Effect of passive smoking on lung function and respiratory infection

Objective To study the effect of environmental tobacco smoke to children’s health and more specifically to the development of respiratory tract infections and also its influence to their respiratory function. Methods We studied 586 children from the district of west Thrace in Greece aged 5–14 years, randomly selected from 20 primary and 10 secondary schools in regards their exposure to tobacco smoke, and its possible relation with respiratory tract infections. We assessed respiratory function by spirometry. Epidemiological data were also analysed. Results Children who were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke had higher risk for upper and lower respiratory tract infections in comparison to children who lived in a smoke free environment (3 fold and 2 fold, respectively. Their lung function was also reduced with decreased values of FEV1, FEF50, PFR (values p