RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Relation Between Passive Tobacco Smoke Exposure And The Development Of Bacterial Meningitis In Children
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 95
OP 98
DO 10.3122/jabfm.8.2.95
VO 8
IS 2
A1 Raymond C. Bredfeldt
A1 Stephen R. Cain
A1 Gordon E. Schutze
A1 Talmage M. Holmes
A1 Linda A. McGhee
YR 1995
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/8/2/95.abstract
AB Background: The adverse effects of passive smoking have received wide attention in recent years. Although a number of childhood illnesses are known to be affected by exposure to tobacco smoke, to date the medical literature is silent about the effect of tobacco smoke on the development of bacterial meningitis in children. The purpose of this study was to learn whether any such association exists. Methods: Parents of 93 children admitted for bacterial meningitis were surveyed to ascertain which of the children were exposed to passive tobacco smoke. A similar survey was conducted of an age- and sex-matched control group. Results: Children admitted for bacterial meningitis were significantly more likely to have been exposed to tobacco smoke than was a control group of children admitted for abdominal surgery. (P=0.017; odds ratio 2.63, 95 percent confidence interval 1.15, 4.87). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that bacterial meningitis in children should be added to the growing list of illnesses associated with passive exposure to cigarette smoke.