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Paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure is related to impaired lung function trajectories from childhood to middle age in their offspring

Paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure is related to impaired lung function trajectories from childhood to middle age in their offspring
Paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure is related to impaired lung function trajectories from childhood to middle age in their offspring

Introduction: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure may increase the risk of childhood asthma. However, its association with impaired lung function trajectories at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in offspring was not investigated. We assessed the association between paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure and lung function from childhood to middle age in their offspring. 

Methods: data were analysed from 890 father-offspring pairs from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study. The offspring were probands in the original cohort who underwent spirometry at six time points from ages 7 to 53 years. Lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV 1/FVC) trajectories were previously derived using group-based trajectory modelling. Fathers reported their own passive smoke exposure before age 15 years. Multinomial logistic regressions assessed associations between paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure and lung function trajectories in offspring. Potential mediations and interactions were assessed for active paternal smoking, offspring passive smoke exposure and respiratory illnesses during childhood, and subsequent active smoking. 

Results: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure was associated with the below average FEV 1 (adjusted multinomial OR (aMOR) 1.56; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.31) and early low-rapid decline FEV 1/FVC trajectories (aMOR 2.30; 95% CI 1.07 to 4.94) in offspring. The association with the below average FEV 1 trajectory was augmented for offspring exposed to childhood passive smoke (aMOR 2.36; 95% CI 1.34 to 4.13; p-interaction=0.053). Observed associations partly mediated through smoking and respiratory illnesses in fathers and offspring (each contributing <15%). 

Conclusions: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure was associated with impaired lung function trajectories in offspring, which highlights the adverse impact of smoking on multiple generations.

COPD epidemiology, Tobacco and the lung
0040-6376
Liu, Jiacheng
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Perret, Jennifer L.
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Lodge, Caroline J.
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Vicendese, Don
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Bowatte, Gayan
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Lowe, Adrian J.
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Idrose, Nur Sabrina
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Frith, Peter
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Wood-Baker, Richard
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Mishra, Gita D.
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Holloway, John W.
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Svanes, Cecilie
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Abramson, Michael J.
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Walters, Eugene Haydn
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Dharmage, Shyamali C.
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Bui, Dinh S.
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Liu, Jiacheng
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Perret, Jennifer L.
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Lodge, Caroline J.
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Vicendese, Don
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Bowatte, Gayan
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Lowe, Adrian J.
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Idrose, Nur Sabrina
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Frith, Peter
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Wood-Baker, Richard
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Mishra, Gita D.
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Holloway, John W.
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Svanes, Cecilie
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Abramson, Michael J.
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Walters, Eugene Haydn
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Dharmage, Shyamali C.
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Bui, Dinh S.
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Liu, Jiacheng, Perret, Jennifer L., Lodge, Caroline J., Vicendese, Don, Bowatte, Gayan, Lowe, Adrian J., Idrose, Nur Sabrina, Frith, Peter, Wood-Baker, Richard, Mishra, Gita D., Holloway, John W., Svanes, Cecilie, Abramson, Michael J., Walters, Eugene Haydn, Dharmage, Shyamali C. and Bui, Dinh S. (2025) Paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure is related to impaired lung function trajectories from childhood to middle age in their offspring. Thorax. (doi:10.1136/thorax-2024-222482).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Introduction: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure may increase the risk of childhood asthma. However, its association with impaired lung function trajectories at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in offspring was not investigated. We assessed the association between paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure and lung function from childhood to middle age in their offspring. 

Methods: data were analysed from 890 father-offspring pairs from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study. The offspring were probands in the original cohort who underwent spirometry at six time points from ages 7 to 53 years. Lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV 1/FVC) trajectories were previously derived using group-based trajectory modelling. Fathers reported their own passive smoke exposure before age 15 years. Multinomial logistic regressions assessed associations between paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure and lung function trajectories in offspring. Potential mediations and interactions were assessed for active paternal smoking, offspring passive smoke exposure and respiratory illnesses during childhood, and subsequent active smoking. 

Results: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure was associated with the below average FEV 1 (adjusted multinomial OR (aMOR) 1.56; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.31) and early low-rapid decline FEV 1/FVC trajectories (aMOR 2.30; 95% CI 1.07 to 4.94) in offspring. The association with the below average FEV 1 trajectory was augmented for offspring exposed to childhood passive smoke (aMOR 2.36; 95% CI 1.34 to 4.13; p-interaction=0.053). Observed associations partly mediated through smoking and respiratory illnesses in fathers and offspring (each contributing <15%). 

Conclusions: paternal prepubertal passive smoke exposure was associated with impaired lung function trajectories in offspring, which highlights the adverse impact of smoking on multiple generations.

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Liu et al Thorax 2025 - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 17 July 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 2 September 2025
Keywords: COPD epidemiology, Tobacco and the lung

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 506613
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/506613
ISSN: 0040-6376
PURE UUID: 4b2e9e44-efee-4fcf-a945-b3c11a12f535
ORCID for John W. Holloway: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9998-0464

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Date deposited: 12 Nov 2025 17:35
Last modified: 13 Nov 2025 02:34

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Contributors

Author: Jiacheng Liu
Author: Jennifer L. Perret
Author: Caroline J. Lodge
Author: Don Vicendese
Author: Gayan Bowatte
Author: Adrian J. Lowe
Author: Nur Sabrina Idrose
Author: Peter Frith
Author: Richard Wood-Baker
Author: Gita D. Mishra
Author: Cecilie Svanes
Author: Michael J. Abramson
Author: Eugene Haydn Walters
Author: Shyamali C. Dharmage
Author: Dinh S. Bui

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