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Zamstein O, Sheiner E, Binyamin Y, Pariente G, Wainstock T. Examining the relationship between autism spectrum disorder in children whose mother had labour epidural analgesia for their birth: A retrospective cohort study. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2024; 41:282-287. [PMID: 38084085 DOI: 10.1097/eja.0000000000001932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Controversy exists regarding the association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children whose mother had labour epidural analgesia for their birth, as the few existing investigations have reported mixed findings. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the possibility of an association in our heterogeneous population. DESIGN A retrospective population-based cohort study. SETTING Vaginal deliveries that took place between the years 2005 and 2017 at Soroka University Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Israel, and a follow-up on the incidence of ASD in the children. PATIENTS A hundred and thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and eighty-one labouring patients and their offspring. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The incidence of children diagnosed with ASD (both hospital and community-based diagnoses) was compared based on whether their mothers had received labour epidural analgesia during their labour. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve compared cumulative incidence of ASD. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to control for relevant confounders. RESULTS Labour epidural analgesia was administered to 33 315 women. Epidural analgesia was more common among high-risk pregnancy groups (including pregnancies complicated with diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders, intrauterine growth restriction, and oligohydramnios; P < 0.001). In a Cox proportional hazards model, the association between epidural analgesia during labour and ASD in the children lost statistical significance following adjustment for confounders such as maternal age, gestational age, hypertensive disorders, diabetes mellitus, and ethnicity [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.96 to 1.34, P = 0.152]. CONCLUSION In our population, after adjusting for confounders, epidural analgesia is not independently associated with autism spectrum disorder in the children. These findings enhance our knowledge regarding the safety of epidural analgesia and enable patients to make informed decisions about their pain relief techniques during labour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omri Zamstein
- From the Obstetrics and Gynecology Division, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (OZ, ES, GP), Department of Anesthesiology, Soroka University Medical Center and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (YB) and Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (TW)
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O'Brien EM, Stricker PA, Harris KA, Liu H, Griffis H, Muhly WT. Perioperative Management and Outcomes in Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Anesth Analg 2024; 138:438-446. [PMID: 37010953 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000006426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurocognitive disorder characterized by impairments in communication and socialization. There are little data comparing the differences in perioperative outcomes in children with and without ASD. We hypothesized that children with ASD would have higher postoperative pain scores than those without ASD. METHODS Pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy, ophthalmological surgery, general surgery, and urologic procedures between 2016 and 2021 were included in this retrospective cohort study. ASD patients, defined by International Classification of Diseases-9/10 codes, were compared to controls utilizing inverse probability of treatment weighting based on surgical category/duration, age, sex, race and ethnicity, anesthetizing location, American Society of Anesthesiology physical status, intraoperative opioid dose, and intraoperative dexmedetomidine dose. The primary outcome was the maximum postanesthesia care unit (PACU) pain score, and secondary outcomes included premedication administration, behavior at induction, PACU opioid administration, postoperative vomiting, emergence delirium, and PACU length of stay. RESULTS Three hundred thirty-five children with ASD and 11,551 non-ASD controls were included. Maximum PACU pain scores in the ASD group were not significantly higher than controls (median, 5; interquartile range [IQR], 0-8; ASD versus median, 5; IQR, 0-8 controls; median difference [95% confidence interval {CI}] of 0 [-1.1 to 1.1]; P = .66). There was no significant difference in the use of premedication (96% ASD versus 95% controls; odds ratio [OR], 1.5; [95% CI, 0.9-2.7]; P = .12), but the ASD cohort had significantly higher odds of receiving an intranasal premedication (4.2% ASD versus 1.2% controls; OR, 3.5 [95% CI, 1.8-6.8]; P < .001) and received ketamine significantly more frequently (0.3% ASD versus <0.1% controls; P < .001). Children with ASD were more likely to have parental (4.9% ASD versus 1.0% controls; OR, 5 [95% CI, 2.1-12]; P < .001) and child life specialist (1.3% ASD versus 0.1% controls; OR, 9.9 [95% CI, 2.3-43]; P < .001) presence at induction, but were more likely to have a difficult induction (11% ASD versus 3.4% controls; OR, 3.42 [95% CI, 1.7-6.7]; P < .001). There were no significant differences in postoperative opioid administration, emergence delirium, vomiting, or PACU length of stay between cohorts. CONCLUSIONS We found no difference in maximum PACU pain scores in children with ASD compared to a similarly weighted cohort without ASD. Children with ASD had higher odds of a difficult induction despite similar rates of premedication administration, and significantly higher parental and child life specialist presence at induction. These findings highlight the need for future research to develop evidence-based interventions to optimize the perioperative care of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M O'Brien
- From the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Paul A Stricker
- From the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kathleen A Harris
- From the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hongyan Liu
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Heather Griffis
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Wallis T Muhly
- From the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Lee BK, Schendel DE, Shea LL. Big data in autism research: Methodological challenges and solutions. Autism Res 2023; 16:1852-1858. [PMID: 37596816 PMCID: PMC11168478 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
While the concept of big data has emerged over the past decade as a hot topic in nearly all areas of scientific inquiry, it has rarely been discussed in the context of autism research. In this commentary we describe aspects of big data that are relevant to autism research and methodological issues such as confounding and data error that can hamper scientific investigation. Although big data studies can have transformative impact, bigger is not always better, and big data require the same methodological considerations and interdisciplinary collaboration as "small data" to extract useful scientific insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K. Lee
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, 3215 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, 3020 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Diana E. Schendel
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, 3215 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, 3020 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Lindsay L. Shea
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, 3020 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
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Perinatal Anesthesia Exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2023; 35:127-129. [PMID: 36745175 DOI: 10.1097/ana.0000000000000879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epidural analgesia is frequently used during labor among pregnant people in the United States. Different factors have been associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder in the epidemiological literature: maternal health, infectious and pharmacological etiologies, social factors, and environmental exposures. Current data indicates no clear association between the use of epidural labor analgesia and the development of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring. This review presents the public health perspective on the postulated association between perinatal anesthesia exposure and autism spectrum disorders.
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Król JW, Stanirowski PJ, Mazanowska N, Majewska A, Wielgoś M, Bomba-Opoń D. Is There an Association between the Use of Epidural Analgesia during Labor and the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Offspring?-A Review of the Literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19127202. [PMID: 35742451 PMCID: PMC9223492 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are multifactorial and complex neurodevelopmental conditions usually diagnosed in the early childhood. The etiology of ASDs is commonly described as a genetic predisposition combined with an environmental impact. As a result of broadening of the diagnostic criteria the prevalence of ASDs has been increasing worldwide and the search for the modifiable factors is still on-going. Epidural analgesia (ELA) provides effective pain relief during labor and is currently the most preferred method of anesthesia during the delivery. The safety of the procedure is well-discussed and documented; nonetheless, in 2020 a single population-based study indicated an association between the use of ELA during labor and newborn risk of ASD development, which led to widespread concern. To explore the possible association between the ELA and ASD occurrence in the offspring several studies in different countries have been conducted to date. In this review we aimed to summarize the current state of knowledge concerning the association between the use of epidural analgesia during labor and risk of ASD. In conclusion, the literature review indicates that there is no significant association.
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Butwick AJ, Abrams DA, Wong CA. Epidural labour analgesia and autism spectrum disorder: is the current evidence sufficient to dismiss an association? Br J Anaesth 2022; 128:393-398. [PMID: 35039173 PMCID: PMC10941096 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Findings from a population-based study using a sibling-matched analysis published in this issue of the British Journal of Anaesthesia indicate that epidural labour analgesia is not associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. These findings are consistent with those from three other population-based studies that used similar methodological approaches. Cumulatively, these robust, high-quality epidemiological data support the assertion that there is no meaningful association between epidural labour analgesia and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Butwick
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Daniel A Abrams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia A Wong
- Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Wang X, Li J, Liu D. Effects of epidural analgesia exposure during parturition on autism spectrum disorder in newborns: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on cohort study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:974596. [PMID: 36147992 PMCID: PMC9485435 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.974596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Labor epidural analgesia (LEA) is one of the most effective and widely used approaches for pain relief during parturition. we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the association between LEA exposure during parturition and ASD in newborns. METHODS PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Web of Science database were searched from inception to January 2, 2022 to identify related articles. Literature screening was carried out strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted and imported into STATA 15.0 software for meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 5 studies with 1763454 participants were included. A statistically significant correlation was observed between LEA and changed ASD (RR = 1.20, 95%CI (1.17, 1.24)), and the correlation between LEA and ASD were analyzed by univariate HR (ES = 1.34, 95%CI(1.27,1.40), P < 0.05) and Multivariate HR (ES = 1.13, 95%CI (1.05,1.21), P < 0.05). LIMITATION First, few studies were included, and most patients were from the United States. Second, the included studies were observational cohort designs, which cannot avoid selection and measurement bias. Third, the results of the included studies were heterogeneous, and a more detailed subgroup analysis was not possible. CONCLUSION There is a correlation between LEA during parturition and the risk of ASD in newborns. The Newborn whose mother received LEA during her birth-giving might be more likely to develop ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jie Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Dezhao Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
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Ren T, Zhang J, Yu Y, Pedersen LH, Wang H, Li F, Henriksen TB, Li J. Association of labour epidural analgesia with neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring: a Danish population-based cohort study. Br J Anaesth 2021; 128:513-521. [PMID: 34893316 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether labour epidural analgesia impacts risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring is unsettled, raising public and scientific concerns. We explored the association between maternal labour epidural analgesia and autism spectrum disorder, and specific developmental disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, and epilepsy in offspring. METHODS This nationwide population-based cohort study included 624 952 live-born singletons delivered by women who intended to deliver vaginally (i.e. vaginal and intrapartum Caesarean deliveries) in Denmark from 2005 to 2016. A total of 80 862 siblings discordant for exposure to labour epidural analgesia were analysed in a sibling-matched analysis. Both full-cohort and sibling-matched analyses were performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of offspring risk of autism spectrum disorder, specific developmental disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, and epilepsy, according to exposure to labour epidural analgesia, adjusted for maternal socio-economic, pregnancy, and perinatal covariates. RESULTS In the full cohort, maternal labour epidural analgesia was associated with autism spectrum disorder in offspring (HR 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.18); however, in the sibling-matched analysis, no association with autism spectrum disorder was found (HR 1.03; 95% CI: 0.84-1.27). The association between labour epidural analgesia and specific developmental disorder (HR 1.12; 95% CI: 1.03-1.22) in the full cohort also disappeared in the sibling-matched analysis (HR 1.01; 95% CI: 0.78-1.31). No association between maternal labour epidural analgesia and the remaining neurodevelopmental disorders was found overall (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.92-1.03; intellectual disability, HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.85-1.14; epilepsy, HR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79-1.00) or in the sibling-matched analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our findings did not support an association between maternal attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, specific developmental disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, or epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai Ren
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Clinical Medicine-Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yongfu Yu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lars H Pedersen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hui Wang
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatric & Child Primary Care, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tine B Henriksen
- Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jiong Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine-Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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