ABSTRACT

Purpose

In utero exposure to cigarette smoke has been suggested to result in thinner retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). However, the potential cofounding effects of in utero alcohol exposure and passive smoking during childhood had not been considered. We explored RNFL thickness in young adults in relation to these early life factors.

Methods

In 1989–1991, pregnant women completed questionnaires on their current smoking and alcohol drinking patterns. Following the birth of their offspring, information on household smokers was obtained between the 1- and 13-year follow-ups. At the 20-year follow-up, these offspring underwent an eye examination including optical coherence tomography imaging of the RNFL.

Results

Participants (n = 1,287) were 19–22 years old at time of eye examination. Most participants (77%) had no in utero exposure to cigarette smoke; 1.3% were initially exposed but not after 18 weeks’ gestation, while 21% had continual in utero smoking exposure. Half of the mothers never consumed alcohol or only consumed alcohol once during their pregnancies. After correcting for potential confounders, including in utero alcohel exposure and childhood passive smoking, participants who had continued in utero exposure to >10 cigarettes/day and ≤10 cigarettes/day had thinner RNFLs by 6.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.4–8.7) and 3.7 µm (95%[CI] = 2.3–5.5), respectively, than those with no exposure (p < .001). In utero alcohol exposure and childhood passive smoking were not significantly associated with RNFL thickness after accounting for in utero exposure to smoking.

Conclusions

In utero exposure to cigarette smoke is associated with thinner RFNL in young adulthood, independent of other early life environmental factors.

中文翻译：

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宫内暴露于吸烟和酒精，以及儿童期被动吸烟：对青年期视网膜神经纤维层的影响

摘要

目的

有人建议在子宫内暴露于香烟烟雾会导致视网膜神经纤维层 (RNFL) 变薄。然而，尚未考虑子宫内酒精暴露和儿童时期被动吸烟的潜在共同影响。我们探讨了与这些早期生活因素相关的年轻人的 RNFL 厚度。

方法

1989-1991 年间，孕妇完成了关于她们目前吸烟和饮酒模式的问卷调查。在他们的后代出生后，在 1 年和 13 年的随访期间获得了有关家庭吸烟者的信息。在 20 年的随访中，这些后代接受了眼科检查，包括 RNFL 的光学相干断层扫描成像。

结果

参与者（n = 1,287）在进行眼科检查时年龄为 19-22 岁。大多数参与者（77%）在子宫内没有接触过香烟烟雾；1.3% 的人最初接触过但不是在妊娠 18 周后接触，而 21% 的人在子宫内持续接触过吸烟。一半的母亲在怀孕期间从未饮酒或仅饮酒一次。在校正了潜在的混杂因素后，包括在子宫内接触酒精和儿童期被动吸烟，在子宫内持续接触 >10 支香烟/天和≤10 支香烟/天的参与者的 RNFL 变薄了 6.6（95% 置信区间 [CI] = 4.4 –8.7) 和 3.7 µm (95%[CI] = 2.3–5.5)，分别比没有暴露的那些 ( p < .001)。考虑到子宫内吸烟后，子宫内酒精暴露和儿童期被动吸烟与 RNFL 厚度没有显着相关性。

结论

子宫内暴露于香烟烟雾与年轻成年期较薄的 RFNL 相关，与其他早期生活环境因素无关。