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Postgraduate Medical Journal 1999;75:339-341; doi:10.1136/pgmj.75.884.339
© 1999 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine.
Postgrad Med J 1999;75:339-341 ( June )

The effect of passive smoking on pulmonary function during childhood

Kenan Bek, Nazan Tomaç, Ali Delibas, Fevzi Tuna, H Tahsin Teziç, Metin Sungur

Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

Correspondence to: Dr Nazan Tomaç, Dr Sami Ulus Çocuk Hastanesi, Babür Caddesi, Telsizler, 06080 Ankara, Türkiye

Accepted 5 January 1999

Passive smoking, especially of maternal origin, is known to influence adversely the development of children's pulmonary function. In this study, the effect of parental smoking on the pulmonary function of 360 primary school children aged 9-13 (mean 10.8±0.7) years was investigated. Information on parental smoking history was collected using a questionnaire, and spirometric measurements were performed on the children.
All spirometric indices were lower in children who had been passively exposed to parental tobacco smoke than those not exposed. The percentage of households in which at least one parent smoked was 81.5%. This figure was significantly lower for mothers (27.5%) than for fathers (79%). Paternal smoking was associated with reduced levels of forced expiratory flow between 25-75% of vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and flow rates after 50% and 75% of vital capacity expired (p<0.05). Maternal smoking did not have statistically significant adverse effects on children's pulmonary function. This result might be due to the low occurrence of either pre- or post-natal smoking among mothers and confirms that, in our population, the main target group for anti-tobacco campaigns should be fathers.


Keywords: passive smoking; pulmonary function; tobacco smoke

© 1999 by The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine
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