Parental smoking patterns and their association with wheezing in children

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To investigate parental smoking patterns and their association with wheezing in children.METHODS:We performed a case-control study that included 105 children between 6 and 23 months of age who were divided into two groups: cases (children with 3 previous episodes of wheezing) and controls (healthy children without wheezing). The children's exposure to cigarette smoking was estimated using a questionnaire completed by the mothers and by the children's urinary cotinine levels.RESULTS:Based on both the questionnaire results and cotinine levels, exposure to cigarette smoking was higher in the households of cases in which the incidence of maternal smoking was significantly higher than that of paternal smoking. Children in this group were more affected by maternal smoking and by the total number of cigarettes smoked inside the house. Additionally, the questionnaire results indicated that the risk of wheezing was dose dependent. The presence of allergic components, such as atopic dermatitis and siblings with allergic rhinitis and asthma, greatly increased the odds ratio when wheezing was associated with cotinine levels.CONCLUSION:Children exposed to tobacco smoke have an increased risk of developing wheezing syndrome. This risk increases in association with the number of cigarettes smoked inside the house and the presence of other allergic components in the family.

Prevalence and risk factors for wheezing in infants in the region of Pamplona, Spain

“…We found that smoking mother, as well as smoking during pregnancy, were risk factors for wheezing ever and recurrent wheezing, findings which have been previously described in many studies (23)(24)(25). Although a Spanish study found that paternal smoking was not associated with wheezing (26), we found it as risk factor for recurrent wheezing.…”

Role of parental smoking in severe bronchiolitis: a hospital based case-control study

“…18 Schvartsman et al found that children were more affected by maternal smoking ( = 0.00016) than paternal one ( = 0.015). 19 Jurado et al described a greater influence of exposure to maternal smoking than paternal smoking in the development of respiratory symptoms in young children. 20 Limitation of this study was not to estimate urinary "cotinine" level.…”

Children's Environment in Brazil: From Domestic (Indoor) to Regional Threats

“…Parental smoking was also responsible for wheezing babies [35], ear infections and eye irritation [36] and history of respiratory diseases [42,45,47]. In the case control studies, children exposed to smoking show higher risk to develop the abovementioned diseases than those who are not exposed [35,36,39,40]. In addition, children living in crowded environments and poor housing conditions play a fundamental role in the causal chain of respiratory diseases [38,42,46].…”

“…Articles demonstrated the impact of secondhand smoking on children's health since the intrauterine stage, affecting negatively anthropometric measurements (weight, length, and head circumference) of newborns [37,44]. Parental smoking was also responsible for wheezing babies [35], ear infections and eye irritation [36] and history of respiratory diseases [42,45,47]. In the case control studies, children exposed to smoking show higher risk to develop the abovementioned diseases than those who are not exposed [35,36,39,40].…”

“…As well, the use of a wood stove for cooking was responsible for a higher occurrence of recurrent wheezing [41]. Schvartsman et al (2013) [ [44] to study the prevalence and risk factors for asthma in a cohort of children born in 1993 and followed up to the age of six years longitudinal 12.8% asthma / allergic rhinitis 6-7 y S Associated factors: female gender, non-white skin, asthma in the family, smoking during pregnancy and allergic rhinitis in children.…”