A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center researchers reveals that smoking and secondhand smoke could harm kidney function in adolescents. The scientists measured blood levels of creatinine, a waste product in the body, and cotinine, a chemical found in tobacco, in a group of 7,516 American children, aged 12 to 17. They used creatinine levels to measure estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a reflection of how well the kidneys are doing their job. The eGFR measurements showed that kidney function decreased as cotinine in the blood increased. While more studies need to be done, the link between smoke exposure and impaired kidney function in teens is compelling, especially given previous studies tying excessive smoking in adulthood to an increased risk of CKD.
Sources:
Smoking May Negatively Impact Kidney Function Among Adolescents, ScienceDaily, April 8, 2013
Can Secondhand Smoke Hurt Kids’ Kidneys? DailyRx, April 7, 2013