title: The effects of passive smoking on the six-minute walk test in obese pediatric cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether exposure to second-hand smoke affected the six-minute walk test (6 MWT) of obese non-asthmatic pediatric cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Obese pediatric patients (body mass index >95th p) with no existing co-morbidities were included in the study. Smoke exposure was assessed with a self-reported questionnaire completed by the parents. The subjects were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisting of obese children exposed to passive smoking and Group 2 of obese children not exposed to passive smoking. In addition to 6 MWT, spirometric flow and volume, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s and peak expiratory flow rate, were also measured in all subjects. The results of the 6 MWT were assessed to determine any association with passive smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 75 obese pediatric cases (40 male, 35 female) with a mean age of 9.06 ± 0.97 years. The 6 MWT results in Group 1 was 501.88 ± 62.12 meters and in Group 2 559.63 ± 72.93 meters. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Passive smoking may negatively affect the respiratory and cardiovascular capacity in obese children, who are already at risk of lower cardiopulmonary function. The evaluation of 6 MWT in these pediatric patients may be useful for monitoring and families should be warned about potential problems due to smoking.
authors.affiliation: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Çanakkale, Turkey. E-ma-il: sule.yildirim@comu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaymaz
authors.forename: Şule
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aylanç
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Battal
authors.forename: Naci
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topaloğlu
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Binnetoğlu
authors.forename: Ayla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbal
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution