SECONDHAND SMOKE PUTS CHILDREN AT RISK

NEW YORK -- A new study presents additional evidence that young children
who are exposed to cigarette smoke are likely to develop respiratory
problems.

In the Pediatrics electronic pages for February, US government researchers
report that exposure to cigarette smoke, including maternal smoking during
pregnancy, "...plays an important, independent role in the respiratory
health of children under 2 years of age."

Dr. Peter J. Gergen of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research,
Rockville, Maryland, and colleagues reviewed data for 7,680 children, 2
months to 5 years old, whose parents were interviewed during a nationwide
health study in 1988 to 1994. The children studied were considered a
representative sample of the entire US population.

The researchers found that approximately 38% of the children were exposed
to cigarette smoke in their homes. Nearly 24% lived in homes where 1 to 19
cigarettes were smoked each day, and 14.5% lived in homes where a pack or
more of cigarettes were smoked each day. In addition, 23.8% had been
exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy.

White children were exposed to the highest levels of cigarette smoke, while
Mexican-American children were exposed to the lower levels. Black children
were exposed to intermediate levels.

Among children 2 months to 2 years old, those exposed to cigarette smoke
were more likely to have asthma, chronic bronchitis, and a history of
wheezing than unexposed children, the investigators report. In exposed
children, "...40% to 60% of the cases of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and
three or more episodes of wheezing were attributable to (environmental
tobacco smoke) exposure."

Among children 2 to 5 years old, those exposed to cigarette smoke had a
higher prevalence of asthma only.

Although asthma was more prevalent among children exposed to cigarette
smoke, Gergen and colleagues found that it was no more severe, as judged by
the frequency of medication use. In addition, exposed children were not at
higher risk of upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, or cough.

Even so, the researchers estimate that environmental exposure to cigarette
smoke is associated with approximately "...13,400 to 16,200 excess cases of
asthma among children 2 months through 5 years old.... These findings
reinforce the need to reduce the exposure of young children."