Table 2.10, Longitudinal studies on the association of smoking with cough, bronchitis symptoms, shortness of breath, wheeze, and asthma in cohorts followed since childhood - Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Study	Population	Period of study	Findings	Definitions/comments
Strachan et al. 1996; Butland and Strachan 2007	18,550 people born March 3–9, 1958, in England, Scotland, or Wales 5,801 contributed information at 7, 11, 16, 23, and 33 years of age	1958–1991	Active cigarette smoking was associated with incidence of asthma or wheezing illness from 17 to 33 years of age (OR = 4.42; 95% CI, 3.31–5.92) Relapse after prolonged remission of childhood wheezing was more common among current smokers At 42–45 years of age, the proportions of incident asthma and incident wheeze without asthma associated with cigarette smoking were estimated to be 13% (95% CI, 0–26) and 34% (95% CI, 27–40)	Attrition bias was evaluated using information on 14,571 subjects
Bodner et al. 1998	Study of subjects aged 39–45 years derived from an Aberdeen cohort of 2,056 asymptomatic children originally studied in 1964 117 cases with adult-onset wheeze 277 controls	1964–1995	Current smoking was associated with increased risk of adult-onset wheeze (RR = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.08–3.74)	Case-control study nested in longitudinal follow-up study
Withers et al. 1998	2,289 children Baseline: 6–8 years of age Follow-up: 14–16 years of age Southampton, United Kingdom	Baseline: 1978–1980 Follow-up: 1987–1995	Regular smoking of at least 1 cigarette/week during past 12 months was associated with: – Current cough (OR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.21–2.43) – Onset of cough between surveys (OR = 4.35; 95% CI, 1.12–3.35) – Persistent wheeze in boys (OR = 4.35; 95% CI = 1.20–3.25) – New report of wheezing (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.14–2.39) Regular smoking was not associated with physician-diagnosed asthma	Dose-response relationships observed
Sears et al. 2003	1,037 children Birth cohort followed repeatedly from 9–26 years of age New Zealand	Baseline: 1972–1973	Smoking at 21 years of age predicted persistence of wheeze from the study onset (adjusted OR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.13–3.00). Relapse of wheezing at 26 years of age after being wheeze free was significantly associated with smoking at 21 years of age in a univariate model (OR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.11–3.04), but multivariate model controlling for bronchial hyperresponsiveness was not significant for relapse	Case-control study nested in longitudinal follow-up study
Genuneit et al. 2006; Vogelberg et al. 2007	2,936 children Dresden and Munich, Germany	Baseline: 1995–1996 Follow-up: 2002–2003	For those with no respiratory symptoms at baseline, current smoking predicted development of wheeze at follow-up (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6–4.9 for girls; OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9–3.9 for boys)
Gilliland et al. 2006	2,609 children with no lifetime history of asthma or wheezing Baseline: 4th to 7th grades California	1993–2003	Smoking 300 or more cigarettes/year was associated with increased risk of new-onset asthma (RR = 3.9; 95% CI, 1.7–8.5)
Goksör et al. 2006	89 of 101 children hospitalized before the age of 2 years with wheezing Follow-up until 17–20 years of age	Baseline: 1984–1985	Active smoking was associated with increased odds of current asthma (OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2–8.4)
Tollefsen et al. 2007	2,300 adolescents Baseline: 13–15 years of age Follow-up: 17–19 years of age	Baseline: 1995–1997 Follow-up: 2000–2001	For those with no respiratory symptoms at baseline, current smoking predicted development of wheeze at follow-up, which was significant for girls (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6–4.9 for girls; OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9–3.9 for boys)

Study

Population

Period of study

Findings

Definitions/comments

Strachan et al. 1996; Butland and Strachan 2007

18,550 people born March 3–9, 1958, in England, Scotland, or Wales 5,801 contributed information at 7, 11, 16, 23, and 33 years of age

1958–1991

Active cigarette smoking was associated with incidence of asthma or wheezing illness from 17 to 33 years of age (OR = 4.42; 95% CI, 3.31–5.92)
Relapse after prolonged remission of childhood wheezing was more common among current smokers
At 42–45 years of age, the proportions of incident asthma and incident wheeze without asthma associated with cigarette smoking were estimated to be 13% (95% CI, 0–26) and 34% (95% CI, 27–40)

Attrition bias was evaluated using information on 14,571 subjects

Bodner et al. 1998

Study of subjects aged 39–45 years derived from an Aberdeen cohort of 2,056 asymptomatic children originally studied in 1964 117 cases with adult-onset wheeze 277 controls

1964–1995

Current smoking was associated with increased risk of adult-onset wheeze (RR = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.08–3.74)

Case-control study nested in longitudinal follow-up study

Withers et al. 1998

2,289 children
Baseline: 6–8 years of age
Follow-up: 14–16 years of age
Southampton, United Kingdom

Baseline: 1978–1980
Follow-up: 1987–1995

Regular smoking of at least 1 cigarette/week during past 12 months was associated with:
–
Current cough (OR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.21–2.43)
–
Onset of cough between surveys (OR = 4.35; 95% CI, 1.12–3.35)
–
Persistent wheeze in boys (OR = 4.35; 95% CI = 1.20–3.25)
–
New report of wheezing (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.14–2.39)
Regular smoking was not associated with physician-diagnosed asthma

Dose-response relationships observed

Sears et al. 2003

1,037 children
Birth cohort followed repeatedly from 9–26 years of age
New Zealand

Baseline: 1972–1973

Smoking at 21 years of age predicted persistence of wheeze from the study onset (adjusted OR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.13–3.00).
Relapse of wheezing at 26 years of age after being wheeze free was significantly associated with smoking at 21 years of age in a univariate model (OR = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.11–3.04), but multivariate model controlling for bronchial hyperresponsiveness was not significant for relapse

Case-control study nested in longitudinal follow-up study

Genuneit et al. 2006; Vogelberg et al. 2007

2,936 children
Dresden and Munich, Germany

Baseline: 1995–1996
Follow-up: 2002–2003

For those with no respiratory symptoms at baseline, current smoking predicted development of wheeze at follow-up (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6–4.9 for girls; OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9–3.9 for boys)

Gilliland et al. 2006

2,609 children with no lifetime history of asthma or wheezing
Baseline: 4th to 7th grades California

1993–2003

Smoking 300 or more cigarettes/year was associated with increased risk of new-onset asthma (RR = 3.9; 95% CI, 1.7–8.5)

Goksör et al. 2006

89 of 101 children hospitalized before the age of 2 years with wheezing
Follow-up until 17–20 years of age

Baseline: 1984–1985

Active smoking was associated with increased odds of current asthma (OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2–8.4)

Tollefsen et al. 2007

2,300 adolescents
Baseline: 13–15 years of age
Follow-up: 17–19 years of age

Baseline: 1995–1997
Follow-up: 2000–2001

For those with no respiratory symptoms at baseline, current smoking predicted development of wheeze at follow-up, which was significant for girls (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6–4.9 for girls; OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9–3.9 for boys)

From: 2, The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use Among Young People

Cover of Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (US) Office on Smoking and Health.

Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US); 2012.

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Table 2.10Longitudinal studies on the association of smoking with cough, bronchitis symptoms, shortness of breath, wheeze, and asthma in cohorts followed since childhood