Association between secondhand smoke exposure, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and stroke incidence in nonsmokers

To evaluate the independent and combined associations of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and maternal smoking during pregnancy with the risk of total stroke and its subtypes, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, among nonsmokers.

To investigate the independent and combined associations of SHS exposure and maternal smoking during pregnancy with stroke risk in nonsmokers.

A prospective analysis was conducted using 336,640 nonsmoking participants from a nationwide cohort, free from pre-existing cardiovascular disease. SHS exposure was categorized based on hours per week (0, >0-4, >4), and maternal smoking was assessed via participant recall. Outcomes included total stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke, identified through hospital records. Cox regression models adjusted for demographic, behavioral, and clinical covariates were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

Over a median follow-up of 11.8 years, 5,051 participants experienced strokes. SHS exposure >4 hours/week was associated with increased incident stroke risk (HR 1.34, 95 % CI 1.18-1.52) compared to no exposure. Maternal smoking was associated with a 7 % increase in total stroke risk (HR 1.07, 95 % CI 1.02-1.14). Combined exposure to SHS >4 hours/week and maternal smoking conferred the highest stroke risk (HR 1.57, 95 % CI 1.29-1.90). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings.

SHS exposure and maternal smoking was independently and jointly associated with higher stroke risk, underscoring the need for robust tobacco control policies to mitigate these exposures and their public health impact.