Analysis of Active and Passive Tobacco Exposures and Blood Pressure in US Children and Adolescents

Source:

Levy RV, Brathwaite KE, Sarathy H, Reidy K, Kaskel FJ, Melamed ML. Analysis of Active and Passive Tobacco Exposures and Blood Pressure in US Children and Adolescents. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(2):e2037936. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37936

Key Points

Question  Is exposure to tobacco associated with the presence of elevated blood pressure (defined as >90% for age, sex, and height percentiles) in US children and adolescents?

Findings  In this cross-sectional study of 8520 US children and adolescents aged 8 to 19 years, tobacco exposure was associated with statistically significant higher odds of having elevated blood pressure after adjustment for potential confounders.

Meaning  This study suggests that tobacco exposure is a modifiable risk factor associated with the presence of elevated blood pressure in US children and adolescents.