Disease burdens from environmental tobacco smoke in Korean adults

In this study, we estimated the disease burdens attributable to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in Korean adults in 2010 and analyzed the trend of that from 2005 to 2010. We obtained information on the study population from the 2010 Cause of Death Statistic and estimated the ETS-attributable fraction using data from the Korean Community Health Survey and the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The numbers of ETS-attributable deaths in female and male non-smokers were estimated to be 4.1 and 69.6?% of the numbers of deaths attributable to current smoke, respectively. The deaths attributable to ETS were larger in female than in male non-smokers (710 vs. 420). The ETS-attributable deaths increased slightly in 2005–2008 but decreased in 2009–2010. The number of potential years of life lost from ETS was 9077.24?years in 2010. If there were no exposure to ETS in adult non-smokers, we would expect to see 1130 fewer deaths (9.9?% of the deaths from current smoke). The results suggest that ETS poses considerable disease burdens for non-smokers, especially women, in Korea.     

Anxiety sensitivity as a mediator of the association between asthma and smoking

Objective: Despite its negative effects, smoking is more common among individuals with asthma compared to those without. Anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) is associated with both smoking and asthma; however, no research, to date, has examined the interplay between these three factors. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity in the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status. Methods: The current study was a secondary analysis of data from three existing datasets of non-smokers and smokers with and without asthma (n?=?433; 56.3% female, M_age?=?34.01 years, SD?=?13.9). Participants provided information on their asthma diagnosis status and smoking status and completed self-report measures. Results: As hypothesized, after controlling for gender, race and age, there was a significant indirect effect of asthma diagnosis on smoking status through anxiety sensitivity (95% CI?=?0.07–0.48). Conclusions: These results indicate that the association between asthma diagnosis and smoking status appears to be driven, in part, by anxiety sensitivity and suggest that anxiety sensitivity may serve as an important target for prevention and intervention efforts for smokers with asthma.     

Tobacco smoking: a major risk factor for loss of teeth in three 70-year-old cohorts

Oral health was examined in a random sample of 1377 people in three 70-year-old cohorts studied within 5-yr intervals. During the studied period 1971-1983 the prevalence of toothlessness decreased from 52 to 34%. Toothlessness in men was more common in smokers, 48%, and ex-smokers, 32%, than in non-smokers, 20%. Eichner's index was used as a measurement of dental invalidity. This index showed a worse dental state among smokers and ex-smokers compared to non-smokers. Multivariate analyses indicated that tobacco smoking was a major independent risk factor for tooth loss in elderly men.     

Soluble CD14 at 2 yr of age: Gender-related effects of tobacco smoke exposure, recurrent infections and atopic diseases

The endotoxin receptor soluble CD14 (sCD14) has been implicated in the 'hygiene hypothesis' suggesting reduced allergic sensitization with bacterial stimulation. However, the relationship between early life sCD14 and allergic diseases is conflicting. We aimed to investigate whether possible risk factors for allergic diseases were associated with sCD14 levels at 2 yr of age. In the nested case-control study of the birth cohort studies 'Environment and Childhood Asthma study in Oslo' 411 children selected with recurrent bronchial obstruction (rBO) (n=241) and no bronchial obstruction (n=170) by 2 yr were investigated with skin prick test and structured parental interview at age 2 yr. Exposure to tobacco smoke, pets and infections was recorded semi-annually by questionnaires (0-2 yr). The sCD14 was analysed from frozen, stored serum by ELISA technique. Regression analyses were performed in all subjects with complete data (n=406, 180 girls), and in girls and in boys separately. Mean sCD14 (ng/ml) was significantly higher among girls 2035 (1973-2096) vs. 1947 (1890-2004) (boys). The sCD14 was significantly reduced among girls exposed to antenatal maternal smoking and with parental asthma, after adjusting for age, parental rhino-conjunctivitis, pet keeping and childhood infections. Recurrent otitis media (OM) increased and common colds significantly decreased sCD14 levels in girls. Boys with atopic dermatitis and rBO had reduced sCD14. Pet exposure was not significantly associated with sCD14. We report novel gender-related effects of sCD14 in early life and suggest that gender, tobacco smoke exposure, age and middle ear disease in particular should be accounted for when assessing the role of sCD14 in childhood allergic diseases.     

烟叶硒蛋白对人红细胞的辐射溶血及自由基的作用

本文观察了烟叶硒蛋白对人红细胞６０Ｃｏγ照射溶血的影响，发现硒蛋白对红细胞γ照射溶血有极好的预防效果，同时采用电子自旋共振法（ＥＳＲ）发现硒蛋白对羟自由基有明显的清除作用，并具有明显的剂量－效应关系，在相同浓度下具有优于亚硒酸钠及不含硒的同类蛋白的作用，提示硒蛋白有更好的生物效应。     

The child with recurrent respiratory infections: normal or not?

Respiratory infections (RI) are one of the major complaints in children and adolescents, and represent a demanding challenge for the pediatrician. It has been estimated that at least 6% of Italian children younger than 6 yr of age present recurrent respiratory infections (RRI). Children with RRI are not affected by severe alterations of the immune system. RRI represent essentially the consequence of an increased exposure to infectious agents during the first years of life, when immune functions are still largely immature. Several social and environmental factors, such as day-care attendance, family size, air pollution, parental smoking, and home dampness, represent important risk factors for airway diseases and may contribute in various degrees to determine the incidence of RRI. The main problem for the pediatrician is to discriminate normal children with high RI frequency related to an augmented exposure to environmental risk factors from children affected by other underlying pathological conditions (immunological or not), predisposing to infectious diseases. When RRI diagnosis has been formulated, removal of environmental risk factors (i.e. precocious day-care attendance, smoking in the household) must first be suggested.