Abstract
Background: Parental smoking is associated with asthma and impaired lung function during early childhood. Less is known about the impact of early life smoke exposure on asthma, lung function and lung function growth into adolescence.
Objective: To determine the association between perinatal smoke exposure and lung function and asthma up to18 years.
Method: The Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study (MACS), a high-risk birth cohort (n= 620), recorded parental smoking at baseline and respiratory outcomes including spirometry at 12 and 18 years. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the associations between perinatal smoking and reported asthma at 12 (n=370) and 18 years (n=411). Multiple linear regression assessed the effect of perinatal smoking on lung function at 12 and 18 years and lung function growth between 12 and 18 years.
Results: At 18 years, girls exposed to parental smoking in the perinatal period had increased odds of asthma (OR: 3.45, 95%CI: 1.36, 8.77) and reduced: pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (decreased by 214, 95%CI: 39, 389 ml); FEV1/FVC ratio (deceased by 0.077, 95%CI: 0.017, 0.138); and MEF25-75 (reduced by 430, 95%CI: 61, 798 ml/s), as well as reduced post bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (decreased by 0.073, 95%CI: 0.018, 0.128). No associations seen for boys. Furthermore, impairment of lung function growth in pre-bronchodilator FEV1 between 12 and 18 years was associated with early life maternal smoking, (reduced by 261, 95%CI: 20, 502 ml) independent of gender.
Conclusion: Perinatal smoke exposure is associated with increased risk of asthma, reduced lung function and reduced lung function growth in adolescence. Adolescent girls appear to be more susceptible than boys.
- © 2014 ERS
