Fetal and Childhood Exposure to Parental Tobacco Smoking and Arterial Health at Age 10 Years. (26th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monasso, Giulietta S; Felix, Janine F; Gaillard, Romy; Jaddoe, Vincent W V
• Is Part Of: American journal of hypertension. Volume 35:Number 10(2022)
• Page Start: 867
• Page End: 874
• Publication Date: 2022-07-26
• Subjects: blood pressure -- child -- cardiovascular disease -- distensibility -- epidemiology -- hypertension -- intima-media thickness -- smoking; Hypertension -- Periodicals; 616.132005
• DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hpac084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-7061

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Exposure to parental tobacco smoking during fetal life and childhood is associated with adverse cardiovascular health outcomes. It is not known whether these adverse parental lifestyle exposures are also associated with changes in the structure and function of the carotid arteries in children aged 10 years. METHODS: In a population-based prospective cohort study among 4, 639 healthy children, we examined the associations of fetal exposure to maternal (no, first trimester only, continued), paternal (no, yes), and combined parental tobacco smoking (nonsmoking parents, mother only, father only, both parents smoked) with carotid intima-media thickness and distensibility at 10 years. We also assessed the associations of exposure to any parental tobacco smoking at ages 6 and 10 years with these outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with no exposure, fetal exposure to continued maternal smoking was not associated with carotid intima-media thickness (−0.04 standard deviation score (SDS); 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.13, 0.05); and distensibility (0 SDS, 95% CI: −0.09, 0.09) at age 10 years. Fetal exposure to two smoking parents was also not associated with carotid intima-media thickness (−0.07 SDS, 95% CI: −0.16, 0.02) and distensibility (0 SDS, 95% CI: −0.09, 0.10) at this age. Exposure to any parental smoking during childhood also was not associated with these outcomes at age 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to parental tobacco smoking during fetal life and childhood was not associated with markers of arterial health in children aged 10 years. Prevention strategies aiming at minimizing smoke exposure later in life are still relevant regarding arterial health.