking on hiv infection . 
 history of smoking was obtained using a questionnaire . 
 the percentage of current smokers was 40  % and was the highest ( 50  % ) among men in their forties . 
 the mean brinkman index ( bi , number of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by years of smoking ) was 450 . 
 the percentage of patients with a bi  600 was significantly higher in patients with an aids - defining event than in those without an aids - defining event . 
 a bi  600 was associated with an aids - defining event . 
 reducing smoking appears to be critical to enhancing disease management efforts in japanese men with hiv . 
Conflict of interest