ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze environmental tobacco smoking exposure in female nonsmokers by public transportation mode using representative data of Koreans. METHODS: Data from the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014) were analyzed. Urine cotinine was analyzed by public transport behavior, secondhand smoke exposure, socioeconomic factors, and health-related factors. Participants were 1322 adult females; those with the top 75% urine cotinine concentrations were assigned to the high exposure group. A logistic regression analysis was performed considering appropriate weights and stratification according to the sample design of the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey. RESULTS: The geometric mean of urine cotinine concentrations differed according to public transportation modes: subway (1.66 μg/g creatinine) bus (1.77 μg/g creatinine), and taxi (1.94 μg/g creatinine). The odds ratio [OR] was calculated for the high exposure group. The OR of the taxi (2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–5.69) was statistically significantly higher than the subway value (reference), and marginally significant after adjusted with life style, sociodemographic factors and involuntary smoking frequency (2.42, 95% confidence interval, 0.97–6.04). CONCLUSIONS: The odds ratio of passengers who mainly used taxis was marginally significantly higher than those of passengers who used subways and buses after adjusted with life style and sociodemographic factors. Implementation of supplementary measures and further studies on exposure to environmental tobacco smoking in taxis are warranted.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Cotinine , Environmental Health , Life Style , Logistic Models , Motor Vehicles , Odds Ratio , Railroads , Smoking , Socioeconomic Factors , Tobacco Smoke Pollution , Nicotiana , Transportation , Weights and MeasuresABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in the airways of asthmatic patients. Asthmatic children are commonly exposed to parental smoking. We investigated the effect of environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) on VEGF levels in induced sputum of asthmatic children. METHODS: Sixty-nine asthmatic children were enrolled, who were hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of Korea University Hospital for acute asthma exacerbation. We interviewed their parents to assess ETS history with a questionnaire. We measured VEGF levels in induced sputum from asthmatic children by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and we also measured the concentrations of sputum ECP by radioimmunoassay. We compared sputum levels of VEGF and ECP between an ETS group and a non-ETS group. RESULTS: Of the 69 cases, 45 were in the non-ETS group and 24 were in the ETS group. The ETS group showed higher sputum VEGF levels than did the non-ETS group (P=0.001). Serum IgE levels were not related to the sputum levels of VEGF in the ETS group, and there was no association between serum levels of ECP and sputum levels of VEGF. CONCLUSION: When asthmatic children were exposed to family smoking, higher levels of VEGF were measured in their sputum. It seems that environmental smoking aggravates allergic airway inflammation. We suggest that parents of asthmatic children should make all efforts to stop smoking.