Yael Graif1, Larissa German, Anneke Ifrah, Irit Livne, Tamy Shohat. 1. Allergy and Immunology Clinic, Pulmonary Institute, Rabin Medical Center Petach Tikva, affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. graif@post.tau.ac.il
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are known risk factors for asthma, but their association with atopic eczema is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of smoking and exposure to ETS with prevalence of atopic eczema in a national sample of 13- to 14-year-olds in Israel. METHODS: Cross-sectional study within the framework of the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 10,298 schoolchildren. Atopic eczema as well as asthma and allergic rhinitis were significantly more prevalent in smokers than nonsmokers. Multiple regression analysis revealed a dose-response association between smoking and atopic eczema compared to not smoking: occasional smokers, odds ratio (OR) = 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.3); daily smokers, OR = 2.2 (95% CI = 1.4-3.6). Exposure to ETS at home was significantly associated with asthma (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.1-1.5) but not atopic eczema. CONCLUSIONS: The dose-response association between active smoking and atopic eczema in adolescents is a novel observation which deserves further consideration.
BACKGROUND:Tobacco smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are known risk factors for asthma, but their association with atopic eczema is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of smoking and exposure to ETS with prevalence of atopic eczema in a national sample of 13- to 14-year-olds in Israel. METHODS: Cross-sectional study within the framework of the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 10,298 schoolchildren. Atopic eczema as well as asthma and allergic rhinitis were significantly more prevalent in smokers than nonsmokers. Multiple regression analysis revealed a dose-response association between smoking and atopic eczema compared to not smoking: occasional smokers, odds ratio (OR) = 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.3); daily smokers, OR = 2.2 (95% CI = 1.4-3.6). Exposure to ETS at home was significantly associated with asthma (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.1-1.5) but not atopic eczema. CONCLUSIONS: The dose-response association between active smoking and atopic eczema in adolescents is a novel observation which deserves further consideration.