Effects of Early Onset Asthma and In Utero Exposure to Maternal Smoking on Childhood Lung Function

• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200206-616oc
• Publication Date: 2003-03-06T21:44:03Z
• Authors: Frank D. Gilliland; Kiros Berhane; Yu-Fen Li; Edward B. Rappaport; John M. Peters
• Keywords: Tobacco smoke

Both in utero exposures to maternal smoking and asthma are associated with chronic deficits lung function. We hypothesized that exposure affects function children without synergistically early onset asthma. To investigate effects of age at diagnosis on function, we examined longitudinal medical history, tobacco smoke exposure, data from 5,933 participants the Children's Health Study. found exposed utero, but asthma, showed decreased FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75, FEF25-75/FVC ratio. Among was larger decreases FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio compared later diagnosed Children alone FEV1 (-13.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -18.9 -8.2) FEF25-75 (-29.7%; CI, -37.8 -20.5) among boys; (-26.6%; -36.4 -15.1) (-9.3%; -12.9 -5.4) girls. The absolute differences increased little evidence for environmental alone. In summary, were largest