title: Adverse effects of smoking on respiratory function in young adults born weighing less than 1000 grams.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether active smoking has an adverse impact on respiratory function of young adults of extremely low birth weight (ELBW; birth weight <1000 g).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cohort study of 60 consecutive ELBW survivors who were born during 1977-1980 at Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Respiratory function was measured on 44 (73%) of the subjects at a mean age of 20.2 years (standard deviation: 1.0 year). Respiratory function had also been measured on 42 of the 44 subjects at 8 years of age. Respiratory function was compared between the 14 smokers and the 30 nonsmokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several respiratory function variables reflecting airflow (the forced expired volume in 1 second [FEV(1)]/forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio; flow rates at 75%, 50%, and 25% of vital capacity; and mid-expiratory flow from 25% to 75% of vital capacity) were significantly diminished in smokers. The proportion with a clinically important reduction in the FEV(1)/FVC ratio (<75%) was significantly higher in smokers (64%) than in nonsmokers (20%). There was a significantly larger decrease in the FEV(1)/FVC ratio between ages 8 and 20 years in the smokers (mean change: -8.2%; 95% confidence interval: -14.1% to -2.4%)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active smoking by young adult survivors of ELBW is associated with reduced respiratory function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. lwd@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Lex W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olinsky
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Callanan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*