Passive Cigarette Smoking Research Articles

Parental smoking and pulmonary arterial hypertension in infants: A cohort study

BackgroundSecondhand smoke exposes children to numerous toxic chemicals. Passive cigarette smoke causes a number of diseases, such as respiratory disease. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease with a dismal prognosis. Some research studies have identified hypoxia and genetic variables as the etiological factors for PAH. As a result, it appears that environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, disrupt the function of vascular endothelial cells. Objectives1) Evaluating the correlation between parental smoking and PAH in infants. 2) Examining the correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day by parents and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) during a year. MethodIn a cohort study, 140 neonates were classified into smokers and non-smokers. Birth weight and SPAP in neonates were measured in the smoker parental group. Following the measurement of the variables, the second group consisted of neonates with non-smoking parents whose birth weight and SPAP were matched one-to-one with the first group. After one year, we measured SPAP in two groups. ResultAt birth, all neonates had normal SPAP. The mean infant SPAP was different between smoker and non-smoker parents; this difference was statistically significant (P-value <0.0001). Over 45 % of infants whose parents smoked developed PAH. There was an association between the number of cigarettes that parents smoke daily and infant SPAP levels (P-value <0.0001). There was no association between PAH and the gender of the infants (p-value = 0.497). ConclusionThis research revealed a significant association between parental smoking and PAH in infants. Also, the infant SPAP was significantly linked to the number of cigarettes that the parents smoked per day.

Modification of allergic dermatitis on the associations between early-life exposure to size-specific particulate matter and childhood allergic rhinitis

To evaluate the modification of allergic dermatitis on the association between PM exposure and allergic rhinitis in preschool children. This cross-sectional study was based on a questionnaire conducted between June 2019 and June 2020 to caregivers of children aged 3 to 6 years in the kindergartens of 7 Chinese cities to collect information on allergic rhinitis and allergic dermatitis. A mature machine learning-based space-time extremely randomized trees model was applied to estimate early-life, prenatal, and first-year exposure of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 at 1 km×1 km resolution. A combination of multilevel logistic regression and restricted cubic spline functions was used to quantitatively assess whether allergic dermatitis modifies the associations between size-specific PM exposure and the risk of childhood allergic rhinitis. The results showed that out of 28 408 children, 14 803 (52.1%) were boys and 13 605 (47.9%) were girls; the age of children ranged from 3.1 to 6.8 years, with a mean age of (4.9±0.9) years, of which 3 586 (12.6%) were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. Among all children, 17 832 (62.8%) were breastfed for more than 6 months and 769 (2.7%) had parental history of atopy. A total of 21 548 children (75.9%) had a mother with an educational level of university or above and 7 338 (29.6%) had passive household cigarette smoke exposure. The adjusted ORs for childhood allergic rhinitis among the children with allergic dermatitis as per interquartile range (IQR) increase in early-life PM1(9.8 μg/m3), PM2.5 (14.9 μg/m3) and PM10 (37.7 μg/m3) were significantly higher than the corresponding ORs among the children without allergic dermatitis [OR: 1.45, 95%CI (1.26, 1.66) vs. 1.33, 95%CI (1.20, 1.47), for PM1; OR: 1.38, 95%CI (1.23, 1.56) vs. 1.32, 95%CI (1.21, 1.45), for PM2.5; OR: 1.56, 95%CI (1.31, 1.86) vs. 1.46, 95%CI (1.28, 1.67), for PM10]. The interactions between allergic dermatitis and size-specific PM exposure on childhood allergic rhinitis were statistically significant (Z value=19.4, all P for interaction<0.001). The similar patterns were observed for both prenatal and first-year size-specific PM exposure and the results of the dose-response relationship were consistent with those of the logistic regression. In conclusion, allergic dermatitis, as an important part of the allergic disease progression, may modify the association between ambient PM exposure and the risk of childhood allergic rhinitis. Children with allergic dermatitis should pay more attention to minimize outdoor air pollutants exposure to prevent the further progression of allergic diseases.

Association between lipid profiles and cigarette smoke among adults in the Persian cohort (Shahedieh) study

ObjectivesExposure to cigarette smoke introduces a large amount of nicotine into the bloodstream through the lungs. So, smoking can be a risk factor for many diseases. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of active and passive cigarette smoke on the blood lipid profile and dyslipidemia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was performed on 5052 individuals who participated in the recruitment phase of the Shahedieh cohort study. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the relationship between smoking exposure status and lipid profiles.ResultsThe prevalence of abnormal low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), abnormal HDL-C, abnormal total cholesterol (TC), abnormal triglyceride (TG), and dyslipidemia were 254 (5.00%), 562 (11.10%), 470 (9.30%), 1008 (20.00%), and 1527 (30.20%), respectively. Adjusting for confounders, it was observed that current smokers had higher odds of having abnormal HDL-C [OR (95% CI), 2.90 (2.28–3.69)], abnormal TG [OR (95% CI), 1.71 (1.38–2.13)] and dyslipidemia [OR (95% CI), 1.86 (1.53–2.25)]. Ex-smokers also had greater odds of abnormal HDL-C [OR (95% CI), 1.51 (1.06–2.16)] compared to non-smokers who were not exposed to cigarette smoke.ConclusionsThe findings indicated that current smokers had higher TG and lower HDL. So, necessary measures should be taken to reduce smoking. The findings also showed that the prevalence of abnormal TG and HDL in ex-smokers was lower than in current smokers. Therefore, the existence of incentive policies to quit smoking seems necessary.

Passive Smoking and Lung Disease in Children, Systematic Review

Background: Children's morbidity and mortality are greatly increased by passive cigarette smoke exposure. Preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, perinatal death, respiratory illnesses, neurobehavioral issues, and lower academic performance have all been linked to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) as having negative effects on children's health. This systematic review aims to comprehensively assess recent literature on prevalence of passive smoking in association with lung diseases in children. Methods: Comprehensive searches were conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar to include pertinent literature. The Rayyan QRCI tool facilitated this systematic approach. Results: A total of 490 study articles resulted from the systematic search, and 53 duplicates were deleted. Title and abstract screening were conducted on 437 studies, and 390 studies were excluded. Forty-seven reports were sought for retrieval, and only 7 articles were not retrieved. Finally, 40 studies were screened for full-text assessment; 17 were excluded for wrong study outcomes, and 6 for the wrong population type. Seventeen eligible study articles were included in this systematic review. Conclusion: ETS exposure has a considerable negative impact on children's morbidity and death. Children appear to be the population group most vulnerable to the negative impacts of ETS. There should be a consolidation of more efficient governmental policies and initiatives to safeguard preschoolers from ETS.

The effect of caffeine intake and passive smoking on umbilical cord blood unit's quality parameters.

Today cord blood (CB) is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells to treat many hematological disorders. One of the limitations of CB utilization is the reduced number of nucleated cells including stem cells. Therefore, CB banks around the world have developed strategies in an attempt to improve donor selection and the quality of the CB inventory. This study aimed to determine the impact of passive smoking and caffeine consumption on CB quality. CBs were obtained from mothers who gave birth at King Abdulaziz Medical City. All mothers gave their informed consent. Personal interviews about the mother's demographics, smoking status and exposure, and caffeine consumption executed, followed by a chart review to analyze maternal and neonatal factors. Laboratory testing was performed on all collected CB units. Using descriptive statistics, maternal and newborn factors were analyzed. T-test or Mann-Whitney U Test, as appropriate, for continuous variables analysis to study the effect of second hand smoking and coffee consumption for the primary outcome. Our study demonstrated a reduction in CB MNC, including lymphocytes, in caffeine consumers among pregnant donors, as well as a reduction in cell potency activities, including total CFU and BFU-E. The effect of passive cigarette smoking on the same cohort was insignificant. Outcome of this study will help in optimizing the quality and quantity of stem cell harvesting from CB to get the maximum benefit and such knowledge will raise the awareness among pregnant women.

How Do Active and Passive Cigarette Smokers in Iran Evaluate Their Health? A Sex-Specific Analysis on the Full-Spectrum of Quality of Life.

This study aimed to determine the sex-specific effects of active and passive cigarette smoking on the full spectrum of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among a sizeable adult population. This study was conducted within the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) framework. Participants included 7478 adults in the last examination of the TLGS. We used a quantile regression model to compare sex-specific HRQoL distributions among non-, current, and passive smokers. Two-step cluster analysis was used to consider the synergic effects of confounder variables. In men, current smoking was negatively associated with only mental HRQoL in all percentiles of its distribution with a decrease in absolute estimation values from the lowest (5th: β = -6.59, p < .001) to the highest (90th: β=-0.93, p = .027). Also, passive smoking was negatively associated with men's physical HRQoL in the upper percentiles of its distribution (75th: β = -1.12, p = .010; 90th: β = -1.26, p = .016). In women, the current (β = -4.17 to -4.45 for 25th to 90th percentiles) and passive smokers (β = -2.05 to -4.25 for 10th to 90th percentiles) had lower mental HRQoL in the mentioned percentiles. Also, the current smoking had a negative association with the 5th percentile (β = -2.04, p = .008), and a positive association with the 50th (β = 1.94, p < .008) and 75th percentile of physical HRQoL (β = 2.25, p = .004). The present study showed the harmful effect of smoking on mental HRQol in all participants. In contrast, the physical effect of smoking was only observed in female active smokers and at the extreme levels of the physical HRQoL spectrum. According to the harmful effect of smoking on HRQoL, understanding active and passive smokers' perceptions of how smoking impacts their health is critical for tobacco control programs. Since most previous studies of smoking and HRQoL have mainly focused on the extreme parts or central values of the HRQoL distribution, the use of a multiple regression approach enables the evaluation of other parts of the conditional distribution of the outcome variable. This study demonstrated the prominent effect of smoking on the mental HRQoL as well as the more serious public health burden of passive smoking in women.

Radon, Radium, and Uranium Concentrations in the Blood of Cigarette-Smoking Women and Lung Cancer Risk

Radon and its daughters are of the natural radioactive decay of the uranium series. Exposure to radon gas leads to lung cancer, so the risks are significantly higher for smokers than for non-smokers. Therefore, the risk of radon increases for both active and passive smokers. The radioactivity of alpha particles emitted by radium 226, the main source of radon 222, has become harmful because its prevalence and inhalation increase with increased smoking. In this study, a CR-39 detector was used to measure radon, radium, and uranium concentrations and then calculate risk parameters in seven cigarette-smoking females in vitro study of human blood samples, and three normal females with no actual and passive cigarette smoking. The radon concentrations in blood samples varied from 147.36±0.08 Bq/kg to 659.92±0.04 Bq/kg with an average of 316.83±150.42 Bq/kg, the radium concentration varied from 13.55±0.27 Bq/kg to 60.70±0.13 Bq/kg with an average value 29.05±13.84 Bq/kg, and uranium concentration varies from 11.89±0.29 ppm to 53.23±0.14 ppm with an average value 25.47±12.13 ppm. The annual effective dose ranged from 4.42±0.48 to 12.57±0.28 mSv/y with average value of 8.35±3.10 mSv/y. The annual risk cases of lung cancer varied from 79.50±.0.11 to 226.26±0.07 with an average value of 150.22±55.78 per million people. The results deal with the radioactive effect of female cigarette smokers as a risk factor for lung cancer. Most of the results exceed the permissible international limits. Hence, human health and their life are at risk of radioactivity resulting from cigarette smoking that is concentrated in the blood of female smokers examined in this work.

Environmental exposures and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Maternal exposures to environmental hazards during pregnancy are key determinants of birth outcomes that affect health, cognitive and economic status later in life. In Ethiopia, various epidemiological evidences have suggested associations between environmental exposures such as household air pollution, cigarette smoking, and pesticide exposure and pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and birth defects. This review aimed at generating summarized evidence on the association between maternal exposure to environmental factors (household air pollution, cigarette smoking, and pesticide) and pregnancy outcomes (birth weight, preterm birth, and birth defects) in Ethiopia. A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library databases. All observational study designs were eligible for inclusion in the review. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) quality assessment tools adopted for case-control and cross-sectional studies. The random-effects model was applied in computing the pooled estimates and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Funnel and Doi plots were used for detecting the potential publication bias. All statistical analyses were performed using comprehensive meta-analysis (CMA 2.0) and MetaXL version 5.3 software. The pooled estimates revealed that prenatal biomass fuel use increased the risk of giving a low birth weight baby by twofold (OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.33-3.31), and has no separate kitchen increases the risk of having low birth weight baby nearly by two and half times (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.25-4.92). Overall, using biomass fuel as the main energy source for cooking and /or having no separate kitchen from the main house is 2.37 times more likely to give low birth weight babies (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.58-3.53). Active cigarette smoker women were 4 times (OR = 4.11, 95% CI: 2.82-5.89) more prone to have low birth weight babies than nonsmokers; and passive smoker women were 2.6 times (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.09-6.35) more risked to give low birth weight babies. It was also estimated that active cigarette smoker women were nearly 4 times (OR = 3.90, 95% CI: 2.36-6.45) more likely to give preterm birth babies. Pesticide exposure during pregnancy also increases the risk of the birth defect 4 times (OR = 4.44, 95% CI: 2.61-7.57) compared with non-exposed pregnant women. Household air pollution from biomass fuel use, active and passive cigarette smoking, and pesticide exposures are significantly associated environmental risk factors for low birth weight, preterm birth, and birth defects in Ethiopia. Therefore, Pregnant and lactating women should be aware of these environmental hazards during pregnancy. Promoting clean energy and improved and efficient stoves at the household level will help to reduce household air pollution-related adverse health effects. PROSPERO 2022: CRD42022337140.

A prospective ultrasound study of cigarette smoking and uterine leiomyomata incidence and growth

Uterine leiomyomata (fibroids) are common, benign neoplasms that contribute substantially to gynecologic morbidity. Some existing epidemiologic studies indicate that cigarette smoking is associated with lower uterine leiomyomata risk. However, no prospective studies have systematically screened an entire study population for uterine leiomyomata using transvaginal ultrasound or evaluated the association between cigarette smoking and uterine leiomyomata growth. This study aimed to examine the association between cigarette smoking and uterine leiomyomata incidence and growth in a prospective ultrasound study. We enrolled 1693 residents from the Detroit metropolitan area into the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids during 2010 to 2012. Eligible participants were aged 23 to 34 years, had an intact uterus but no previous diagnosis of uterine leiomyomata, and self-identified as Black or African American. We invited participants to complete a baseline visit and 4 follow-up visits over approximately 10 years. At each visit, we used transvaginal ultrasound to assess uterine leiomyomata incidence and growth. Participants provided extensive self-reported data throughout follow-up including exposures to active and passive cigarette smoking in adulthood. We excluded participants who did not return for any follow-up visits (n=76; 4%). We fit Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between time-varying smoking history and incidence rates of uterine leiomyomata. We fit linear mixed models to estimate the percentage difference and 95% confidence intervals for the association between smoking history and uterine leiomyomata growth. We adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and reproductive factors. We interpreted our results based on magnitude and precision rather than binary significance testing. Among 1252 participants without ultrasound evidence of uterine leiomyomata at baseline, uterine leiomyomata were detected in 394 participants (31%) during follow-up. Current cigarette smoking was associated with a lower uterine leiomyomata incidence rate (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.92). Associations were stronger among participants who had smoked for longer durations (≥15 years vs never: hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.95). The hazard ratio for former smokers was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.50-1.20). Among never smokers, the hazard ratio for current passive smoke exposure was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.65-1.07). Uterine leiomyomata growth was not appreciably associated with current (percent difference,-3%; 95% confidence interval,-13% to 8%) or former (percent difference,-9%; 95% confidence interval,-22% to 6%) smoking. We provide evidence from a prospective ultrasound study that cigarette smoking is associated with lower uterine leiomyomata incidence.

Development of a passive sampler for analysis of nicotine in non-smoking areas

Passive cigarette smoking has been a concern owing to the harmful health risks it poses to humans. Nicotine is used as an indicator of tobacco smoke in the environment, to assess the effects of passive smoking. Passive samplers, which do not require a power source, are a low-cost method for collecting nicotine; however, they are affected by wind, resulting in low accuracy. We developed a passive sampler coupled with perforated covers to reduce the effects of wind on sampling. Because covering the collection surface would reduce the amount of nicotine collected by passive samplers, a highly sensitive nicotine analysis method using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. Chamber tests were used to determine the optimal cover aperture ratio. Finally, we measured the nicotine concentrations indoors at 15 sites using active samplers. The nicotine concentration determined using the active samplers were compared to the amount of nicotine collected in the passive samplers, to estimate the sampling rate (SR; m3 min−1) of the passive samplers. The limit of quantitation for nicotine obtained using LC-MS/MS was 8.6 ng L−1, which was 0.0016–0.043 times those obtained using conventional methods. The optimal aperture of the membrane and the SR of the developed sampler were 1.8% and (1.17 ± 0.05) × 10−6 m3 min−1, respectively. The relative standard deviation of the developed sampler was 0.57 times those of the conventional samplers, indicating that the developed samplers have improved accuracy. The nicotine concentrations in the rooms ranged from <0.06–37 μg m−3. The samples with the lowest concentrations could not be quantified using conventional analytical methods. Thus, the proposed analytical method and passive sampler are promising tools for monitoring nicotine.

The Relationship between Health Literacy and Hypertension Control: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Uncontrolled hypertension is a major public health problem among patients in developed and developing countries. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and causes of uncontrolled hypertension to facilitate the design of more effective methods of hypertension control. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 303 adults with hypertension. The Standard Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to collect data. Uncontrolled hypertension was ascertained based on the WHO definition. A multiple logistic regression model was used at a 95% confidence level. Variables considered were confounders including age, sex, marital status, family size, income (monthly mean), smoking (past or current), education level, and physical activity (times in a week). The mean (SD) age of the participants (n=303) was 59.3(12.7) years, and 57.4% were men. The prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was 50.5%. The mean score of health literacy among patients with controlled hypertension was higher than that among patients with uncontrolled hypertension (64.83±23.72 vs 46.28±22.19; P<0.001). The odds of uncontrolled hypertension decreased by 3% in the patients (OR: 0.97; P=0.06). Adherence to treatment (OR: 0.13; P<0.001), salt consumption per package purchased per month (OR: 4.40; P=0.001), increased physical activity per hour per week (OR: 0.56; P<0.001), current or passive cigarette smoking (OR: 4.59; P=0.010), a positive history of chronic diseases (OR: 2.62; P=0.027), and increased family size (per 1 child) (OR: 0.57; P<0.001) were associated with uncontrolled hypertension. The results showed a borderline association between increased health literacy and hypertension control. Additionally, increased salt consumption, reduced physical activity, small family size, and underlying diseases (eg, diabetes, chronic heart disease, and renal disease) could increase the odds of uncontrolled hypertension in Iranian society.

Associations of Early-Life Exposure to Submicron Particulate Matter With Childhood Asthma and Wheeze in China

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been associated with childhood asthma and wheeze. However, the specific associations between asthma and PM with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter of 1 μm or less (ie, PM1), which is a contributor to PM2.5 and potentially more toxic than PM2.5, remain unclear. To investigate the association of early-life (prenatal and first year) exposure to size-segregated PM, including PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10, with childhood asthma and wheeze. This cross-sectional study was based on a questionnaire administered between June 2019 and June 2020 to caregivers of children aged 3 to 6 years in 7 Chinese cities (Wuhan, Changsha, Taiyuan, Nanjing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Urumqi) as the second phase of the China, Children, Homes, Health study. Exposure to PM1, PM1-2.5, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10 during the prenatal period and first year of life. The main outcomes were caregiver-reported childhood asthma and wheeze. A machine learning-based space-time model was applied to estimate early-life PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 exposure at 1 × 1-km resolution. Concentrations of PM1-2.5 and PM2.5-10 were calculated by subtracting PM1 from PM2.5 and PM2.5 from PM10, respectively. Multilevel (city and child) logistic regression models were applied to assess associations. Of 29 418 children whose caregivers completed the survey (15 320 boys [52.1%]; mean [SD] age, 4.9 [0.9] years), 2524 (8.6%) ever had wheeze and 1161 (3.9%) were diagnosed with asthma. Among all children, 18 514 (62.9%) were breastfed for more than 6 months and 787 (2.7%) had parental history of atopy. A total of 22 250 children (75.6%) had a mother with an educational level of university or above. Of the 25 422 children for whom information about cigarette smoking exposure was collected, 576 (2.3%) had a mother who was a current or former smoker during pregnancy and 7525 (29.7%) had passive household cigarette smoke exposure in early life. Early-life PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 exposure were significantly associated with increased risk of childhood asthma, with higher estimates per 10-μg/m3 increase in PM1 (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.27-1.89) than in PM2.5 (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.26) and PM10 (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02-1.20). No association was observed between asthma and PM1-2.5 exposure, suggesting that PM1 rather than PM1-2.5 contributed to the association between PM2.5 and childhood asthma. There were significant associations between childhood wheeze and early-life PM1 exposure (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07-1.41) and PM2.5 exposure (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.16) per 10-μg/m3 increase in PM1 and PM2.5, respectively. In this cross-sectional study, higher estimates were observed for the association between PM with smaller particles, such as PM1, vs PM with larger particles and childhood asthma. The results suggest that the association between PM2.5 and childhood asthma was mainly attributable to PM1.

Correlation between Passive Cigarette Smoke Exposure on Low Birth Weight: Meta-Analysis

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is defined as a newborn baby weighing less than 2500 grams. Low birth weight is a serious condition in developing countries. The impact of cigarette smoke on pregnant women who are exposed to cigarette smoke is at a higher risk of complications, such as miscarriage, premature birth, or babies born with low weight. This study aims to analyze the relationship between exposure to secondhand smoke and low birth weight. Subjects and Method: This research is a systematic review and meta-analysis by systematically reviewing primary articles from Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scient Direct and Springerlink by selecting articles published in 2012-2022. The articles searched using PICO were P: Pregnant women, I: exposed to cigarette smoke, C: not exposed to cigarette smoke, O: low birth weight. Keywords "Exposure to smoking pregnant women" OR "Expectant mother" OR "Pregnancy women" OR "Exposed to cigarettes" OR "Secondhand smoke exposure" OR "Cigarette smoke expo- sure" AND "Low birth weight" OR "Low weight babies" AND “Case control” AND “Adjusted odds ratio”. Articles used PRISMA flow diagrams and analyzed using Review Manager 5.3. Results: There were nine articles analyzed consisting of Nepal, Morocco, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, India, Indonesia and China. Meta-analysis showed that cigarette smoke exposure increased the risk of low birth weight and was statistically significant (aOR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.58 to 3.03; p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Exposure to cigarette smoke increases the risk of weight gain in LBW infants by 2.19 times compared to not exposed to cigarette smoke. Keywords: exposure to cigarette smoke, low birth weight, meta-analysis. Correspondence: Winei Handriani. Master’s Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta 57126, Jawa Tengah. Email: wineihandriani02@gmail.com. Mobile: 083150000253.

Determination of the Relation Between Passive Cigarette Smoking in Children and Respiratory Tract Infections by Evaluation of Urine Cotinine/Creatinine Levels

Determination of the Relation Between Passive Cigarette Smoking in Children and Respiratory Tract Infections by Evaluation of Urine Cotinine/Creatinine Levels

Psychological profiles, quality of life, and parental attitudes in children with Sighing dyspnea.

There are a limited number of studies investigating the relationship of sighing dyspnea (SD) with psychiatric disorders and various mental states. This cross-sectional study enrolled 39 pediatric patients with SD, but free from apparent cardiopulmonary diseases, who presented to a pediatric pulmonology policlinic between June and December 2019 and age-gender matched 34 healthy children were recruited for comparison. Patient characteristics, psychological or physical trauma history, and cigarette smoke exposure were recorded. All the participants completed the "NOSE scale," "Modified Borg Scale," "Children Depression Inventory," "Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders," "Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory," "Stress Coping Style Scale," "Family Assessment Device," and "Parents Attitude Scale." Compared to the control group, there was a statistically significantly higher rate in the SD group of physical or psychological trauma history (35.9% vs. 14.7%, p = .04) and passive cigarette smoking (60.5% vs.27.3%, p = .005). When the groups were compared in respect of depression and anxiety levels, the depression score, total anxiety level, somatic/panic, generalized anxiety and fear of school points were determined to be statistically significantly higher in the SD group. The QoL scores (total, physical, and psychosocial) in the SD group were found to be statistically significantly lower than those of the control group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to have examined the psychological profiles of SD patients and their families in detail, and to have evaluated the effect of SD on quality of life.

The impact of changing cigarette smoking habits and smoke-free legislation on orofacial cleft incidence in the United Kingdom: Evidence from two time-series studies.

Both active and passive cigarette smoking have previously been associated with orofacial cleft aetiology. We aimed to analyse the impact of declining active smoking prevalence and the implementation of smoke-free legislation on the incidence of children born with a cleft lip and/or palate within the United Kingdom. We conducted regression analysis using national administrative data in the United Kingdom between 2000-2018. The main outcome measure was orofacial cleft incidence, reported annually for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and separately for Scotland. First, we conducted an ecological study with longitudinal time-series analysis using smoking prevalence data for females over 16 years of age. Second, we used a natural experiment design with interrupted time-series analysis to assess the impact of smoke-free legislation. Over the study period, the annual incidence of orofacial cleft per 10,000 live births ranged from 14.2-16.2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 13.4-18.8 in Scotland. The proportion of active smokers amongst females in the United Kingdom declined by 37% during the study period. Adjusted regression analysis did not show a correlation between the proportion of active smokers and orofacial cleft incidence in either dataset, although we were unable to exclude a modest effect of the magnitude seen in individual-level observational studies. The data in England, Wales and Northern Ireland suggested an 8% reduction in orofacial cleft incidence (RR 0.92, 95%CI 0.85 to 0.99; P = 0.024) following the implementation of smoke-free legislation. In Scotland, there was weak evidence for an increase in orofacial cleft incidence following smoke-free legislation (RR 1.16, 95%CI 0.94 to 1.44; P = 0.173). These two ecological studies offer a novel insight into the influence of smoking in orofacial cleft aetiology, adding to the evidence base from individual-level studies. Our results suggest that smoke-free legislation may have reduced orofacial cleft incidence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What plays a role in the severity of atopic dermatitis in children?

Background/aim Determining the characteristics and risk factors of severe disease is extremely important to combat atopic dermatitis (AD), which has recently shown increasing prevalence. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with AD and identifying the factors associated with the severity of the disease.Materials and methods A total of 304 pediatric patients diagnosed with atopic dermatitis were included in the study. The patients’ age at admission, age at onset of symptoms, the presence of atopy history in their family, eosinophil levels obtained from blood counts were recorded, together with the data of cigarette exposure, and area of residence. Disease severity was determined according to the SCORAD index. Epidermal prick tests (EPT) were applied to all patients.Results There was a negative correlation between the SCORAD score and both age at admission (r = 0.277, p < 0.001) and age at onset of the symptoms (r = –0.474, p < 0.001). Food sensitization rates were higher in individuals with moderate-severe disease (90.7% vs. 23.1%; p < 0.001) and patients with food allergy (FA) had significantly higher SCORAD scores [33 (IQR: 22–44) vs. 14 (IQR: 12–16); p < 0.001]. SCORAD scores of the individuals living in rural areas were higher than the ones living in urban [22 (IQR: 15–39.5) vs. 15 (IQR: 12–22); p < 0.001]. Familial atopy history was more common in patients with moderate-severe disease (66.5% vs. 17.5%; p < 0.001). The SCORAD scores were higher in patients exposed to passive smoking [21 (IQR:14.75–38) vs. 13 (IQR: 12–16); p < 0.001]. The eosinophil count found to be positively correlated with SCORAD scores (r = 0.531, p < 0.001).Conclusion Our findings show that early-onset, food sensitivity, living in rural areas, having familial atopy history and passive cigarette smoke exposure play a role in severe AD. Since it is remarkably correlated with SCORAD scores, eosinophil count can be used as a marker to assess the severity of AD in children.

A preliminary study of association of cigarette smoking with risk of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Various studies have revealed an association between cigarette smoking and increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its role in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains elusive. Therefore, in the present case-control study, we aimed to assess the association of active and passive cigarette smoking with the risk of MS and NMOSD.Thirty-six patients with NMOSD, 46 patients with MS, and 122 healthy individuals were included in this study. Standardized questionnaires and telephone interviews were used to collect information regarding the active and passive cigarette smoking behaviors of the patients and normal controls.The risk of MS was significantly higher among smokers than among nonsmokers (odds ratio = 2.166, 95% confidence interval: 1.109–4.170; P = .027). Further analysis of the risk between active and passive smokers, male smokers and nonsmokers showed no statistical difference. However, neither smokers nor active smokers had a greater or lower risk of NMOSD than their nonsmoking counterparts.Our preliminary study showed no significant association between cigarette smoking and the risk of NMOSD, strongly suggesting that, unlike MS, cigarette smoking might not confer NMOSD susceptibility, at least in the Northern Han Chinese population.

Source apportionment and light absorption properties of black and brown carbon aerosols in the Brahmaputra River valley region

The light absorption due to winter black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) in a complex-terrain region of northeast India was studied. The BC concentrations were measured by using a seven-wavelength Aethalometer. The hourly average BC concentration at 880 nm was 10.02 ± 3.17 μg m−3, with the highest of 30.48 μg m−3 on most foggy days. The mean Angstrom Absorption Exponent (AAE370-880) for the spectrum 370–880 nm was 1.25, and the highest was 1.28 during the winter nighttime. The light absorption of BC dominated at all wavelengths from 370 to 950 nm. Source apportionment using the site-specific spectral properties showed that the average contribution from the fossil fuel (road traffic emissions) was around 70% and 30% from biomass burning. The primary brown carbon (BrCpri) contributed a much higher (17.5%) to the total aerosol light absorption (babs) than secondary brown carbon (BrCsec) (7.8%) at 370 nm. The BrCpri and BrCsec absorption and contribution to babs peaking to 24.9% and 12.4% during winter nights at 370 nm, indicating open biomass burning a dominant source of BrC. Further, the exposure to BC in winter might cause a higher health risk equivalent to 25 passive cigarette smoking per day.

Iron deficiency and blood cadmium concentrations in a cohort of reproductive-age women

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In reproductive-age women, iron deficiency is common. When iron stores are low, gut metal ion transporters are upregulated to increase intestinal absorption of dietary iron. However, this mechanism can also increase absorption of cadmium in the diet. METHODS: We investigated the association between iron deficiency and blood cadmium concentrations using enrollment data (years 2010-2012) from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle & Fibroids, a cohort of 1,693 Black women ages 23-35 years who reside in the Detroit, Michigan area. Since cadmium exposure from cigarette smoking occurs via inhalation and not intestinal absorption, we restricted the study population to non-pregnant, never-smokers (n=1242). Cadmium and ferritin concentrations were measured in whole blood and serum samples, respectively, from 1120 participants. We adjusted the serum ferritin concentrations using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) internal regression correction approach to account for inflammation. We defined iron deficiency as adjusted serum ferritin concentrations 15 µg/L. Multivariable linear regression was conducted to estimate the percent difference in blood cadmium concentrations in relation to iron deficiency, adjusting for age, education, and passive cigarette smoke exposure. RESULTS:The geometric mean (GM) blood cadmium concentration in our sample was 0.22 µg/L (95% CI: 0.21-0.23), similar to that reported in NHANES 2011-2012 among Black women of the same age who never smoked (GM 0.24, 95% CI: 0.22-0.27). In the study sample, 19% of participants were iron deficient (n=210). Iron deficient participants had blood cadmium concentrations that were 51% higher than those who were not iron deficient (95% CI: 39%, 64%). CONCLUSIONS:Our data suggest that iron deficiency increases cadmium body burden. The observed association aligns with our previous finding that heavy menstrual bleeding, a substantial contributor to iron deficiency, was associated with higher blood cadmium concentrations in this cohort. KEYWORDS: Heavy metals, Female, Epidemiology