HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hylkema, M. N. Articles by Blacquière, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hylkema, M. N. Articles by Blacquière, M. J.

Intrauterine Effects of Maternal Smoking on Sensitization, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

¹ Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Machteld Hylkema, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. E-mail: m.n.hylkema{at}path.umcg.nl

ABSTRACT

One third of women continue to smoke during early pregnancy, although evidence for detrimental effects of in utero smoke exposure on fetal growth and development are rising. A number of epidemiologic studies have shown that prenatal exposure to environmental smoke is an independent risk factor for poor lung function, wheezing, and the development of (possibly nonatopic) asthma. Epidemiologic data on the effect on development of allergic sensitization are inconclusive, since in most studies no clear separation is made between pre- and postnatal exposure. However, studies that included prenatal smoke exposure showed no effect on sensitization. Aberrant development of the fetal lung structure, as shown in experimental models, may underlie the increased risk for poor lung function and asthma development. Recently, we showed that maternal smoking during pregnancy decreased expression of genes that are involved in lung development in lungs of neonatal mice. In addition, maternal smoking during pregnancy increased airway remodeling in adult mice offspring. Future experimental studies may reveal whether lung developmental changes may additionally underlie susceptibility to the apparent adult-onset disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Key Words: cigarette smoke • pregnancy • obstructive lung diseases

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Tibboel and A. H. Jobe Update in Pediatric Lung Disease 2009 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 2010; 181(7): 661 - 665. [Full Text] [PDF]