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Respiratory symptoms/diseases and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in never smoker Italian women

2006; Elsevier BV; Volume: 101; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.rmed.2006.06.021

1532-3064

Marzia Simoni, Sandra Baldacci, Roberto Puntoni, Francesco Pistelli, Sara Farchi, Elena Lo Presti, Francesco Pistelli, Giuseppe Maria Corbo, Nera Agabiti, Salvatore Basso, Gabriella Matteelli, Francesco Di Pede, Laura Carrozzi, Francesco Forastiere, Giovanni Viegi,

Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure

AimTo study the relationship between respiratory/allergic disorders and chronic environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure to husband or at workplace among non-smoking women of a general population in Italy.MethodsAnalyses regard 2195 married or employed women. Information was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. ETS exposure was validated by salivary cotinine.ResultsExposure both to husband and at work resulted a significant risk factor for current dyspnoea (odds ratio (OR) 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–2.16), any shortness of breath at rest (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.83–4.30), recent wheeze (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.04–2.82), recent attacks of shortness of breath with wheeze (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.05–3.26), asthma diagnosis/symptoms (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09–2.08), diagnosis of asthma or bronchitis/emphysema (obstructive lung diseases (OLD)) (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.40–3.58), current cough/phlegm (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.07–2.15), and rhino-conjunctivitis (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.13–1.94). Exposure only at work yielded higher adjusted odds ratios for all health conditions, except for rhino-conjunctivitis. Overall, about 24% of shortness of breath at rest, 16% of dyspnoea, 17% of rhino-conjunctivitis, 12% of OLD, and 10% of asthma diagnosis/symptoms are attributable to the effect of exposures to both husband and at work. Twelve percent of shortness of breath at rest and 10% of rhino-conjunctivitis cases might be avoided by eliminating exposure only at work and only to husband, respectively.ConclusionsLifetime ETS exposure, especially at work, is associated with respiratory symptoms/diseases, and it accounts for a sizeable proportion of such disorders. The combined effect of both exposures is higher than the separate effects.