Skip Navigation

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 1996 42(3):166-169; doi:10.1093/tropej/42.3.166
© 1996 by Oxford University Press
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (13)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by El-Nawawy, A.
Right arrow Articles by El-Sayed, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by El-Nawawy, A.
Right arrow Articles by El-Sayed, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

research-article

Effect of Passive Smoking on Frequency of Respiratory Illnesses and Serum Immunoglobulin-E (IgE) and Interleukin-4 (IL-4) Concentrations in Exposed Children

Ahmed El-Nawawy, MD, Ashraf T. Soliman, MD, Omar El-Azzouni, MD, Amer El-Sayed, MD, Soheir Demian, PhD and Mona El-Sayed, PhD

Departments of Pediatrics, Alexandria and Banha Universities, and High Institute of Medical Research, University of Alexandria Egypt

Correspondence: Ashraf T. Soliman, Department of Pediatrics, Royal Hospital, Seeb 2331, Muscat 111, Oman

We studied the relationship of serum immunoglobulin-E (Ig-E) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) concentrations, eosinophil counts, and frequency of respiratory illness with passive smoking in 70 randomly selected children of smoking parents. Fifty randomly selected age-matched children of non-smoking parents served as controls. Children of smoking parents had higher frequency of respiratory illnesses per year (P<0.01), significantly higher total leucocytic and eosinophil counts, higher percentage of eosinophils (P<0.01), and higher serum IgE and IL-4 concentrations (P<0.05) compared to the control group. Serum IgE level was correlated positively with the average number of smoked cigarettes/day, number of siblings, and total leucocytic count. Interleukin-4 concentrations were significantly correlated with the number of smoked cigarettes and IgE levels. Although IgE levels were higher in children of smoking parents (587±359 IU/ml) compared to controls (189±21 IU/ml), they did not differ significantly between children with and those without frequent respiratory illnesses (605±365 and 557±354 IU/ml, respectively). Interleukin-4 concentrations were significantly higher in children of smoking parents with frequent respiratory illness (1.8±0.5 pg/ml) v. those without frequent respiratory illnesses (1.3±0.45 pg/ml). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the overall positivity of the risk factors predisposing to respiratory diseases in the study children was 79 per cent, and the highest odds ratio was that for EL-4 (OR = 5.15). In conclusion, there is a significant increase in IL-4 and Ig-E concentrations, high eosinophil count and frequent respiratory symptoms in children of smoking parents. It remains that the current state of knowledge on health risks associated with passive smoking warrants that strong preventive action be promoted.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
S. Baldacci, E. Omenaas, and M.P. Oryszczyn
Allergy markers in respiratory epidemiology
Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2001; 17(4): 773 - 790.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M.-P. ORYSZCZYN, I. ANNESI-MAESANO, D. CHARPIN, E. PATY, J. MACCARIO, and F. KAUFFMANN
Relationships of Active and Passive Smoking to Total IgE in Adults of the Epidemiological Study of the Genetics and Environment of Asthma, Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness, and Atopy (EGEA)
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 2000; 161(4): 1241 - 1246.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.