Examining the Relationship between Parental Smoking and Asthma Severity in Children with Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

Objectives: To determine frequency of parental smoking in children with asthma and its association with asthma severity in children.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Pediatrics department of Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan from October-2024 to April-2025. A total of 120 children, male and female, diagnosed with childhood asthma through
standard procedure and of any severity based on NAEPP Asthma Severity Classification were included. After that a detailed parental history was taken to determine the smoking status in either of the parent.
Results: A total of 120 children were included with a median age of 8 years. There were 81 (67.50%) male and 39 (32.50%) female patients. Median duration of asthma was 8 months. Positive parental smoking history was observed in 66 (55%) children with asthma. Among
children with positive parental smoking history (n = 66), 3 (4.54%) had intermittent, 13 (19.70%) had mild persistent, 29 (43.94%) had moderate persistent and 21 (31.82%) had severe persistent asthma while in children with negative parental smoking history (n = 54), 12 (22.22%)
had intermittent, 31 (57.41%) had mild persistent, 5 (9.26%) had moderate persistent and 6 (11.11%) had severe persistent asthma, (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Frequency of parental smoking in children with asthma was 55% and it was found to be strongly associated with the severity of childhood asthma.
Keywords: Asthma, Bronchial, Parental, Smoking.