Secondhand smoke affects toddlers' cardiovascular health

AORN Journal, June, 2008

Secondhand smoke may not only affect young children s respiratory systems, it may affect their cardiovascular systems as welt, according to a March 13, 2008, news release from the American Heart Association. Research indicates that secondhand smoke induces markers for heart disease in a child as early as the toddler years.

Researchers studied 128 children ages two to five years and adolescents ages nine to 14 years. Hair sample analysis of nicotine levels revealed that children in the younger age group absorbed six times more nicotine than those in the adolescent age group.

Intracellular adhesion molecules (ICAM) are specific inflammatory markers of endothelial cell stress, which contributes to artery clogging and atherosclerosis and raises the risk of heart disease. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) replenish the epithelium and serve as a biological marker for vascular function. Blood analysis results revealed an inverted relationship between the number of smokers in the home and EPC levels in children of toddler age. The more a toddler was exposed to tobacco smoke, the fewer EPC cells were found circulating in the bloodstream. Based on the increase in soluble ICAM in the exposed children, researchers speculate that cigarette combustion causes the endothelial damage.

Overall findings indicate that cardiovascular effects of tobacco exposure in children are very similar to the effects found in adults. Until further studies can be done to determine tong-term effects, researchers advise that parents and others do not smoke in homes with children.

Toddlers affected most by secondhand smoke exposure at home [news release]. Colorado Springs, CO. American Heart Association; March 13, 2008. http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=365. Accessed March 13, 2008.