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Published on: February 12, 2015

Effects of passive smoking on snoring in preschool children

Yin Zhu1, Chun Ting Au, Ting Fan Leung

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|July 2, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Exposure to secondhand smoke is a significant risk factor for snoring in preschool children. Encouraging parents to quit smoking can help manage childhood snoring.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Environmental Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood snoring is a common issue with potential health implications.
  • Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure is a known health hazard for children.
  • The specific link between ETS and snoring in preschool-aged children requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between passive smoking and snoring in preschool children.
  • To utilize both parent-reported data and objective biomarkers (urine cotinine) to assess ETS exposure.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cross-sectional survey of 2954 children aged 2-6 years in Hong Kong.
  • Data collected via parent-reported questionnaires on snoring and household smoking habits.
  • Urine cotinine levels measured in a randomly selected subset of children to objectively quantify ETS exposure (≥ 30 ng/mg creatinine defined as increased exposure).
  • Multivariate logistic regression analysis controlled for confounders like age, sex, BMI, atopy, infections, and socioeconomic factors.

Main Results:

  • Both household smoking (OR=2.22 for >10 cigarettes/day) and increased urine cotinine (OR=4.37) were significant risk factors for habitual snoring (≥ 3 nights/week) after adjustment.
  • For occasional snoring (1-2 nights/week), reported household smoking (OR=1.41-1.56) and increased urine cotinine (OR=1.82) were also significant risk factors.
  • A significant dose-effect relationship was observed between snoring frequency and cotinine levels (P < .001).

Conclusions:

  • Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is an independent risk factor for snoring in preschool children.
  • Interventions promoting smoking cessation among parents are recommended for managing childhood snoring.
Abstract

Keywords:
BMIBody mass indexSDBSleep-disordered breathing

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