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Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is associated with morbidity in children. Alterations in immune responses may explain this relationship, but have not been well-studied in children.
Our objective was to determine the association between SHS exposure and serum cytokine levels in healthy children.
METHODS: We recruited 1-6year old patients undergoing routine procedures. A parent interview assessed medical history and SHS exposure. Children with asthma were excluded. Blood was collected under anesthesia. We used Luminex Multiplex Assays to test for a panel of cytokines; cotinine was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Children were categorized as no, intermediate, or high exposure. A mixed-effects model was fit to determine differences in cytokines by exposure level.
RESULTS: Of the 40 children recruited, 65% (N=26) had SHS exposure; 16 intermediate, and 10 high. There were no differences by demographics. In bivariate analyses, children exposed to SHS had lower concentrations of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ than those with no exposure. In the mixed-effects model, children with any SHS exposure had significantly lower concentrations of IL-1β (0.554pg/mL vs. 0.249pg/mL) and IFN-γ (4.193pg/mL vs. 0.816pg/mL), and children with high exposure had significantly lower mean concentrations of IL-4 (8.141pg/mL vs. 0.135pg/mL) than children with no exposure.
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SHS exposure decreases expression of some pro-inflammatory cytokines in SHS exposed children, including IFN-γ. Further research to describe the acute and chronic effects of SHS on the immune systems of children is needed.
Authors: Wilson KM, Wesgate SC, Pier J, Weis E, Love T, Evans K, Chhibber A
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