title: Passive smoke exposure in chronic rhinosinusitis as assessed by hair nicotine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence of passive smoke exposure is relatively unknown in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Previous studies have attempted to establish this relationship using subjective, questionnaire-based methodologies to assess smoke exposure, thus introducing the potential for error bias. The purpose of this study was to accurately determine the prevalence of passive smoke exposure in CRS and control patients using hair nicotine levels as a quantitative measure of cigarette smoke exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair samples were obtained at time of surgery from 569 patients: 404 undergoing surgery for CRS and 165 controls undergoing surgery for repair of cerebrospinal fluid leak, removal of pituitary tumors, or adenoidectomy from 2007 to 2013. Patient charts were reviewed for reported smoking status. Hair nicotine was quantified using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Nonsmoking patients were classified as passive smoke exposed or smoke naïve according to the hair nicotine results. Statistical analysis was performed to test for differences in demographic information and smoke exposure prevalence between CRS, CRS subtypes, and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of passive smoke exposure in CRS as documented by hair nicotine was lower than previously reported subjective estimates. Passive smoke exposure rates were equivalent between those with CRS versus controls and significantly higher in children. Severity of passive smoke exposure was also equivalent between CRS subsets and controls. Annual passive smoke exposure prevalence did not change over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no clear evidence of avoidance of passive smoke exposure in the CRS population compared with controls. Passive smoke exposure also remained stable over time despite recent regional implementation of smoking bans. Given the constancy of exposure, it is critical that the impact of passive smoke on CRS exacerbation, outcomes, and pathophysiology be evaluated in large-scale clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wentzel
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Mulligan
authors.forename: Zachary M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Rodney J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schlosser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis*; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine