Related Experiment Videos
Maternal smoking in early childhood: a risk factor for bronchial responsiveness to exercise in primary-school
T Frischer1, J Kuehr, R Meinert
1University of Children's Hospital, Freiburg, Germany.
Insights
Maternal smoking in a child's first year significantly increases bronchial hyperresponsiveness, particularly in children with asthma. Early life smoke exposure may cause lasting respiratory issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Maternal smoking is a known risk factor for adverse child respiratory outcomes.
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key indicator of airway dysfunction.
- The specific impact of different exposure periods to maternal smoking on BHR requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal smoking exposure at different life stages and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in primary school children.
- To determine if early-life exposure to maternal smoking has a lasting impact on respiratory health.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of 1812 first-grade children.
- Assessment of bronchial hyperresponsiveness using a standardized free running test.
- Recording of maternal smoking exposure during pregnancy, the first year of life, and the study year.
Main Results:
- Current maternal smoking was not associated with increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
- Maternal smoking during the child's first year of life was significantly associated with higher odds of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (OR, 2.82).
- Children with asthma exposed to maternal smoking in their first year had substantially higher odds of being hyperresponsive (OR, 20.55).
Conclusions:
- Exposure to maternal smoking during a child's first year of life is a significant risk factor for developing bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
- Early-life lung injury due to tobacco smoke exposure may have long-term consequences for respiratory health.
- Findings underscore the importance of protecting children from environmental tobacco smoke, especially during critical early developmental periods.
Abstract:
The relationship between maternal smoking and bronchial hyperresponsiveness as assessed by a standardized free running test was investigated in a cohort of 1812 primary-school children in first grade. A child's exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy, the first year of life, and the study year was recorded. Current exposure was not positively associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The prevalence of this disorder was higher when maternal smoking during the child's first year of life was reported (9%) than when it was not (5.9%). The odds of being hyperresponsive were significantly higher in children exposed to maternal smoking in their first year of life (odds ratio, 2.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 6.34; p less than 0.01), especially in children with asthma (odds ratio, 20.55; 95% confidence interval, 2.5 to 168.9; p less than 0.01). Current exposure to maternal smoking was associated with less hyperresponsiveness. The effect of current maternal smoking might reflect changes in smoking habits by mothers of children with symptoms, whereas exposure to tobacco smoke in early life might be causally related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Our findings support the general hypothesis that early lung injuries have an impact on the later respiratory health of children.