title: Adverse circulatory effects of passive smoking during infancy: surprisingly strong, manifest early, easily avoided.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare blood pressure reactions (BPR) of infants to mild stress for evidence of adverse cardiovascular effects of passive exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and early infancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational field study conducted in Crete. We compared 4- to 6-month olds of lifelong nonsmokers minimally (controls, n = 9) or frequently exposed to tobacco smoke (passive smokers; n = 10) with those born to habitual smokers (n = 6). Smoke exposure was verified biochemically (urine cotinine each trimester and at study). We recorded beat-to-beat blood pressure (BP) during brief repositioning manoeuvres performed during a daytime nap and analysed BPR (% change in BP during head-up tilt) for associations with maternal and infant cotinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a 20-fold difference between BPR of infants of controls versus passive smokers - exceptional given number of infants (α error/confidence level <10% i.e. power >90%). The BPR declined linearly as the infant's (but not mother's) cotinine level rose (p = 0.04), indicating abnormal BPR was caused mainly by postnatal smoke exposure. Infants of active smokers differed from those of passive smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiovascular effects of passive smoking by a newborn infant manifest early on and are exceptionally strong. They can be largely avoided by keeping the home smoke rigorously free.
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cohen
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Vardavas
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Patelarou
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kogevinas
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Katz-Salamon
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011247:Pregnancy; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine
keywords: Baroreflex; U-shaped curve; blood pressure; cotinine; passive smoking