title: Effects of smoking during pregnancy on the optic nerve neurodevelopment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tobacco smoking during pregnancy alters neurodevelopment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides precise measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which forms part of the central nervous system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess using the OCT how smoking during pregnancy would affect optic nerve development as detected in human offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual examination and OCT were performed on a group of children (n=70; 4.15-13.50 years of age), classified as being exposed or not to maternal smoking during gestational period. The association between smoking during pregnancy and RNFL thickness was assessed by a linear regression analysis adjusted for possible confounding factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although visual outcomes did not differ between groups, a significant decrease in the RNFL thickness was found in the group of infants exposed to smoke (105.3 vs 95.6; p=0.002), even when adjusting for gestational age, birth weight or gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT measurements show that intrautero exposure to tobacco smoke interferes with the development of the optic nerve.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain. vpueyo@unisar.es
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pueyo
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Güerri
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oros
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuquet
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Luis Emilio
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Pablo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods