Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children

IntroductionThe aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and blood selenium concentration (Se-B) in a selected group of children.MethodsA total of 299 children were recruited for this study. Prenatal ETS exposure (understood as...

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Main Authors: Paweł Gać, Michał Fułek, Aleksandra Żórawik, Rafał Poręba, Krystyna Pawlas, Natalia Pawlas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1580316/full
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author Paweł Gać
Michał Fułek
Aleksandra Żórawik
Rafał Poręba
Krystyna Pawlas
Natalia Pawlas
author_facet Paweł Gać
Michał Fułek
Aleksandra Żórawik
Rafał Poręba
Krystyna Pawlas
Natalia Pawlas
author_sort Paweł Gać
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and blood selenium concentration (Se-B) in a selected group of children.MethodsA total of 299 children were recruited for this study. Prenatal ETS exposure (understood as active as well as passive mother’s exposure) was assessed among all the study participants using a standardized exposure scale. The participants were tested for Se-B.Results and discussionSe-B (μg/L) was statistically significantly lower in the group of children with prenatal exposure to ETS compared to those without prenatal exposure (74.35 ± 12.45 vs. 78.60 ± 11.66, p < 0.01). Similarly, children whose mothers actively smoked tobacco during pregnancy exhibited lower Se-B than children whose mothers did not smoke (72.09 ± 14.20 vs. 77.58 ± 11.70, p < 0.05), and a similar trend was observed for passive smokers (74.63 ± 12.35 vs. 78.40 ± 11.75, p < 0.01). While negative correlations were observed between the severity of ETS exposure and Se-B, these results were not statistically significant. Independent risk factors for lower Se-B included advanced age (Rc: −2.398, p < 0.05), body weight deficiency (Rc for lower body mass index within the range of underweight to normal body weight: 0.687, p < 0.05), and prenatal ETS exposure (Rc: −4.209, p < 0.05). This study highlights the association between maternal tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy and reduced selenium levels in offspring, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions in prenatal care to minimize ETS exposure.
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spelling doaj-art-b18230a923724be08fc30fbb476c6faf2025-08-20T02:45:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15803161580316Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in childrenPaweł Gać0Michał Fułek1Aleksandra Żórawik2Rafał Poręba3Krystyna Pawlas4Natalia Pawlas5Department of Environmental Health, Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Diabetology, Hypertension and Internal Diseases, Institute of Internal Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Environmental Health, Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Biological and Medical Foundations of Sport, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Environmental Health, Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, PolandIntroductionThe aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and blood selenium concentration (Se-B) in a selected group of children.MethodsA total of 299 children were recruited for this study. Prenatal ETS exposure (understood as active as well as passive mother’s exposure) was assessed among all the study participants using a standardized exposure scale. The participants were tested for Se-B.Results and discussionSe-B (μg/L) was statistically significantly lower in the group of children with prenatal exposure to ETS compared to those without prenatal exposure (74.35 ± 12.45 vs. 78.60 ± 11.66, p < 0.01). Similarly, children whose mothers actively smoked tobacco during pregnancy exhibited lower Se-B than children whose mothers did not smoke (72.09 ± 14.20 vs. 77.58 ± 11.70, p < 0.05), and a similar trend was observed for passive smokers (74.63 ± 12.35 vs. 78.40 ± 11.75, p < 0.01). While negative correlations were observed between the severity of ETS exposure and Se-B, these results were not statistically significant. Independent risk factors for lower Se-B included advanced age (Rc: −2.398, p < 0.05), body weight deficiency (Rc for lower body mass index within the range of underweight to normal body weight: 0.687, p < 0.05), and prenatal ETS exposure (Rc: −4.209, p < 0.05). This study highlights the association between maternal tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy and reduced selenium levels in offspring, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions in prenatal care to minimize ETS exposure.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1580316/fullactive smokingenvironmental tobacco smokepassive smokingprenatal exposureselenium blood concentration
spellingShingle Paweł Gać
Michał Fułek
Aleksandra Żórawik
Rafał Poręba
Krystyna Pawlas
Natalia Pawlas
Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
Frontiers in Public Health
active smoking
environmental tobacco smoke
passive smoking
prenatal exposure
selenium blood concentration
title Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
title_full Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
title_fullStr Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
title_full_unstemmed Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
title_short Prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
title_sort prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure a predictor of blood selenium levels in children
topic active smoking
environmental tobacco smoke
passive smoking
prenatal exposure
selenium blood concentration
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1580316/full
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AT aleksandrazorawik prenatalenvironmentaltobaccosmokeexposureapredictorofbloodseleniumlevelsinchildren
AT rafałporeba prenatalenvironmentaltobaccosmokeexposureapredictorofbloodseleniumlevelsinchildren
AT krystynapawlas prenatalenvironmentaltobaccosmokeexposureapredictorofbloodseleniumlevelsinchildren
AT nataliapawlas prenatalenvironmentaltobaccosmokeexposureapredictorofbloodseleniumlevelsinchildren