Pediatrics
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Review Meta Analysis
Prenatal and passive smoke exposure and incidence of asthma and wheeze: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Exposure to passive smoke is a common and avoidable risk factor for wheeze and asthma in children. Substantial growth in the prospective cohort study evidence base provides an opportunity to generate new and more detailed estimates of the magnitude of the effect. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to provide estimates of the prospective effect of smoking by parents or household members on the risk of wheeze and asthma at different stages of childhood. ⋯ Building upon previous findings, exposure to passive smoking increases the incidence of wheeze and asthma in children and young people by at least 20%. Preventing parental smoking is crucially important to the prevention of asthma.