The time window of pet ownership exposure modifies the relationship of Environmental Tobacco Smoke with lung function: A large population-based cohort study

Li-Wen Hu; Shu Yu; Tia Marks; Yun-Ting Zhang; Caroline C Lodge; Shyamali C Dharmage; Namratha Gurram; Michael S Bloom; Shao Lin; Mohammed Zeeshan; Hong-Yao Yu; Yang Zhou; Ru-Qing Liu; Bo-Yi Yang; Xiao-Wen Zeng; Qiang Hu; Guang-Hui Dong

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.109197

The time window of pet ownership exposure modifies the relationship of Environmental Tobacco Smoke with lung function: A large population-based cohort study

Environ Res. 2020 Apr:183:109197. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109197. Epub 2020 Jan 30.

Authors

Li-Wen Hu¹, Shu Yu¹, Tia Marks², Yun-Ting Zhang¹, Caroline C Lodge³, Shyamali C Dharmage³, Namratha Gurram², Michael S Bloom⁴, Shao Lin⁵, Mohammed Zeeshan¹, Hong-Yao Yu¹, Yang Zhou¹, Ru-Qing Liu¹, Bo-Yi Yang¹, Xiao-Wen Zeng¹, Qiang Hu⁶, Guang-Hui Dong⁷

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China; Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
³ Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3052, Australia.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China; Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA; Departments of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
⁵ Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA; Departments of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
⁶ Department of Pediatric Surgery, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, 261041, China. Electronic address: DHQ7936@163.com.
⁷ Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China. Electronic address: donggh5@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

PMID: 32058142
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109197

Abstract

There is a large body of evidence linking Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) exposure with impaired lung function. However, it is not known whether exposure to pets modifies this relationship. To investigate if pet ownership changes the association between ETS exposure and lung function, a population-based sample of 7326 children, 7-14 years old, were randomly recruited from 24 districts in northeast China. Lung function including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) was measured by spirometry, while pet ownership time periods and ETS exposure were collected by questionnaire. Two-level regression analysis was done, with covariates controlled for. The results showed pet exposure in certain early lifetime windows modified the associations of ETS exposure on decreased lung function in children. Among children exposed to current ETS, those exposed to pets in utero had greater reductions in lung function (for instance: OR for reduced FVC (<85% predicted) = 10.86; 95% CI: 3.80-30.97) than those not exposed to pets in utero (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.76-3.05) (p_interaction = 0.005). While, children exposed to current pet ownership reduced the lung function impairment induced by ETS exposure during the first 2 years of life and/or ETS exposure during pregnancy, especially for FVC impairment. For instance, OR (95%CI) for reduced FVC (<85% predicted) was 0.81 (0.56, 1.18) and 1.42 (1.15, 1.74), respectively, for children with or without current pet ownership exposed to ETS during the first 2 years of life (p_interaction = 0.010). Furthermore, pet type or number of pets did not significantly modify associations between ETS exposure and lung function. In conclusion, the timing of pet ownership modified associations between ETS exposure and lung function, pet ownership in utero and during the first 2 years of life significantly worsened the adverse impacts of passive smoking on lung function.

Keywords: Children; Environmental tobacco smoke; Interaction; Lung function; Pet ownership.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Animals
Child
China
Cohort Studies
Environmental Exposure*
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Lung* / physiopathology
Ownership
Pets*
Pregnancy
Tobacco Smoke Pollution*

Substances

Tobacco Smoke Pollution