Association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and exacerbations of asthma in children

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may aggravate symptoms of asthma in children. Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by recurrent attacks of shortness of breath with wheezing. Among 199 children with asthma whose urinary levels of cotinine were measured, 116 reported no exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, 53 were exposed by their mother or other individuals and 30 were exposed by their mother and other individuals. Cotinine is a metabolic product of nicotine that is excreted in the urine. The average level of cotinine in the urine was 10 times higher in the children who were exposed to cigarette smoke by their mother and other individuals than in those who reported no exposure. Children exposed to cigarette smoke were more likely to experience severe symptoms of asthma than those not exposed.