Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Mar;135(3):e678-86.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-2501. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

Hair nicotine levels in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Joseph M Collaco  1 , Angela D Aherrera  2 , Patrick N Breysse  3 , Jonathan P Winickoff  4 , Jonathan D Klein  5 , Sharon A McGrath-Morrow  6
Affiliations

Hair nicotine levels in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Joseph M Collaco et al. Pediatrics. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) may increase respiratory morbidities in young children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Rapid respiratory rates, close proximity to a smoking caregiver, and increased dermal absorption of tobacco smoke components can contribute to systemic exposure. In this study, hair nicotine levels were used as a biomarker of chronic TSE in young children with BPD to determine if hair nicotine levels correlate with caregiver self-report of TSE and respiratory morbidities.

Methods: From 2012 to 2014, hair nicotine levels were measured from consecutive children seen in a BPD outpatient clinic and compared with caregiver questionnaires on household smoking. The relationship between respiratory morbidities and self-reported TSE or hair nicotine level was assessed.

Results: The mean hair nicotine level from 117 children was 3.1 ± 13.2 ng/mg. Hair nicotine levels were significantly higher in children from smoking households by caregiver self-report compared with caregivers who reported no smoking (8.2 ± 19.7 ng/mg vs 1.8 ± 10.7; P < .001). In households that reported smoking, hair nicotine levels were higher in children with a primary caregiver who smoked compared with a primary caregiver who did not smoke. Among children with BPD who required respiratory support (n = 50), a significant association was found between higher log hair nicotine levels and increased hospitalizations and limitation of activity.

Conclusions: Chronic TSE is common in children with BPD, with hair nicotine levels being more likely to detect TSE than caregiver self-report. Hair nicotine levels were also a better predictor of hospitalization and activity limitation in children with BPD who required respiratory support at outpatient presentation.

Keywords: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; nicotine; prematurity; respiratory outcomes; secondhand smoke; tobacco smoke exposure.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Hair nicotine levels of 117 subjects with BPD divided into no TSE and TSE by caregiver self-report. The dashed reference line depicts a ROC cutoff of −0.221 log ng/mg.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Lower log hair nicotine levels were found in BPD children of caregivers who reported no smoking in the household compared with caregivers that reported 1, 2, or ≥ 3 smokers in the household. There was a positive association between the number of smokers residing in a household and higher log nicotine level by unadjusted linear regression (P < .001 for all 117 subjects and P = .002 for the 24 households reporting smokers in the home).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Hamilton BE, Hoyert DL, Martin JA, Strobino DM, Guyer B. Annual summary of vital statistics: 2010-2011. Pediatrics. 2013;131(3):548–558 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lemons JA, Bauer CR, Oh W, et al. NICHD Neonatal Research Network . Very low birth weight outcomes of the National Institute of Child health and human development neonatal research network, January 1995 through December 1996. Pediatrics. 2001;107(1). Available at: www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/107/1/e1 - PubMed
    1. Ehrenkranz RA, Walsh MC, Vohr BR, et al. National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network . Validation of the National Institutes of Health consensus definition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatrics. 2005;116(6):1353–1360 - PubMed
    1. Ambalavanan N, Walsh M, Bobashev G, et al. NICHD Neonatal Research Network . Intercenter differences in bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death among very low birth weight infants. Pediatrics. 2011;127(1). Available at: www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/127/1/e106 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Greenough A. Long-term pulmonary outcome in the preterm infant. Neonatology. 2008;93(4):324–327 - PubMed

Publication types