Annotated Bibliography of Secondhand Smoke and Adult Asthma
(1999-2004)

1. Jaakkola, M.S.; Piipari, R.; Jaakkola, N.; Jaakkola, J.J.K., "Environmental tobacco smoke and adult-onset asthma: a population-based incident case-control study," American Journal of Public Health 93(12): 2055–2060, December 2003.
This study assessed the effect of secondhand smoke (SHS) on the development of asthma in adults in South Finland and found that both cumulative lifetime and recent SHS exposures increase the risk of adult-onset asthma.

2. Eisner, M.D., "Environmental tobacco smoke and adult asthma," Clinics in Chest Medicine 23(4): 749-761, December 2002.
This article analyzed secondhand smoke exposure as a cause of adult asthma and its effect in exacerbating pre-existing adult asthma; the study found that "ETS exposure seems to be common among adults with asthma."

3. Radon, K.; Büsching, K.; Heinrich, J.; Wichmann, H.E.; Jörres, R.A.; Magnussen, H.; Nowak, D., "Passive smoking exposure*: a risk factor for chronic bronchitis and asthma in adults?," CHEST 122(3): 1086-1090, September 2002.
This study examined data from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey on respiratory symptoms related to secondhand smoke exposure among German adults and found that the relative odds for chronic bronchitis were significantly higher in subjects reporting secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace, and the risk for asthma was slightly elevated.

4. Eisner, M.D., "Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and pulmonary function among adults in NHANES III: impact on the general population and adults with current asthma," Environmental Health Perspectives 110(8): 765-770, August 2002.
This study found that secondhand smoke exposure is associated with decreased pulmonary function in adult females, especially in those with asthma.

5. Apostol, G.G.; Jacobs, Jr., D.R.; Tsai, A.W.; Crow, R.S.; Williams, O.D.; Townsend, M.C.; Beckett, W.S., "Early life factors contribute to the decrease in lung function between ages 18 and 40: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study," American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 166(2): 166-172, 2002.
This study found examined lung function in a group of black and white men and women aged 18-30 years and found that smoking by family members was related to early life asthma and may have encouraged behaviors resulting in decreased lung function "such as heavier smoking or earlier smoking initiation."

6. Eisner, M.D.; Blanc, P.D., "Environmental tobacco smoke exposure during travel among adults with asthma," CHEST 122: 826-828, 2002.
This study interviewed 374 nonsmoking adults with asthma from California regarding their secondhand smoke exposure while travelling and found that such exposure was common while travelling and "For many subjects, travel is their principal source of exposure."

7. Weiss, S.T.; Utell, M.J.; Samet, J.M., "Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and asthma in adults," Environmental Health Perspectives 107(6): 891-895, December 1999.
This article examines the limited body of existing research into the risk of asthma associated with secondhand smoke exposure and describes the methodological difficulties that limit the available data and evaluates the data's adequacy for risk assessment.