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Environmental tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy has limited effect on infant birthweight and umbilical vein endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Hedengran, Katrine K. ; Andersen, Malene R. ; Szecsi, Pal B. ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Uldbjerg, Niels and Stender, Steen (2018) In Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 97(11). p.1309-1316
Abstract

Introduction: Women who smoke, deliver significantly smaller infants. These infants have reduced levels of the vasodilator endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels in the umbilical vessels, which may reduce fetal growth. Serum cotinine, the degradation product of nicotine, can be used to determine the level of tobacco exposure. Newborns of environmental smokers are suggested to be smaller and shorter in weight, length, and head circumference. eNOS levels have not yet been studied in these infants. We here investigated the existence of a relation between maternal environmental tobacco smoke exposure, eNOS activity, concentration, and birthweight. Material and methods: We included 263 healthy singleton pregnancies categorized into... (More)

Introduction: Women who smoke, deliver significantly smaller infants. These infants have reduced levels of the vasodilator endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels in the umbilical vessels, which may reduce fetal growth. Serum cotinine, the degradation product of nicotine, can be used to determine the level of tobacco exposure. Newborns of environmental smokers are suggested to be smaller and shorter in weight, length, and head circumference. eNOS levels have not yet been studied in these infants. We here investigated the existence of a relation between maternal environmental tobacco smoke exposure, eNOS activity, concentration, and birthweight. Material and methods: We included 263 healthy singleton pregnancies categorized into three groups according to measured cotinine levels: 175 nonsmokers, 38 smokers, and 50 environmental smokers. Cotinine was quantified by mass spectrometry with a detection limit of.2 ng/mL; eNOS activity and concentration were measured in endothelial cells (ECs) of the umbilical vein. Results: Infants born to environmental smokers had similar weights to infants born to nonsmokers (47 g heavier, P =.48). Cotinine concentrations were.06/.09/.12 ng/mL (quartiles) in infants born to nonsmokers,.27/.37/.81 ng/mL in infants born to women exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, and 43.0/63.8/108.1 ng/mL in infants born to smokers. The eNOS concentration was 1.65 ±.92 ng/106 ECs (mean ± SD) in nonsmokers and 1.71 ± 1.00 ng/106 ECs in environmental smokers. The eNOS activity was 52.0 ± 20.6 pmol l-citrulline/min/106 ECs in nonsmokers and 48.7 ± 19.8 pmol l-citrulline/min/106 ECs in environmental smokers. Conclusions: Infants born to environmental smokers, as judged by umbilical serum cotinine levels close to.2 ng/mL, are not associated with lower birthweight or reduced eNOS activity, or concentration in the fetal vascular bed.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
birthweight, cotinine, environmental tobacco smoke, newborn, nitric oxide synthase, pregnancy, smoking, tobacco
in
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
volume
97
issue
11
pages
1309 - 1316
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85052382981
  • pmid:29969842
ISSN
0001-6349
DOI
10.1111/aogs.13419
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4257ee90-bdeb-4e60-b429-4e4512d86da2
date added to LUP
2018-10-05 11:15:01
date last changed
2024-10-15 08:20:01
@article{4257ee90-bdeb-4e60-b429-4e4512d86da2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Women who smoke, deliver significantly smaller infants. These infants have reduced levels of the vasodilator endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels in the umbilical vessels, which may reduce fetal growth. Serum cotinine, the degradation product of nicotine, can be used to determine the level of tobacco exposure. Newborns of environmental smokers are suggested to be smaller and shorter in weight, length, and head circumference. eNOS levels have not yet been studied in these infants. We here investigated the existence of a relation between maternal environmental tobacco smoke exposure, eNOS activity, concentration, and birthweight. Material and methods: We included 263 healthy singleton pregnancies categorized into three groups according to measured cotinine levels: 175 nonsmokers, 38 smokers, and 50 environmental smokers. Cotinine was quantified by mass spectrometry with a detection limit of.2 ng/mL; eNOS activity and concentration were measured in endothelial cells (ECs) of the umbilical vein. Results: Infants born to environmental smokers had similar weights to infants born to nonsmokers (47 g heavier, P =.48). Cotinine concentrations were.06/.09/.12 ng/mL (quartiles) in infants born to nonsmokers,.27/.37/.81 ng/mL in infants born to women exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, and 43.0/63.8/108.1 ng/mL in infants born to smokers. The eNOS concentration was 1.65 ±.92 ng/10<sup>6</sup> ECs (mean ± SD) in nonsmokers and 1.71 ± 1.00 ng/10<sup>6</sup> ECs in environmental smokers. The eNOS activity was 52.0 ± 20.6 pmol l-citrulline/min/10<sup>6</sup> ECs in nonsmokers and 48.7 ± 19.8 pmol l-citrulline/min/10<sup>6</sup> ECs in environmental smokers. Conclusions: Infants born to environmental smokers, as judged by umbilical serum cotinine levels close to.2 ng/mL, are not associated with lower birthweight or reduced eNOS activity, or concentration in the fetal vascular bed.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hedengran, Katrine K. and Andersen, Malene R. and Szecsi, Pal B. and Lindh, Christian and Uldbjerg, Niels and Stender, Steen}},
  issn         = {{0001-6349}},
  keywords     = {{birthweight; cotinine; environmental tobacco smoke; newborn; nitric oxide synthase; pregnancy; smoking; tobacco}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1309--1316}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Environmental tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy has limited effect on infant birthweight and umbilical vein endothelial nitric oxide synthase}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aogs.13419}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/aogs.13419}},
  volume       = {{97}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}