Secondhand smoke as a risk factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children
Nahed A Abdel Hamed1, Emad El-Din M Hammad2, Ragaa H Salama3
1Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Inhalation Toxicology
|December 26, 2019
Summary
Children exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) show a significant association with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While SHS exposure was higher in ADHD cases, serum cotinine levels were not significantly different.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Environmental Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 5% of children globally.
- Early exposure to tobacco smoke is a concern in Egypt, potentially impacting child development.
- Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is linked to adverse behavioral and developmental outcomes in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between SHS exposure and ADHD in children.
- To determine the relationship between SHS exposure levels and ADHD symptom severity.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with children from Assiut University Hospital.
- Data collection involved questionnaires on home SHS exposure and serum cotinine level measurements.
- Serum cotinine was used as a biomarker for SHS exposure.
Main Results:
- A higher percentage of ADHD children (88.6%) reported home SHS exposure compared to controls (46.7%).
- Serum cotinine levels were not significantly higher in the ADHD group than the control group.
- A significant association was found between ADHD and SHS exposure in the study sample.
Conclusions:
- A significant association exists between ADHD and SHS exposure in the studied Egyptian children.
- Serum cotinine effectively indicates current SHS exposure but not long-term or past exposure.
- Further research may be needed to understand the long-term impact of SHS on ADHD development.
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