Secondhand smoke decreases sensitivity to cough-eliciting respiratory irritants and may explain why children of smokers are sicker, U.S. researchers say. Julie Mennella and Paul Wise, both of the Monell Center in Philadelphia, said 60 percent of U.S. children ages 3-11 years and 18 million youth ages 12-19 years were exposed to tobacco smoke on a regular basis. \"Cough protects our lungs from potentially damaging environmental threats, such as chemicals and dust. Living with a parent who smokes weakens this reflex, one of the most vital of the human body,\" Mennella and Wise said in a statement. The study involved 38 healthy children ages 10-17 who inhaled increasing concentrations of capsaicin -- the burning ingredient in chili peppers and a potent chemical stimulus for cough -- from a nebulizer. Seventeen of the youth were regularly exposed to smoke in the home, while 21 were never exposed to smoke at home. The study, published in Tobacco and Nicotine Research, found youth regularly exposed to secondhand smoke required twice as much capsaicin to trigger cough as did non-exposed children -- meaning the exposed children were less sensitive to the irritating environmental stimulus. A similar finding was true for the parents, the study said. The findings help explain why children of smokers are more likely to develop pneumonia, bronchitis and other diseases and more likely to experiment with smoking during adolescence, the researchers said.
GMT 14:01 2018 Thursday ,30 August
Expat with rare heart disorder gets life-saving surgeryGMT 00:18 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Boy with 10-pound tumour on face diesGMT 21:23 2018 Monday ,22 January
All set for first global medical tourism conference in DubaiGMT 22:46 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Second face transplant for FrenchmanGMT 07:51 2018 Saturday ,20 January
Trio aquitted of negligence in Canada railway disasterGMT 10:57 2018 Thursday ,18 January
Breastfeeding for 6 months cuts diabetes risk in half: studyGMT 16:10 2018 Wednesday ,17 January
Child mummy in Italy had hepatitis, not smallpoxGMT 18:36 2018 Tuesday ,16 January
Greece strikes cause transport chaos, healthcare delays

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor