title: Decreased aortic elasticity in healthy 11-year-old children exposed to tobacco smoke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal was to assess the relationship between passive smoking and arterial elasticity in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy 11-year-old children (N = 386) from an atherosclerosis prevention trial (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children) were studied. Aortic and carotid elasticities were determined by using M-mode ultrasound imaging based on measurements of blood pressure and arterial diameter changes during the cardiac cycle. The aortic stiffness index, Young's elastic modulus, and distensibility and the respective indices for the carotid artery were calculated. Exposure to tobacco smoke was measured by using serum cotinine concentrations, and children were classified into 3 groups, that is, the noncotinine group (n = 220; undetectable cotinine levels), the low-cotinine group (n = 127; cotinine levels of 0.2-1.6 ng/mL), and the top-decile cotinine group (n = 39; cotinine levels of > or =1.7 ng/mL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher cotinine concentrations were associated with increased aortic stiffness index values. An increase in aortic Young's elastic modulus and a decrease in aortic distensibility were observed across the cotinine groups. In multivariate regression models, the cotinine level remained a significant explanatory variable regarding all aortic elasticity indices. Carotid elasticity indices showed no differences across the cotinine groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood exposure to tobacco smoke (verified with serum cotinine levels) decreases aortic elastic properties in healthy children.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.katariina.kallio@utu.fi
authors.forename: Katariina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jokinen
authors.forename: Mauri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
authors.forename: Maiju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saarinen
authors.forename: Iina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Volanen
authors.forename: Tuuli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaitosaari
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rönnemaa
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simell
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine