Environmental tobacco smoke and its effect on the symptoms and medication in children with asthma.
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) worsens asthmatic symptoms. We analyzed the relationship between levels of ETS and asthmatic symptoms and medication. We asked parents of 282 asthmatic children about the general condition, smoke exposure and medication. Patients were classified into three groups: no-ETS (no smoking), mild-ETS (smoking in the house but not in the same room as patient), and heavy-ETS (smoking in the same room as patient). We classified 116 children in no-ETS group, 124 children in mild-ETS group and 42 children in heavy-ETS group. The symptoms were worst and prevalence of leukotriene receptor antagonist and long-acting beta(2)-agonist use were highest in heavy-ETS group. However, there was no statistical difference between no-ETS and mild-ETS groups in prevalence of anti-asthmatic drug use and symptoms. We conclude that a smoking ban in rooms used by asthmatic children is an easy way to reduce ETS, asthmatic symptoms and the use of anti-asthmatic drugs.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tottori, Japan. yamasaki@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Akira
A
Yamasaki
Keichi
K
Hanaki
Katsuyuki
K
Tomita
Masanari
M
Watanabe
Yasuyuki
Y
Hasagawa
Ryota
R
Okazaki
Tadashi
T
Igishi
Kenta
K
Horimukai
Kouji
K
Fukutani
Yuji
Y
Sugimoto
Mitsunobu
M
Yamamoto
Kazuhiro
K
Kato
Toshikazu
T
Ikeda
Tatsuya
T
Konishi
Hirokazu
H
Tokuyasu
Hiroki
H
Yajima
Hitoshi
H
Sejima
Takeshi
T
Isobe
Eiji
E
Shimizu
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011640:Public Policy; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution