Exposure to passive smoking and other predictors of reduced nasal volume in children 7 to 12 years old.

The purpose of this study was to assess the nasal volume and the cross-sectional areas of the nose in 7 to 12 year old children, and to identify factors that may influence those parameters. Specifically we investigated the effect of passive smoking at home, body mass, presence of allergies, and history of removal of the tonsils, controlling for the age, gender and race of the child. Fifty-four children participated in the study. Five consecutive nasal measurements were taken from each nostril in one visit, using the acoustic reflection technique (acoustic rhinometry). The nasal volume and the cross-sectional area were computed from the nasal readings. We observed that the minimal cross sectional area is located at the laminal valve, which has been considered one of the main anatomical structures that affect the regulation of breathing in the anterior part of the nose. We also concluded that body mass and exposure to environmental tobacco by-products play a significant role in determining reductions in a child's nasal volume. The clinical significance of such a finding and its effect to the normal craniofacial development of a growing child may force parents to reconsider smoking while at home.