Early smoke exposure is associated with asthma and lung function deficits in adolescents

Early life tobacco smoke exposure may influence asthma, lung function and lung function growth into adolescence. This study determined the associations between perinatal smoke exposure and asthma and lung function up to 18 years of age. The authors prospectively recorded perinatal parental smoking and measured respiratory outcomes at 12 and 18 years in the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study (MACS), a longitudinal birth cohort. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the associations between perinatal smoke exposure and asthma at 12 (n =370) and 18 years (n = 411). Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between perinatal smoking and: lung function (12 & 18 years) and lung function growth (between 12 and 18 years). At 18 years, girls exposed to parental smoking during the perinatal period had increased odds of asthma (OR: 3.45, 95%CI: 1.36, 8.77), reduced pre-bronchodilator Forced expiratory volume in one-second (FEV1) (-272 ml/s; -438, -107); FEV1/ forced vital capacity (FVC) (-0.038; -0.065, -0.010); mid expiratory flow (MEF25-75) (-430 ml/s; -798, -61), and reduced post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (-0.028, -0.053, -0.004). No associations were found for boys (pre-bronchodilator FEV1 26 ml/s; -202, 255; FEV1/FVC 0.018; -0.013, 0.049). The authors concluded that perinatal smoke may affect risk of asthma, reduce lung function and lung function growth in adolescence. Girls appear to be more susceptible than boys.

Authors: Dai X, Dharmage SC, Lowe AJ, Allen KJ, Thomas PS, Perret J, Waidyatillake N, Matheson MC, Svanes C, Welsh L, Abramson MJ, Lodge CJ. ;Full Source: Journal of Asthma. 2016 Oct 28:0. [Epub ahead of print] ;