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Published on: October 22, 2020
Passive smoking and inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis
Deborah T Jones1, Mark T Osterman, Meenakshi Bewtra
1School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6021, USA.
Passive smoking does not appear to increase the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children. This meta-analysis found no significant association between childhood or prenatal smoke exposure and Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Active smoking is a known risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- The impact of passive smoke exposure on IBD development remains unclear.
- This study investigates the link between prenatal and childhood passive smoke exposure and IBD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between prenatal smoke exposure and IBD.
- To assess the relationship between childhood passive smoke exposure and IBD.
- To determine if passive smoke exposure influences the development of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted on MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.
- Included observational studies examining passive smoke exposure and IBD development.
- Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated to quantify the associations.
Main Results:
- 13 studies met inclusion criteria from over 1200 initially identified.
- No significant association was found between childhood passive smoke exposure and CD (OR 1.10) or UC (OR 1.01).
- No association was observed between prenatal smoke exposure and CD (OR 1.10) or UC (OR 1.11).
Conclusions:
- Childhood passive smoke exposure does not show a strong association with Crohn's disease development.
- Unlike active smoking, passive smoke exposure does not appear protective against ulcerative colitis.
- Limited data and study heterogeneity restrict definitive conclusions regarding prenatal smoke exposure and IBD.
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