Second-hand smoking and carboxyhemoglobin levels in children: a prospective observational study.

Aim: To establish baseline noninvasive carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels in children and determine the influence of exposure to environmental sources of carbon monoxide (CO), especially environmental tobacco smoke, on such levels.

Background: Second-hand smoking may be a risk factor for adverse outcomes following anesthesia and surgery in children (1) and may potentially be preventable.

Patients And Methods: Parents and their children between the ages of 1-12 were enrolled on the day of elective surgery.