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The effect of parental smoking on early atherosclerotic changes in paediatric age group

Nesrin Coşkun1, Öykü Tosun2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul Medeniyet Universityhttps://ror.org/05j1qpr59, Istanbul, Turkey.

Cardiology in the Young
|February 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Parental smoking significantly increases early atherosclerosis markers in children, including carotid intima-media thickness and epicardial adipose tissue thickness. These findings highlight the independent impact of secondhand smoke exposure on pediatric cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Parental smoking is a significant source of secondhand smoke exposure for children.
  • Early detection of atherosclerosis markers in childhood is crucial for long-term cardiovascular risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the independent association between parental smoking and subclinical atherosclerotic markers in healthy children.
  • To evaluate carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness as early indicators of atherosclerosis.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 106 children (6-16 years) was studied, with 53 exposed to parental smoking and 53 controls.
  • Transthoracic echocardiography and carotid ultrasonography were used to measure EAT and CIMT.
  • Multivariable analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors and sleep duration.

Main Results:

  • Children with parental smoking exposure exhibited significantly increased EAT thickness and CIMT compared to controls (p=0.014 and p=0.001, respectively).
  • Parental smoking remained an independent predictor of both EAT and CIMT.
  • Shorter sleep duration was correlated with increased EAT and CIMT.

Conclusions:

  • Parental smoking is independently linked to early atherosclerotic changes in children.
  • Increased CIMT and EAT thickness in children are associated with parental smoking exposure.
  • These findings underscore the importance of smoke-free environments for pediatric cardiovascular health.
Abstract

Keywords:
atherosclerosiscarotid intima-mediaepicardial adipose tissueparental smoking

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