Parental smoking and airway reactivity in healthy infants

Robert S. Tepper, Tamica Williams-Nkomo, Tanya Martinez, Jeff Kisling, Cathy Coates, Joanne Daggy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Parental tobacco smoking is associated with lower airway function and an increased incidence of wheezy respiratory illnesses in infants. We evaluated in 76 healthy infants whether exposure to parental tobacco smoking was associated with airway hyperreactivity, which could contribute to lower airway function and the increased wheezy illnesses. Airway function was measured using the raised-volume rapid thoracic compression technique, and airway reactivity was assessed by methacholine challenge (0.015-10 mg/ml), which was stopped for a more than 30% decrease in forced expiratory flow (FEF)75 or the final dose with a less than 30% decrease. Parental tobacco smoking was associated with lower baseline airway function (FEF50, 600 vs. 676 ml/second, p < 0.04; FEF25-75, 531 vs. 597 ml/second, p < 0.05). Infants exposed to tobacco smoking were approximately half as likely to develop a more than 30% decline in FEF75 at any given methacholine dose (hazard ratio = 0.4, p = 0.001). In addition, a history of asthma in an extended family member increased the likelihood that an infant would develop a more than 30% decline in FEF75 (hazard ratio = 1.7, p = 0.04). We conclude that exposure to parental smoking is associated with lower airway function but not increased airway reactivity; however, family history of asthma is associated with heightened airway reactivity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)78-82
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
Volume171
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2005

Keywords

  • Airway function
  • Bronchial reactivity
  • Cotinine
  • Tobacco smoke exposure

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

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