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Martenies SE, Oloo A, Magzamen S, Ji N, Khalili R, Kaur S, Xu Y, Yang T, Bastain TM, Breton CV, Farzan SF, Habre R, Dabelea D. Independent and joint effects of neighborhood-level environmental and socioeconomic exposures on body mass index in early childhood: The environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO) cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 253:119109. [PMID: 38751004 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Past studies support the hypothesis that the prenatal period influences childhood growth. However, few studies explore the joint effects of exposures that occur simultaneously during pregnancy. To explore the feasibility of using mixtures methods with neighborhood-level environmental exposures, we assessed the effects of multiple prenatal exposures on body mass index (BMI) from birth to age 24 months. We used data from two cohorts: Healthy Start (n = 977) and Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES; n = 303). BMI was measured at delivery and 6, 12, and 24 months and standardized as z-scores. We included variables for air pollutants, built and natural environments, food access, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). We used two complementary statistical approaches: single-exposure linear regression and quantile-based g-computation. Models were fit separately for each cohort and time point and were adjusted for relevant covariates. Single-exposure models identified negative associations between NO2 and distance to parks and positive associations between low neighborhood SES and BMI z-scores for Healthy Start participants; for MADRES participants, we observed negative associations between O3 and distance to parks and BMI z-scores. G-computations models produced comparable results for each cohort: higher exposures were generally associated with lower BMI, although results were not significant. Results from the g-computation models, which do not require a priori knowledge of the direction of associations, indicated that the direction of associations between mixture components and BMI varied by cohort and time point. Our study highlights challenges in assessing mixtures effects at the neighborhood level and in harmonizing exposure data across cohorts. For example, geospatial data of neighborhood-level exposures may not fully capture the qualities that might influence health behavior. Studies aiming to harmonize geospatial data from different geographical regions should consider contextual factors when operationalizing exposure variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena E Martenies
- Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Family Resiliency Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Alice Oloo
- Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nan Ji
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roxana Khalili
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Simrandeep Kaur
- Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Yan Xu
- Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tingyu Yang
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Theresa M Bastain
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carrie V Breton
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shohreh F Farzan
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rima Habre
- Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA; Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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2
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Leung M, Weisskopf MG, Modest AM, Hacker MR, Iyer HS, Hart JE, Wei Y, Schwartz J, Coull BA, Laden F, Papatheodorou S. Using Parametric g-Computation for Time-to-Event Data and Distributed Lag Models to Identify Critical Exposure Windows for Preterm Birth: An Illustrative Example Using PM2.5 in a Retrospective Birth Cohort Based in Eastern Massachusetts (2011-2016). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:77002. [PMID: 38995210 PMCID: PMC11243950 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parametric g-computation is an attractive analytic framework to study the health effects of air pollution. Yet, the ability to explore biologically relevant exposure windows within this framework is underdeveloped. OBJECTIVES We outline a novel framework for how to incorporate complex lag-responses using distributed lag models (DLMs) into parametric g-computation analyses for survival data. We call this approach "g-survival-DLM" and illustrate its use examining the association between PM 2.5 during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth (PTB). METHODS We applied the g-survival-DLM approach to estimate the hypothetical static intervention of reducing average PM 2.5 in each gestational week by 20% on the risk of PTB among 9,403 deliveries from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, 2011-2016. Daily PM 2.5 was taken from a 1 -km grid model and assigned to address at birth. Models were adjusted for sociodemographics, time trends, nitrogen dioxide, and temperature. To facilitate implementation, we provide a detailed description of the procedure and accompanying R syntax. RESULTS There were 762 (8.1%) PTBs in this cohort. The gestational week-specific median PM 2.5 concentration was relatively stable across pregnancy at ∼ 7 μ g / m 3 . We found that our hypothetical intervention strategy changed the cumulative risk of PTB at week 36 (i.e., the end of the preterm period) by - 0.009 (95% confidence interval: - 0.034 , 0.007) in comparison with the scenario had we not intervened, which translates to about 86 fewer PTBs in this cohort. We also observed that the critical exposure window appeared to be weeks 5-20. DISCUSSION We demonstrate that our g-survival-DLM approach produces easier-to-interpret, policy-relevant estimates (due to the g-computation); prevents immortal time bias (due to treating PTB as a time-to-event outcome); and allows for the exploration of critical exposure windows (due to the DLMs). In our illustrative example, we found that reducing fine particulate matter [particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m (PM 2.5 )] during gestational weeks 5-20 could potentially lower the risk of PTB. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13891.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leung
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna M Modest
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michele R Hacker
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hari S Iyer
- Section of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jaime E Hart
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stefania Papatheodorou
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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3
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Rogne T, Wang R, Wang P, Deziel NC, Metayer C, Wiemels JL, Chen K, Warren JL, Ma X. High ambient temperature in pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: an observational study. Lancet Planet Health 2024; 8:e506-e514. [PMID: 38969477 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(24)00121-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High ambient temperature is increasingly common due to climate change and is associated with risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common malignancy in children, the incidence is increasing, and in the USA disproportionately affects Latino children. We aimed to investigate the potential association between high ambient temperature in pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. METHODS We used data from California birth records (children born from Jan 1, 1982, to Dec 31, 2015) and California Cancer Registry (those diagnosed with childhood cancer in California from Jan 1, 1988, to Dec 31, 2015) to identify acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cases diagnosed in infants and children aged 14 years and younger and controls matched by sex, race, ethnicity, and date of last menstrual period. Ambient temperatures were estimated on a 1-km grid. The association between ambient temperature and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was evaluated per gestational week, restricted to May-September, adjusting for confounders. Bayesian meta-regression was applied to identify critical exposure windows. For sensitivity analyses, we evaluated a 90-day pre-pregnancy period (assuming no direct effect before pregnancy), adjusted for relative humidity and particulate matter less than 2·5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, and constructed an alternatively matched dataset for exposure contrast by seasonality. FINDINGS 6849 cases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were identified and, of these, 6258 had sufficient data for study inclusion. We also included 307 579 matched controls. Most of the study population were male (174 693 [55·7%] of the 313 837 included in the study) and of Latino ethnicity (174 906 [55·7%]). The peak association between ambient temperature and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was observed in gestational week 8, where a 5°C increase was associated with an odds ratio of 1·07 (95% CI 1·04-1·11). A slightly larger effect was seen among Latino children (OR 1·09 [95% CI 1·04-1·14]) than non-Latino White children (OR 1·05 [1·00-1·11]). The sensitivity analyses supported the results of the main analysis. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest an association between high ambient temperature in early pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Further replication and investigation of mechanistic pathways might inform mitigation strategies. FUNDING Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, The National Center for Advancing Translational Science, National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tormod Rogne
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pin Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Catherine Metayer
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joseph L Wiemels
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joshua L Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Lamichhane DK, Ha E, Hong YC, Lee DW, Park MS, Song S, Kim S, Kim WJ, Bae J, Kim HC. Ambient particulate matter and surrounding greenness in relation to sleep quality among pregnant women: A nationwide cohort study. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26742. [PMID: 38434397 PMCID: PMC10904245 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Particulate air pollution and residential greenness are associated with sleep quality in the general population; however, their influence on maternal sleep quality during pregnancy has not been assessed. Objective This cross-sectional study investigated the individual and interactive effects of exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and residential greenness on sleep quality in pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women (n = 4933) enrolled in the Korean Children's Environmental Health Study with sleep quality information and residential address were included. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The average concentrations of PM (PM2.5 and PM10) during pregnancy were estimated through land use regression, and residential greenness in a 1000 m buffer area around participants' residences was estimated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI1000-m). Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate the associations between PM and NDVI and poor sleep quality (PSQI >5) after controlling for a range of covariates. A four-way mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediating effects of PM. Results After adjusting for confounders, each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 exposure was associated with a higher risk of poor sleep quality (relative risk [RR]: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.11; and RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.13, respectively), and each 0.1-unit increase in NDVI1000-m was associated with a lower risk of poor sleep quality (RR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99). Mediation analysis showed that PM mediated approximately 37%-56% of the association between residential greenness and poor sleep quality. Conclusions This study identified a positive association between residential greenness and sleep quality. Furthermore, these associations are mediated by a reduction in exposure to particulate air pollution and highlight the link between green areas, air pollution control, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirga Kumar Lamichhane
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Eunhee Ha
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Sook Park
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghwan Song
- Environmental Health Research Division, Department of Environmental Health Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suejin Kim
- Environmental Health Research Division, Department of Environmental Health Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Jin Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine and Environmental Health Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisuk Bae
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwan-Cheol Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ko-CHENS Study Group
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Environmental Health Research Division, Department of Environmental Health Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Incheon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Environmental Health Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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5
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Shi T, Ma H, Li D, Pan L, Wang T, Li R, Ren X. Prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter chemical constituents and the risk of stillbirth and the mediating role of pregnancy complications: A cohort study. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140858. [PMID: 38048830 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Evidence on the association of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure with stillbirth is limited and inconsistent, which is largely attributed to differences in PM2.5 constituents. Studies have found that the hazards of certain PM2.5 constituents to the fetus are comparable to or even higher than total PM2.5 mass. However, few studies have linked PM2.5 constituents to stillbirth. Moreover, the mediating role of pregnancy complications in PM2.5-related stillbirth remains unclear. To our knowledge, this study was the first to explore the individual and mixed associations of PM2.5 and its constituents with stillbirth in China. After matching the concentrations of PM2.5 and its constituents (sulfate [SO42-], nitrate [NO3-], ammonium [NH4+], organic matter [OM], and black carbon [BC]) for participants according to their geographical location, there were 170,507 participants included in this study. We found that stillbirth was associated with exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents in the year before pregnancy and during the entire pregnancy, and the associations in trimester 1 were strongest. The risk of stillbirth increased sharply when PM2.5 and its constituents during pregnancy exceeded the median concentrations. Moreover, stillbirth was associated with exposure to the mixtures of SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, OM, and BC before and during pregnancy (trimesters 1 and 2). Meanwhile, two-pollutant models also suggested stillbirth was associated with PM2.5 and its constituents in the year before and during pregnancy. The associations of PM2.5 and its constituents with stillbirth were stronger in mothers with advanced age and without cesarean delivery history. Additionally, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and placental abruption mediated the association of PM2.5 with stillbirth. Therefore, enhanced protection against PM2.5 for pregnant women before and during pregnancy and targeted interventions for pregnancy complications and anthropogenic sources of PM2.5 constituents are important to reduce stillbirth risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshan Shi
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Hanping Ma
- Lanzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Donghua Li
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Li Pan
- Lanzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Tingrong Wang
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Rui Li
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Xiaowei Ren
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China.
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Hao H, Yoo SR, Strickland MJ, Darrow LA, D'Souza RR, Warren JL, Moss S, Wang H, Zhang H, Chang HH. Effects of air pollution on adverse birth outcomes and pregnancy complications in the U.S. state of Kansas (2000-2015). Sci Rep 2023; 13:21476. [PMID: 38052850 PMCID: PMC10697947 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48329-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal mortality and morbidity are often caused by preterm birth and lower birth weight. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational hypertension (GH) are the most prevalent maternal medical complications during pregnancy. However, evidence on effects of air pollution on adverse birth outcomes and pregnancy complications is mixed. Singleton live births conceived between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2015, and reached at least 27 weeks of pregnancy in Kansas were included in the study. Trimester-specific and total pregnancy exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and ozone (O3) were estimated using spatiotemporal ensemble models and assigned to maternal residential census tracts. Logistic regression, discrete-time survival, and linear models were applied to assess the associations. After adjustment for demographics and socio-economic status (SES) factors, we found increases in the second and third trimesters and total pregnancy O3 exposures were significantly linked to preterm birth. Exposure to the second and third trimesters O3 was significantly associated with lower birth weight, and exposure to NO2 during the first trimester was linked to an increased risk of GDM. O3 exposures in the first trimester were connected to an elevated risk of GH. We didn't observe consistent associations between adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes with PM2.5 exposure. Our findings indicate there is a positive link between increased O3 exposure during pregnancy and a higher risk of preterm birth, GH, and decreased birth weight. Our work supports limiting population exposure to air pollution, which may lower the likelihood of adverse birth and pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Hao
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Sodahm R Yoo
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Matthew J Strickland
- Depatment of Health Analytics and Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Lyndsey A Darrow
- Depatment of Health Analytics and Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Rohan R D'Souza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Joshua L Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Shannon Moss
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Huaqing Wang
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environment Planning, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
| | - Haisu Zhang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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7
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Quinteros ME, Blazquez C, Ayala S, Kilby D, Cárdenas-R JP, Ossa X, Rosas-Diaz F, Stone EA, Blanco E, Delgado-Saborit JM, Harrison RM, Ruiz-Rudolph P. Development of Spatio-Temporal Land Use Regression Models for Fine Particulate Matter and Wood-Burning Tracers in Temuco, Chile. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19473-19486. [PMID: 37976408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Biomass burning is common in much of the world, and in some areas, residential wood-burning has increased. However, air pollution resulting from biomass burning is an important public health problem. A sampling campaign was carried out between May 2017 and July 2018 in over 64 sites in four sessions, to develop a spatio-temporal land use regression (LUR) model for fine particulate matter (PM) and wood-burning tracers levoglucosan and soluble potassium (Ksol) in a city heavily impacted by wood-burning. The mean (sd) was 46.5 (37.4) μg m-3 for PM2.5, 0.607 (0.538) μg m-3 for levoglucosan, and 0.635 (0.489) μg m-3 for Ksol. LUR models for PM2.5, levoglucosan, and Ksol had a satisfactory performance (LOSOCV R2), explaining 88.8%, 87.4%, and 87.3% of the total variance, respectively. All models included sociodemographic predictors consistent with the pattern of use of wood-burning in homes. The models were applied to predict concentrations surfaces and to estimate exposures for an epidemiological study.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elisa Quinteros
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Avenida Lircay s/n, Talca, 3460000, Chile
- Programa Doctorado en Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 939, Santiago, 1025000, Chile
| | - Carola Blazquez
- Department of Engineering Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Quillota 980, Viña del Mar, 2531015, Chile
| | - Salvador Ayala
- Programa Doctorado en Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 939, Santiago, 1025000, Chile
- Departamento Agencia Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Innovación y Desarrollo, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Marathon 1000, Ñuñoa, Santiago 0000000000, Chile
| | - Dylan Kilby
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Juan Pablo Cárdenas-R
- Departamento de Ingeniería en Obras Civiles, Universidad de La Frontera, Avenida Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco, Chile
- Facultad de Arquitectura, Construcción y Medio Ambiente, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco 4810101, Chile
| | - Ximena Ossa
- Departamento de Salud Pública y Centro de Excelencia CIGES, Universidad de la Frontera, Caro Solar 115, Temuco, 4780000, Chile
| | - Felipe Rosas-Diaz
- Facultad de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de Los Garza 66451, Nuevo León, México
| | - Elizabeth A Stone
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Estela Blanco
- Programa Doctorado en Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 939, Santiago, 1025000, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Sociedad y Salud and Núcleo Milenio de Sociomedicina, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, 7510041, Chile
| | - Juana-María Delgado-Saborit
- Perinatal Epidemiology, Environmental Health and Clinical Research, School of Medicine, Universitat Jaume I, Avinguda de Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Castellon Spain
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
- Division of Environmental Health & Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B152TT, U.K
| | - Roy M Harrison
- Division of Environmental Health & Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Birmingham B152TT, U.K
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80203, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pablo Ruiz-Rudolph
- * Programa de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 939, Santiago 1025000, Chile
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8
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Krajewski AK, Luben TJ, Warren JL, Rappazzo KM. Associations between weekly gestational exposure of fine particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide and preterm birth in a North Carolina Birth Cohort, 2003-2015. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e278. [PMID: 38912391 PMCID: PMC11189686 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks completed gestation) is associated with exposure to air pollution, though variability in association magnitude and direction across exposure windows exists. We evaluated associations between weekly gestational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) with PTB in a North Carolina Birth Cohort from 2003 to 2015 (N = 1,367,517). Methods Daily average PM2.5 and daily 8-hour maximum NO2 concentration estimates were obtained from a hybrid ensemble model with a spatial resolution of 1 km2. Daily 8-hour maximum census tract-level concentration estimates for O3 were obtained from the EPA's Fused Air Quality Surface Using Downscaling model. Air pollutant concentrations were linked by census tract to residential address at delivery and averaged across each week of pregnancy. Modified Poisson regression models with robust errors were used to estimate risk differences (RD [95% confidence intervals (CI)]) for an interquartile range increase in pollutants per 10,000 births, adjusted for potential confounders. Results Associations were similar in magnitude across weeks. We observed positive associations for PM2.5 and O3 exposures, but generally null associations with NO2. RDs ranged from 15 (95% CI = 11, 18) to 32 (27, 37) per 10,000 births for PM2.5; from -7 (-14, -1) to 0 (-5, 4) for NO2; and from 4 (1, 7) to 13 (10, 16) for O3. Conclusion Our results show that increased PM2.5 exposure is associated with an increased risk of PTB across gestational weeks, and these associations persist in multipollutant models with NO2 and/or O3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K. Krajewski
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Thomas J. Luben
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Joshua L. Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kristen M. Rappazzo
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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9
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Heo S, Afanasyeva Y, Trasande L, Bell ML, Ghassabian A. Residential mobility in pregnancy and potential exposure misclassification of air pollution, temperature, and greenness. Environ Epidemiol 2023; 7:e273. [PMID: 38912392 PMCID: PMC11189681 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Epidemiological studies commonly use residential addresses at birth to estimate exposures throughout pregnancy, ignoring residential mobility. Lack of consideration for residential mobility during pregnancy might lead to exposure misclassification that should be addressed in environmental epidemiology. Methods We investigated potential exposure misclassification from estimating exposure during pregnancy by residence at delivery utilizing a prospective cohort of pregnant women in New York, United States (n = 1899; 2016-2019). We calculated exposure during pregnancy corresponding to each address for fine particles (PM2.5), temperature, and greenness (Enhanced Vegetation Index [EVI]). Results Twenty-two percent of participants moved at least once during pregnancy; 82.3% of movers changed residences during the second or third trimesters. Participants with better health, lower parity, and higher socioeconomic status were more likely to move. Exposures based on address at delivery rather than residential history overestimated exposure for PM2.5 (exposure error: range -5.7 to 4.6 µg/m3, average -0.6 µg/m3) and EVI (range -0.305 to 0.307, average -0.013), but not temperature. Overestimations were significantly larger for mothers with higher socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate that the error for prenatal exposure can occur when residential mobility is not considered and is disproportional by maternal characteristics. Conclusions Epidemiological studies should consider residential mobility in exposure assessments based on geolocation when possible, and results based on mother's residence at birth should be interpreted with understanding of potential differential exposure misclassification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seulkee Heo
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Yelena Afanasyeva
- Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
- Department of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
- Department of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Michelle L. Bell
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
- Department of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, New York
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10
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Nyadanu SD, Tessema GA, Mullins B, Chai K, Yitshak-Sade M, Pereira G. Critical Windows of Maternal Exposure to Biothermal Stress and Birth Weight for Gestational Age in Western Australia. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127017. [PMID: 38149876 PMCID: PMC10752220 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited and inconsistent evidence on the risk of ambient temperature on small for gestational age (SGA) and there are no known related studies for large for gestational age (LGA). In addition, previous studies used temperature rather than a biothermal metric. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to examine the associations and critical susceptible windows of maternal exposure to a biothermal metric [Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)] and the hazards of SGA and LGA. METHODS We linked 385,337 singleton term births between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2015 in Western Australia to daily spatiotemporal UTCI. Distributed lag nonlinear models with Cox regression and multiple models were used to investigate maternal exposure to UTCI from 12 weeks preconception to birth and the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of SGA and LGA. RESULTS Relative to the median exposure, weekly and monthly specific exposures showed potential critical windows of susceptibility for SGA and LGA at extreme exposures, especially during late gestational periods. Monthly exposure showed strong positive associations from the 6th to the 10th gestational months with the highest hazard of 13% for SGA (HR = 1.13 ; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.14) and 7% for LGA (HR = 1.07 ; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.11) at the 10th month for the 1st UTCI centile. Entire pregnancy exposures showed the strongest hazards of 11% for SGA (HR = 1.11 ; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.18) and 3% for LGA (HR = 1.03 ; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.11) at the 99th UTCI centile. By trimesters, the highest hazards were found during the second and first trimesters for SGA and LGA, respectively, at the 99th UTCI centile. Based on estimated interaction effects, male births, mothers who were non-Caucasian, smokers, ≥ 35 years of age, and rural residents were most vulnerable. CONCLUSIONS Both weekly and monthly specific extreme biothermal stress exposures showed potential critical susceptible windows of SGA and LGA during late gestational periods with disproportionate sociodemographic vulnerabilities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12660.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- Education, Culture, and Health Opportunities (ECHO) Ghana, ECHO Research Group International, Aflao, Ghana
| | - Gizachew A. Tessema
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ben Mullins
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kevin Chai
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Maayan Yitshak-Sade
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gavin Pereira
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Impact Assessment, Faculty of Health Science, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
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11
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Mork D, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Weisskopf M, Coull BA, Wilson A. Heterogeneous Distributed Lag Models to Estimate Personalized Effects of Maternal Exposures to Air Pollution. J Am Stat Assoc 2023; 119:14-26. [PMID: 38835505 PMCID: PMC11147136 DOI: 10.1080/01621459.2023.2258595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Children's health studies support an association between maternal environmental exposures and children's birth outcomes. A common goal is to identify critical windows of susceptibility-periods during gestation with increased association between maternal exposures and a future outcome. The timing of the critical windows and magnitude of the associations are likely heterogeneous across different levels of individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics. Using an administrative Colorado birth cohort we estimate the individualized relationship between weekly exposures to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) during gestation and birth weight. To achieve this goal, we propose a statistical learning method combining distributed lag models and Bayesian additive regression trees to estimate critical windows at the individual level and identify characteristics that induce heterogeneity from a high-dimensional set of potential modifying factors. We find evidence of heterogeneity in the PM 2.5 -birth weight relationship, with some mother-child dyads showing a 3 times larger decrease in birth weight for an IQR increase in exposure (5.9 to 8.5 PM 2.5 μg/m3) compared to the population average. Specifically, we find increased vulnerabilitity for non-Hispanic mothers who are either younger, have higher body mass index or lower educational attainment. Our case study is the first precision health study of critical windows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mork
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
| | | | - Marc Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Ander Wilson
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University
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12
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Mehta M, Basu R, Ghosh R. Adverse effects of temperature on perinatal and pregnancy outcomes: methodological challenges and knowledge gaps. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1185836. [PMID: 38026314 PMCID: PMC10646498 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1185836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence linking temperature with adverse perinatal and pregnancy outcomes is emerging. We searched for literature published until 30 January 2023 in PubMed, Web of Science, and reference lists of articles focusing on the outcomes that were most studied like preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A review of the literature reveals important gaps in knowledge and several methodological challenges. One important gap is the lack of knowledge of how core body temperature modulates under extreme ambient temperature exposure during pregnancy. We do not know the magnitude of non-modulation of body temperature during pregnancy that is clinically significant, i.e., when the body starts triggering physiologic counterbalances. Furthermore, few studies are conducted in places where extreme temperature conditions are more frequently encountered, such as in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Little is also known about specific cost-effective interventions that can be implemented in vulnerable communities to reduce adverse outcomes. As the threat of global warming looms large, effective interventions are critically necessary to mitigate its effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maitry Mehta
- Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rupa Basu
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Rakesh Ghosh
- Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute for Health and Aging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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13
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Sun Y, Headon KS, Jiao A, Slezak JM, Avila CC, Chiu VY, Sacks DA, Molitor J, Benmarhnia T, Chen JC, Getahun D, Wu J. Association of Antepartum and Postpartum Air Pollution Exposure With Postpartum Depression in Southern California. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2338315. [PMID: 37851440 PMCID: PMC10585409 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.38315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Women are especially vulnerable to mental health matters post partum because of biological, emotional, and social changes during this period. However, epidemiologic evidence of an association between air pollution exposure and postpartum depression (PPD) is limited. Objective To examine the associations between antepartum and postpartum maternal air pollution exposure and PPD. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) electronic health records and included women who had singleton live births at KPSC facilities between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016. Data were analyzed between January 1 and May 10, 2023. Exposures Ambient air pollution exposures were assessed based on maternal residential addresses using monthly averages of particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 μm (PM2.5), particulate matter less than or equal to 10 μm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) from spatial interpolation of monitoring station measurements. Constituents of PM2.5 (sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, organic matter, and black carbon) were obtained from fine-resolution geoscience-derived models based on satellite, ground-based monitor, and chemical transport modeling data. Main Outcomes and Measures Participants with an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of 10 or higher during the 6 months after giving birth were referred to a clinical interview for further assessment and diagnosis. Ascertainment of PPD was defined using a combination of diagnostic codes and prescription medications. Results The study included 340 679 participants (mean [SD] age, 30.05 [5.81] years), with 25 674 having PPD (7.54%). Increased risks for PPD were observed to be associated with per-IQR increases in antepartum and postpartum exposures to O3 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12), PM10 (AOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04), and PM2.5 (AOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1. 00-1.03) but not with NO2; PPD risks were mainly associated with PM2.5 organic matter and black carbon. Overall, a higher risk of PPD was associated with O3 during the entire pregnancy and postpartum periods and with PM exposure during the late pregnancy and postpartum periods. Conclusions and Relevance The study findings suggest that long-term exposure to antepartum and postpartum air pollution was associated with higher PPD risks. Identifying the modifiable environmental risk factors and developing interventions are important public health issues to improve maternal mental health and alleviate the disease burden of PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sun
- Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine
| | | | - Anqi Jiao
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine
| | - Jeff M. Slezak
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California
| | - Chantal C. Avila
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California
| | - Vicki Y. Chiu
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California
| | - David A. Sacks
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - John Molitor
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Departments of Population and Public Health Sciences and Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Darios Getahun
- Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California
- Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, California
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine
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14
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Leung M, Modest AM, Hacker MR, Wylie BJ, Wei Y, Schwartz J, Iyer HS, Hart JE, Coull BA, Laden F, Weisskopf MG, Papatheodorou S. Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Ultrasound Parameters of Fetal Growth in Eastern Massachusetts. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:1105-1115. [PMID: 36963378 PMCID: PMC10893850 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad072] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have examined the association between prenatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2)-a traffic emissions tracer-and fetal growth based on ultrasound measures. Yet, most have used exposure assessment methods with low temporal resolution, which limits the identification of critical exposure windows given that pregnancy is relatively short. Here, we used NO2 data from an ensemble model linked to residential addresses at birth to fit distributed lag models that estimated the association between NO2 exposure (resolved weekly) and ultrasound biometric parameters in a Massachusetts-based cohort of 9,446 singleton births from 2011-2016. Ultrasound biometric parameters examined included biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference, femur length, and abdominal circumference. All models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, time trends, and temperature. We found that higher NO2 was negatively associated with all ultrasound parameters. The critical window differed depending on the parameter and when it was assessed. For example, for BPD measured after week 31, the critical exposure window appeared to be weeks 15-25; 10-parts-per-billion higher NO2 sustained from conception to the time of measurement was associated with a lower mean z score of -0.11 (95% CI: -0.17, -0.05). Our findings indicate that reducing traffic emissions is one potential avenue to improving fetal and offspring health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Stefania Papatheodorou
- Correspondence to Dr. Stefania Papatheodorou, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building, Boston, MA, 02115 (e-mail: )
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15
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Jiao A, Sun Y, Avila C, Chiu V, Molitor J, Slezak J, Sacks DA, Chen JC, Benmarhnia T, Getahun D, Wu J. Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution mixture and premature rupture of membranes: Evidence from a large cohort in Southern California (2008-2018). ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 177:108030. [PMID: 37329760 PMCID: PMC10947473 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is minimal evidence of relationships between maternal air pollution exposure and spontaneous premature rupture of membranes (SPROM), a critical obstetrical problem that can significantly increase maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. No prior study has explored the PROM risk related to specific components of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5). We examined associations between maternal exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), PM2.5, PM10, and PM2.5 constituents and SPROM. METHODS A large retrospective cohort study was conducted and included 427,870 singleton live births from Kaiser Permanente Southern California during 2008-2018. Monthly averages of NO2, O3 (8-h daily maximum), PM2.5, and PM10 were measured using empirical Bayesian kriging based on measurements from monitoring stations. Data on PM2.5 sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, organic matter, and black carbon were obtained from a fine-resolution model. A discrete time approach with pooled logistic regressions was used to estimate associations throughout the pregnancy and based on trimesters and gestational months. The quantile-based g-computation models were fitted to examine the effects of 1) the air pollution mixture of four pollutants of interest and 2) the mixture of PM2.5 components. RESULTS There were 37,857 SPROM cases (8.8%) in our study population. We observed relationships between SPROM and maternal exposure to NO2, O3, and PM2.5. PM2.5 sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and organic matter were associated with higher SPROM risks in the single-pollutant model. Mixture analyses demonstrated that the overall effects of the air pollution mixture and PM2.5 mixture in this study were mainly driven by O3 and PM2.5 nitrate, respectively. Underweight mothers had a significantly higher risk of SPROM associated with NO2. CONCLUSION Our findings add to the literature on associations between air pollution exposure and SPROM. This is the first study reporting the impact of PM2.5 constituents on SPROM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Jiao
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Institute of Medical Information, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chantal Avila
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Vicki Chiu
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - John Molitor
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Jeff Slezak
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - David A Sacks
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiu-Chiuan Chen
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Darios Getahun
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA; Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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16
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Rogne T, Wang R, Wang P, Deziel NC, Metayer C, Wiemels JL, Chen K, Warren JL, Ma X. High Ambient Temperature in Pregnancy and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.19.23290227. [PMID: 37293058 PMCID: PMC10246165 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.23290227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Background High ambient temperature is increasingly common due to climate change and is associated with risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy in children, the incidence is increasing, and in the United States it disproportionately affects Latino children. We aimed to investigate the potential association between high ambient temperature in pregnancy and risk of childhood ALL. Methods We used data from California birth records (1982-2015) and California Cancer Registry (1988-2015) to identify ALL cases diagnosed <14 years and 50 times as many controls matched by sex, race/ethnicity, and date of last menstrual period. Ambient temperatures were estimated on a 1-km grid. Association between ambient temperature and ALL was evaluated per gestational week, restricted to May-September, adjusting for confounders. Bayesian meta-regression was applied to identify critical exposure windows. For sensitivity analyses, we evaluated a 90-day pre-pregnancy period (assuming no direct effect before pregnancy) and constructed an alternatively matched dataset for exposure contrast by seasonality. Findings Our study included 6,258 ALL cases and 307,579 controls. The peak association between ambient temperature and risk of ALL was observed in gestational week 8, where a 5 °C increase was associated with an odds ratio of 1.09 (95% confidence interval 1.04-1.14) and 1.05 (95% confidence interval 1.00-1.11) among Latino and non-Latino White children, respectively. The sensitivity analyses supported this. Interpretation Our findings suggest an association between high ambient temperature in early pregnancy and risk of childhood ALL. Further replication and investigation of mechanistic pathways may inform mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tormod Rogne
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pin Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Catherine Metayer
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joseph L. Wiemels
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joshua L. Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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17
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Zhang H, Zhang X, Feng D, Gao Z, Gong Y, Zhang J, Song S, Yu Z, Huang C. Interaction effects of night-time temperature and PM 2.5 on preterm birth in Huai River Basin, China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107729. [PMID: 36623379 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nocturnal temperature is observed increasing with global warming. However, evidence on night-time non-optimal temperature on the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is limited, and the potential interactions with air pollution on PTB has not been well clarified. We therefore conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of night-time temperature extremes on the risk of PTB and its interaction with air pollution. Records of 196,780 singleton births from 4 counties in Huai River Basin (2013-2018) were obtained. Gridded data on night-time temperature were collected from a high-quality Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis dataset. We used a multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the effects of night-time heat and cold exposure on the risk of PTB as well as its subtypes. Potential interactions between night-time temperature extremes and fine particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were examined using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). We found that the risk of PTB was positively associated with third trimester night-time extremely heat and cold exposure, with adjusted OR of 1.898 (95 %CI: 1.655-2.177) and 2.044 (95 %CI: 1.786-2.339). Similar effects were observed for PTB subtypes, moderately PTB (mPTB) and very PTB (vPTB). Synergistic effects (RERI greater than 0) of each trimester night-time temperature extremes exposure and PM2.5 on PTB were observed. We identified consistent positive interactions between night-time temperature extremes and PM2.5 on mPTB. No significant interaction of night-time temperature extremes and PM2.5 on vPTB was found. In conclusion, this large retrospective cohort study found that third trimester night-time heat and cold exposure significantly increased the risk of PTB and its subtypes. There is a synergistic effect between night-time temperature extremes and high PM2.5 levels on PTB and mPTB. In the context of climate warming, our results add new evidence to the current understanding of night-time non-optimal temperature exposure on PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Zhang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoan Zhang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Demin Feng
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhan Gao
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuting Gong
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junxi Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention & Henan Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuaixing Song
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zengli Yu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention & Henan Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Leung M, Laden F, Coull BA, Modest AM, Hacker MR, Wylie BJ, Iyer HS, Hart JE, Wei Y, Schwartz J, Weisskopf MG, Papatheodorou S. Ambient temperature during pregnancy and fetal growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA. Int J Epidemiol 2022:6887251. [PMID: 36495569 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Left unabated, rising temperatures pose an escalating threat to human health. The potential effects of hot temperatures on fetal health have been under-explored. Here, we examined the association between prenatal ambient temperature exposure and fetal growth measures in a Massachusetts-based pregnancy cohort.
Methods
We used ultrasound measurements of biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), femur length and abdominal circumference (AC), in addition to birthweight (BW), from 9446 births at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2011 to 2016. Ultrasound scans were classified into three distinct gestational periods: 16–23 weeks, 24–31 weeks, 32+ weeks; and z-scores were created for each fetal growth measure using the INTERGROWTH-21st standards. We fitted distributed lag models to estimate the time-varying association between weekly temperature and fetal growth, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, seasonal and long-term trends, humidity and particulate matter (PM2.5).
Results
Higher ambient temperature was associated with smaller fetal growth measures. The critical window of exposure appeared to be Weeks 1–20 for ultrasound parameters, and high temperatures throughout pregnancy were important for BW. Associations were strongest for head parameters (BPD and HC) in early to mid-pregnancy, AC late in pregnancy and BW. For example, a 5ºC higher cumulative temperature exposure was associated with a lower mean AC z-score of -0.26 (95% CI: -0.48, -0.04) among 24–31-Week scans, and a lower mean BW z-score of -0.32 (95% CI: -0.51, -0.12).
Conclusion
Higher temperatures were associated with impaired fetal growth. This has major health implications given that extreme temperatures are more common and escalating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leung
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna M Modest
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michele R Hacker
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Blair J Wylie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hari S Iyer
- Division of Population Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaime E Hart
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, MA, USA
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19
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Harari-Kremer R, Calderon-Margalit R, Yuval, Broday D, Kloog I, Raz R. Exposure errors due to inaccurate residential addresses and their impact on epidemiological associations: Evidence from a national neonate dataset. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 246:114032. [PMID: 36084355 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies assessing the associations between prenatal air pollution exposures and birth outcomes commonly use maternal addresses at the time of delivery as a proxy for residency throughout pregnancy. Yet, in large-scale epidemiology studies, maternal addresses commonly originate from an administrative source. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the use of population registry addresses to assign exposure estimations and to evaluate the impact of inaccurate addresses on exposure estimates and association measures of prenatal exposures with congenital hypothyroidism. METHODS We used morbidity data for congenital hypothyroidism from the national program for neonatal screening for 2009-2015 and address data from two sources: population registry and hospital records. We selected neonates with geocoded addresses from both sources (N = 685,491) and developed a comparison algorithm for these addresses. Next, we assigned neonates with exposures from ambient air pollution of PM and NO2/NOX, evaluated exposure assessment differences, and used multivariable logistic regression models to assess the impact that these differences have on association measures. RESULTS We found that most of the exposure differences between neonates with addresses from both sources were around zero and had a leptokurtic distribution density, with most values being zero. Additionally, associations between exposure and congenital hypothyroidism were comparable, regardless of address source and when we limited the model to neonates with identical addresses. CONCLUSIONS We found that ignoring residential inaccuracies results in only a small bias of the associations towards the null. These results strengthen the validity of addresses from population registries for exposure assessment, when detailed residential data during pregnancy are not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthie Harari-Kremer
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University at Jerusalem - Hadassah, Israel; The Advanced School for Environmental Studies, The Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Ronit Calderon-Margalit
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University at Jerusalem - Hadassah, Israel
| | - Yuval
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion, and Technion Center of Excellence in Exposure Science and Environmental Health, Israel
| | - David Broday
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion, and Technion Center of Excellence in Exposure Science and Environmental Health, Israel
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | - Raanan Raz
- Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University at Jerusalem - Hadassah, Israel
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20
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Bakhtsiyarava M, Ortigoza A, Sánchez BN, Braverman-Bronstein A, Kephart JL, Rodríguez López S, Rodríguez J, Diez Roux AV. Ambient temperature and term birthweight in Latin American cities. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107412. [PMID: 35870377 PMCID: PMC9376808 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme temperatures may lead to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, including low birthweight. Studies on the impact of temperature on birthweight have been inconclusive due to methodological challenges related to operationalizing temperature exposure, the definitions of exposure windows, accounting for gestational age, and a limited geographic scope. METHODS We combined data on individual-level term live births (N≈15 million births) from urban areas in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico from 2010 to 2015 from the SALURBAL study (Urban Health in Latin America) with high-resolution daily air temperature data and computed average ambient temperature for every month of gestation for each newborn. Associations between full-term birthweight and average temperature during gestation were analyzed using multi-level distributed lag non-linear models that adjusted for newborn's sex, season of conception, and calendar year of child's birth; controlled for maternal age, education, partnership status, presence of previous births, and climate zone; and included a random term for the sub-city of mother's residence. FINDINGS Higher temperatures during the entire gestation are associated with lower birthweight, particularly in Mexico and Brazil. The cumulative effect of temperature on birthweight is mostly driven by exposure to higher temperatures during months 7-9 of gestation. Higher maternal education can attenuate the temperature-birthweight associations. INTERPRETATION Our work shows that climate-health impacts are likely to be context- and place-specific and warrants research on temperature and birthweight in diverse climates to adequately anticipate global climate change. Given the high societal cost of suboptimal birthweight, public health efforts should be aimed at diminishing the detrimental effect of higher temperatures on birthweight. FUNDING The Wellcome Trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryia Bakhtsiyarava
- Institute of Urban and Regional Development, University of California Berkeley, USA.
| | - Ana Ortigoza
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA
| | - Brisa N Sánchez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA
| | | | - Josiah L Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA
| | - Santiago Rodríguez López
- Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas y Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jordan Rodríguez
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA
| | - Ana V Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, USA
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21
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Deziel NC, Clark CJ, Casey JA, Bell ML, Plata DL, Saiers JE. Assessing Exposure to Unconventional Oil and Gas Development: Strengths, Challenges, and Implications for Epidemiologic Research. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:436-450. [PMID: 35522388 PMCID: PMC9363472 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00358-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epidemiologic studies have observed elevated health risks in populations living near unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). In this narrative review, we discuss strengths and limitations of UOG exposure assessment approaches used in or available for epidemiologic studies, emphasizing studies of children's health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Exposure assessment challenges include (1) numerous potential stressors with distinct spatiotemporal patterns, (2) critical exposure windows that cover long periods and occur in the past, and (3) limited existing monitoring data coupled with the resource-intensiveness of collecting new exposure measurements to capture spatiotemporal variation. All epidemiologic studies used proximity-based models for exposure assessment as opposed to surveys, biomonitoring, or environmental measurements. Nearly all studies used aggregate (rather than pathway-specific) models, which are useful surrogates for the complex mix of potential hazards. Simple and less-specific exposure assessment approaches have benefits in terms of scalability, interpretability, and relevance to specific policy initiatives such as set-back distances. More detailed and specific models and metrics, including dispersion methods and stressor-specific models, could reduce exposure misclassification, illuminate underlying exposure pathways, and inform emission control and exposure mitigation strategies. While less practical in a large population, collection of multi-media environmental and biological exposure measurements would be feasible in cohort subsets. Such assessments are well-suited to provide insights into the presence and magnitude of exposures to UOG-related stressors in relation to spatial surrogates and to better elucidate the plausibility of observed effects in both children and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Deziel
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Cassandra J. Clark
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510 USA
| | - Joan A. Casey
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 630 West 168th Street, Room 16-416, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Michelle L. Bell
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
| | - Desiree L. Plata
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - James E. Saiers
- Yale School of the Environment, 195 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511 USA
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22
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Warren JL, Chang HH, Warren LK, Strickland MJ, Darrow LA, Mulholland JA. CRITICAL WINDOW VARIABLE SELECTION FOR MIXTURES: ESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF MULTIPLE AIR POLLUTANTS ON STILLBIRTH. Ann Appl Stat 2022; 16:1633-1652. [PMID: 36686219 PMCID: PMC9854390 DOI: 10.1214/21-aoas1560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the role of time-varying pollution mixtures on human health is critical as people are simultaneously exposed to multiple pollutants during their lives. For vulnerable subpopulations who have well-defined exposure periods (e.g., pregnant women), questions regarding critical windows of exposure to these mixtures are important for mitigating harm. We extend critical window variable selection (CWVS) to the multipollutant setting by introducing CWVS for mixtures (CWVSmix), a hierarchical Bayesian method that combines smoothed variable selection and temporally correlated weight parameters to: (i) identify critical windows of exposure to mixtures of time-varying pollutants, (ii) estimate the time-varying relative importance of each individual pollutant and their first order interactions within the mixture, and (iii) quantify the impact of the mixtures on health. Through simulation we show that CWVSmix offers the best balance of performance in each of these categories in comparison to competing methods. Using these approaches, we investigate the impact of exposure to multiple ambient air pollutants on the risk of stillbirth in New Jersey, 2005-2014. We find consistent elevated risk in gestational weeks 2, 16-17, and 20 for non-Hispanic Black mothers, with pollution mixtures dominated by ammonium (weeks 2, 17, 20), nitrate (weeks 2, 17), nitrogen oxides (weeks 2, 16), PM2.5 (week 2), and sulfate (week 20). The method is available in the R package CWVSmix.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Howard H. Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioninformatics, Emory University
| | | | | | | | - James A. Mulholland
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
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23
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Zhang H, Zhang X, Zhang H, Luo H, Feng Y, Wang J, Huang C, Yu Z. Assessing the effect of fine particulate matter on adverse birth outcomes in Huai River Basin, Henan, China, 2013-2018. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119357. [PMID: 35489530 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that maternal exposure to particles with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) is associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, the critical exposure windows remain inconsistent. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Huai River Basin, Henan, China during 2013-2018. Daily PM2.5 concentration was collected using Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis datasets. We calculated exposures for each participant based on the residential address during pregnancy. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the trimester-specific association of PM2.5 exposure with preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and term LBW (tLBW), and we further estimated monthly and weekly association using distributed lag models. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure. Stratified analyses were performed by maternal age, infant gender, parity, and socioeconomic status (SES). In total, 196,780 eligible births were identified, including 4257 (2.2%) PTBs, 3483 (1.8%) LBWs and 1770 (0.9%) tLBWs. Maternal PM2.5 exposure during the second trimester were associated with the risk of PTB and LBW. At the monthly level, the PTB and LBW risks were associated with PM2.5 exposure mainly in the 4th -6th month. By estimating the weekly-specific association, we observed that critical exposure windows of PM2.5 exposure and PTB were in the 18th- 27th gestational weeks. Stronger associations were found in younger, multiparous mothers and those with a female baby and in low SES. In conclusion, the results indicate that maternal PM2.5 exposure during the second trimester was associated with PTB and LBW. Younger, multiparous mothers and those with female babies and in low SES were susceptible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoan Zhang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Han Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Luo
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Feng
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingzhe Wang
- MNR Key Laboratory for Geo-Environmental Monitoring of Great Bay Area & Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urban Informatics & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spatial Smart Sensing and Services, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zengli Yu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, Key Laboratory of Population Defects Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
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Payne-Sturges DC, Puett R, Cory-Slechta DA. Both parents matter: a national-scale analysis of parental race/ethnicity, disparities in prenatal PM 2.5 exposures and related impacts on birth outcomes. Environ Health 2022; 21:47. [PMID: 35513869 PMCID: PMC9074320 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00856-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most U.S. studies that report racial/ethnic disparities in increased risk of low birth weight associated with air pollution exposures have been conducted in California or northeastern states and/or urban areas, limiting generalizability of study results. Few of these studies have examined maternal racial/ethnic groups other than Non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White and Hispanic, nor have they included paternal race. We aimed to examine the independent effects of PM2.5 on birth weight among a nationally representative sample of U.S. singleton infants and how both maternal and paternal race/ethnicity modify relationships between prenatal PM2.5 exposures and birth outcomes. METHODS We used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a longitudinal nationally representative cohort of 10,700 U.S. children born in 2001, which we linked to U.S.EPA's Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ)-derived predicted daily PM2.5 concentrations at the centroid of each Census Bureau Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) for maternal residences. We examined relationships between term birthweight (TBW), term low birthweight rate (TLBW) and gestational PM2.5 pollutant using multivariate regression models. Effect modification of air pollution exposures on birth outcomes by maternal and paternal race was evaluated using stratified models. All analyses were conducted with sample weights to provide national-scale estimates. RESULTS The majority of mothers were White (61%). Fourteen percent of mothers identified as Black, 21% as Hispanic, 3% Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and 1% American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN). Fathers were also racially/ethnically diverse with 55% identified as White Non-Hispanic, 10% as Black Non-Hispanic, 19% as Hispanic, 3% as AAPI and 1% as AIAN. Results from the chi-square and ANOVA tests of significance for racial/ethnic differences indicate disparities in prenatal exposures and birth outcomes by both maternal and paternal race/ethnicity. Prenatal PM2.5 was associated with reduced birthweights during second and third trimester and over the entire gestational period in adjusted regression models, although results did not reach statistical significance. In models stratified by maternal race and paternal race, one unit increase in PM2.5 was statistically significantly associated with lower birthweights among AAPI mothers, -5.6 g (95% CI:-10.3, -1.0 g) and AAPI fathers, -7.6 g (95% CI: -13.1, -2.1 g) during 3rd trimester and among births where father's race was not reported, -14.2 g (95% CI: -24.0, -4.4 g). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that paternal characteristics should be used, in addition to maternal characteristics, to describe the risks of adverse birth outcomes. Additionally, our study suggests that serious consideration should be given to investigating environmental and social mechanisms, such as air pollution exposures, as potential contributors to disparities in birth outcomes among AAPI populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon C Payne-Sturges
- School of Public Health, Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
| | - Robin Puett
- School of Public Health, Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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Palma A, Petrunyk I, Vuri D. Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2022; 31:729-759. [PMID: 35001469 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been shown to have adverse effects on many health outcomes including respiratory effects, cardiovascular effects, and mortality. However, evidence on the effects of prenatal exposure is still limited. We investigate the causal impact of prenatal exposure to air pollution on neonatal health in Italy in the 2000s. We exploit variation in rainfall shocks to instrument for non-random air pollution exposure. Our empirical setting combines detailed information on mother's residential location from birth certificates with PM10 concentrations from air pollution monitors. Ten additional units in the average PM10 level (approximately one standard deviation) would decrease birth weight by about 0.5% and gestational age by 0.16%; it would increase the prevalence of low birth weight by 22% and of preterm birth by 16%. The effects are stronger in magnitude for third trimester exposure and for less educated mothers. These findings suggest that the health impacts of air pollution on newborns are unequally distributed in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Palma
- Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Social Sciences Area, L'Aquila, Italy
- The Centre of Economic and International Studies (CEIS), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Vuri
- The Centre of Economic and International Studies (CEIS), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Department of Economics and Finance - DEF, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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26
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Pre- and Postnatal Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Childhood Cognitive and Adaptive Function. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19073748. [PMID: 35409432 PMCID: PMC8997879 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence exists for an association between early life fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and several neurodevelopmental outcomes, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the association between PM2.5 and adaptive and cognitive function remains poorly understood. Participants included 658 children with ASD, 771 with a non-ASD developmental disorder, and 849 population controls from the Study to Explore Early Development. Adaptive functioning was assessed in ASD cases using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); cognitive functioning was assessed in all groups using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). A satellite-based model was used to assign PM2.5 exposure averages during pregnancy, each trimester, and the first year of life. Linear regression was used to estimate beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for maternal age, education, prenatal tobacco use, race-ethnicity, study site, and season of birth. PM2.5 exposure was associated with poorer VABS scores for several domains, including daily living skills and socialization. Associations were present between prenatal PM2.5 and lower MSEL scores for all groups combined; results were most prominent for population controls in stratified analyses. These data suggest that early life PM2.5 exposure is associated with specific aspects of cognitive and adaptive functioning in children with and without ASD.
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Johnson M, Shin HH, Roberts E, Sun L, Fisher M, Hystad P, Van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Fraser WD, Lavigne E, Clark N, Beaulac V, Arbuckle TE. Critical Time Windows for Air Pollution Exposure and Birth Weight in a Multicity Canadian Pregnancy Cohort. Epidemiology 2022; 33:7-16. [PMID: 34669628 PMCID: PMC8614564 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal prenatal exposure to air pollution has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, previous studies focused on a priori time intervals such as trimesters reported inconsistent associations. OBJECTIVES We investigated time-varying vulnerability of birth weight to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) using flexible time intervals. METHODS We analyzed 1,300 live, full-term births from Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals, a Canadian prospective pregnancy cohort spanning 10 cities (2008-2011). Daily PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations were estimated from ground-level monitoring, satellite models, and land-use regression, and assigned to participants from pre-pregnancy through delivery. We developed a flexible two-stage modeling method-using a Bayesian Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and empirical density threshold-to identify time-dependent vulnerability to air pollution without specifying exposure periods a priori. This approach identified critical windows with varying lengths (2-363 days) and critical windows that fell within, or straddled, predetermined time periods (i.e., trimesters). We adjusted the models for detailed infant and maternal covariates. RESULTS Critical windows associated with reduced birth weight were identified during mid- to late-pregnancy for both PM2.5 and NO2: -6 g (95% credible interval: -11, -1 g) and -5 g (-10, -0.1 g) per µg/m3 PM2.5 during gestational days 91-139 and 249-272, respectively; and -3 g (-5, -1 g) per ppb NO2 during days 55-145. DISCUSSION We used a novel, flexible selection method to identify critical windows when maternal exposures to air pollution were associated with decrements in birth weight. Our results suggest that air pollution impacts on fetal development may not be adequately captured by trimester-based analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markey Johnson
- From the Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hwashin Hyun Shin
- Environmental Health Sciences and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Liu Sun
- From the Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mandy Fisher
- Environmental Health Sciences and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Perry Hystad
- School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Aaron Van Donkelaar
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | | | - Eric Lavigne
- From the Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nina Clark
- From the Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Vanessa Beaulac
- From the Air Health Science Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tye E. Arbuckle
- Environmental Health Sciences and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Zhang H, Zhang X, Zhao X, Cheng G, Chang H, Ye X, Wang J, Yu Z, Wang Q, Huang C. Maternal exposure to air pollution and congenital heart diseases in Henan, China: A register-based case-control study. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 229:113070. [PMID: 34920182 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.113070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Association between ambient air pollution and congenital heart diseases (CHDs) remains inconclusive, and the critical exposure windows has not been well studied. OBJECTIVES This case-control study aimed to assess the effect of ambient air pollution exposure on the risk of CHDs and the subtypes in Henan, China, and further to explore potential susceptible windows. METHODS Daily average particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ≤10 µm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) were collected by Chinese Air Quality Reanalysis datasets. Binary logistic regression was used to examine trimester-specific associations between per 10 μg/m3 increase in air pollutants and CHDs as well as the major subtypes. Distributed lag models incorporating logistic regression were applied to explore weekly-specific associations. RESULTS A total of 196,069 singleton live births were included during 2013-2018, 643 CHDs were identified (3.3‰). We found that first and second trimester CO exposure increased overall CHDs risk, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 1.066 (1.010-1.125) and 1.065 (1.012-1.122). For CHDs subtypes, we observed that NO2 and CO in first trimester, PM2.5 and PM10 in the second trimester exposure were associated with the risk of atrial septal defect (ASD), the susceptible windows of air pollutants and ASD mainly occurred in the 1st- 6th gestational weeks. No positive association was observed for air pollution and tetralogy of Fallot. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that ambient air pollution exposure is associated with the risk of CHDs especially for ASD, and the susceptible windows generally occurred in first trimester. Further well-designed longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoan Zhang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guomei Cheng
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Chang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Ye
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai Meteorological Service, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingzhe Wang
- MNR Key Laboratory for Geo-Environmental Monitoring of Great Bay Area & Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urban Informatics & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spatial Smart Sensing and Services, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zengli Yu
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Qiong Wang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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29
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Ebisu K, Basu R. Selecting exposure data and identifying relevant exposure windows for birth outcome studies. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022; 36:90-91. [PMID: 34951023 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Keita Ebisu
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Rupa Basu
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, Oakland, California, USA
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Leung M, Weisskopf MG, Laden F, Coull BA, Modest AM, Hacker MR, Wylie BJ, Wei Y, Schwartz J, Papatheodorou S. Exposure to PM2.5 during Pregnancy and Fetal Growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:17004. [PMID: 34989624 PMCID: PMC8734565 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies have examined the association between fine particulate matter [PM ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)] and fetal growth with either limited spatial or temporal resolution. OBJECTIVES In this study, we examined the association between PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and fetal growth measures (ultrasound parameters and birth weight) in a pregnancy cohort using spatiotemporally resolved PM2.5 in Eastern Massachusetts, USA. METHODS We used ultrasound measures of biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference, femur length, and abdominal circumference (AC), in addition to birth weight, from 9,446 pregnancies that were delivered at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2011-2016. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine the associations of PM2.5 in two exposure windows (the first 16 wk of pregnancy and the cumulative exposure up until the assessment of fetal growth) with anatomic scans (ultrasound measures at<24 wk), growth scans (ultrasound measures at≥24wk), and birth weight. All models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, long-term trends, and temperature. RESULTS Higher PM2.5 exposure in the first 16 wk was associated with smaller fetal growth measures, where associations were particularly strong for BPD, AC, and birth weight. For example, a 5-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a lower mean BPD z-score of -0.19 (95% CI: -0.31, -0.06) before 24 wk, a lower mean AC z-score of -0.15 (95% CI: -0.28, -0.01) after 24 wk, and a lower mean birth weight z-score of -0.11 (95% CI: -0.20, -0.01). Analyses examining the associations with cumulative PM2.5 exposure up until the assessment of fetal growth produced attenuated associations. CONCLUSIONS Higher gestational exposure to PM2.5 was associated with smaller fetal growth measures at levels below the current national standards. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9824.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leung
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marc G. Weisskopf
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Francine Laden
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna M. Modest
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michele R. Hacker
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Blair J. Wylie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stefania Papatheodorou
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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31
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Ahmed SM, Mishra GD, Moss KM, Yang IA, Lycett K, Knibbs LD. Maternal and Childhood Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Mental Health Symptoms and Psychomotor Development in Children: An Australian Population-Based Longitudinal Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:107003. [PMID: 34991263 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence indicates early life exposure to air pollution, a suspected neurotoxicant, is negatively associated with children's neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVES To explore the role of multiple exposure periods to ambient particulate matter with diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on emotion and behaviour, and early development in children <13 years. METHODS We used data from Mothers and their Children's Health (MatCH) study, a 2016/17 sub-study from a prospective longitudinal study, the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Annual PM2.5 and NO2 estimates since 1996 were obtained from a land-use regression model. Maternal residential proximity to roadways were used as a proxy measure of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Child outcomes were maternal-rated emotional and behavioural problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ, aged 2-12 years, n = 5471 children) and developmental delay in communication and gross motor skills (Ages and Stages Questionnaire; ASQ, aged 1-66 months, n = 1265 children). Defined exposure periods were early life exposure ('during pregnancy' and 'first year of life') and 'children's lifetime exposure'. Ambient air pollution was divided into tertiles and logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratio (OR) for each child outcome, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS Children exposed to moderate and high PM2.5 exposure, compared to low exposure, across all periods, had higher odds of emotional and behavioural problems, and gross motor delay. Children's lifetime exposure to moderate levels of PM2.5 (5.9-7.1 µg/m3) was associated with 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.03, 1.57) fold higher odds of emotional/behavioural problems. Similar associations were found for moderate PM2.5 levels at 'first year of life' in a two-pollutant model only (OR: 1.30; 1.05, 1.60). However, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that NO2 exposure or living within 200 m of major roads was associated with emotional and behaviour problems or developmental delay across any exposure periods. CONCLUSION We found isolated evidence that early life and childhood exposure to PM2.5 may be associated with emotional and behavioural problems and delays in gross motor skills, but most associations were null. Due to the limited number of longitudinal studies on low-exposure settings, further studies with more temporally refined exposure assessment are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma M Ahmed
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Gita D Mishra
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Katrina M Moss
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ian A Yang
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, and Thoracic Medicine, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland Australia
| | - Kate Lycett
- Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Miao H, Wu H, Zhu Y, Kong L, Yu X, Zeng Q, Chen Y, Zhang Q, Guo P, Wang D. Congenital anomalies associated with ambient temperature variability during fetal organogenesis period of pregnancy: Evidence from 4.78 million births. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 798:149305. [PMID: 34340080 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Evidence for the effects of temperature variability on risk of congenital anomalies is lacking. We aimed to examine the association of temperature variability during fetal organogenesis period (weeks 3-8 post-conception) with major congenital anomalies. METHODS A retrospective cohort study comprising 4,787,356 singleton live-births and stillbirths in China was performed. We defined two temperature variability indices within gestational week i: the standard deviation (SD) of daily temperature (TVSDi) and the maximum day-to-day temperature difference (TVDi). At 6-week long timescales, we computed the SD of daily temperature (TVSD3-8) and the average value of TVDi (TVD3-8). We matched two temperature variability indices, pollutant exposure levels over entire exposure window and data of each mother-infant pairs. An extended generalized estimating equation log-binomial regression model was constructed to explore their associations after adjusting for individual characters, temperature extremes and air pollutants. Stratified and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS 59,571 neonates were registered as major congenital anomalies besides genetic and chromosomal anomalies. At weekly levels, the highest risk estimates of two temperature variability indices occurred at the 5th week for most anomaly groups. All TVSD5, TVD5, and maximum weekly TVSD and TVD were significantly associated with all anomaly groups; with the increment of 1 °C, the estimated risk ratio (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) ranges from 1.03 (1.01-1.05) to 1.19 (1.08-1.31). At 6-week scales, TVSD3-8 and TVD3-8 were associated with most anomaly subgroups. Overall, the strongest associations were estimated for isolated defects among morphology subgroups and cardiac defects among type subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to temperature variability during fetal organogenesis period of pregnancy is associated with increased risk of major congenital defects. Our findings provide a research foundation for public health policies, and further mechanism investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huazhang Miao
- School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China; Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No.521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou 511442, China
| | - Haisheng Wu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yingxian Zhu
- Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No.521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou 511442, China
| | - Lei Kong
- LAPC & ICCES, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaolin Yu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Qinghui Zeng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yuliang Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Qingying Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China.
| | - Pi Guo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou 515041, China.
| | - Dong Wang
- School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China.
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Goin DE, Sudat S, Riddell C, Morello-Frosch R, Apte JS, Glymour MM, Karasek D, Casey JA. Hyperlocalized Measures of Air Pollution and Preeclampsia in Oakland, California. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:14710-14719. [PMID: 34648281 PMCID: PMC8968652 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), and ultrafine particles (UFPs) during pregnancy may increase the risk of preeclampsia, but previous studies have not assessed hyperlocalized differences in pollutant levels, which may cause exposure misclassification. We used data from Google Street View cars with mobile air monitors that repeatedly sampled NO2, BC, and UFPs every 30 m in Downtown and West Oakland neighborhoods during 2015-2017. Data were linked to electronic health records of pregnant women in the 2014-2016 Sutter Health population, who resided within 120 m of monitoring data (N = 1095), to identify preeclampsia cases. We used G-computation with log-binomial regression to estimate risk differences (RDs) associated with a hypothetical intervention reducing pollutant levels to the 25th percentile observed in our sample on preeclampsia risk, overall and stratified by race/ethnicity. Prevalence of preeclampsia was 6.8%. Median (interquartile range) levels of NO2, BC, and UFPs were 10.8 ppb (9.0, 13.0), 0.34 μg/m3 (0.27, 0.42), and 29.2 # × 103/cm3 (26.6, 32.6), respectively. Changes in the risk of preeclampsia achievable by limiting each pollutant to the 25th percentile were NO2 RD = -1.5 per 100 women (95% confidence interval (CI): -2.5, -0.5); BC RD = -1.0 (95% CI: -2.2, 0.02); and UFP RD = -0.5 (95% CI: -1.8, 0.7). Estimated effects were the largest for non-Latina Black mothers: NO2 RD = -2.8 (95% CI: -5.2, -0.3) and BC RD = -3.0 (95% CI: -6.4, 0.4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana E. Goin
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, United States of America
| | - Sylvia Sudat
- Research, Development and Dissemination, Sutter Health, Walnut Creek, California, 94596, United States of America
| | - Corinne Riddell
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States of America
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States of America
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management & School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States of America
| | - Joshua S. Apte
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering & School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States of America
| | - M. Maria Glymour
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, United States of America
| | - Deborah Karasek
- Preterm Birth Initiative, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, United States of America
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, United States of America
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Yitshak-Sade M, Kloog I, Schwartz JD, Novack V, Erez O, Just AC. The effect of prenatal temperature and PM 2.5 exposure on birthweight: Weekly windows of exposure throughout the pregnancy. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106588. [PMID: 33940393 PMCID: PMC8292186 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birthweight is a strong predictor of normal growth, healthy development, and survival. Several studies have found associations between temperature, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and birth weight. However, the relevant timing of exposures varies between studies and is yet unclear. Therefore, we assessed the difference in term birthweight (TBW) associated with weekly exposure to temperature and PM2.5 throughout 37 weeks of gestation. METHODS We included all singleton live term births in Massachusetts, U.S between 2004 and 2015 (n = 712,438). Weekly PM2.5 and temperature predictions were estimated on a 1 km grid from satellite-based models. We utilized a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to estimate the difference in TBW associated with weekly exposures from the last menstrual period to 37 weeks of gestation. RESULTS We found a nonlinear association with prenatal temperature exposure. Larger effects were observed in warmer temperatures, where higher temperatures were negatively associated with TBW. Temperature effects were larger in the first and final weeks of gestation. We observed a negative difference in TBW associated with PM2.5 exposure. Overall, a 1 µg/m3 increase in prenatal exposure was associated with 3.9 g lower TBW (95% CI -5.0 g; -2.9 g). PM2.5 effects were larger in the final weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION We found heat and PM2.5 exposure to be related to lower TBW. Our findings suggest that women are more susceptible to both exposures towards the end of pregnancy. Susceptibility to heat was higher in the initial weeks of pregnancy as well. These critical windows of susceptibility can be communicated to pregnant women during routine prenatal visits to increase awareness and target interventions to reduce exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Yitshak-Sade
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Itai Kloog
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, New York, NY, USA; Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Joel D Schwartz
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victor Novack
- Negev Environmental Health Research Institute, Beer Sheva, Israel; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Offer Erez
- Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Allan C Just
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Dunne J, Tessema GA, Ognjenovic M, Pereira G. Quantifying the influence of bias in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology through simulation. Ann Epidemiol 2021; 63:86-101. [PMID: 34384883 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2021.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The application of simulated data in epidemiological studies enables the illustration and quantification of the magnitude of various types of bias commonly found in observational studies. This was a review of the application of simulation methods to the quantification of bias in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology and an assessment of value gained. METHODS A search of published studies available in English was conducted in August 2020 using PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus. A gray literature search of Google and Google Scholar, and a hand search using the reference lists of included studies was undertaken. RESULTS Thirty-nine papers were included in this study, covering information (n = 14), selection (n = 14), confounding (n = 9), protection (n = 1), and attenuation bias (n = 1). The methods of simulating data and reporting of results varied, with more recent studies including causal diagrams. Few studies included code for replication. CONCLUSIONS Although there has been an increasing application of simulation in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology since 2015, overall this remains an underexplored area. Further efforts are required to increase knowledge of how the application of simulation can quantify the influence of bias, including improved design, analysis and reporting. This will improve causal interpretation in reproductive and perinatal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Dunne
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
| | - Gizachew A Tessema
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Milica Ognjenovic
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Gavin Pereira
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia; Center for Fertility and Health (CeFH), Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Deziel NC. Invited Perspective: Oil and Gas Development and Adverse Birth Outcomes: What More Do We Need to Know? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:71301. [PMID: 34287014 PMCID: PMC8312483 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. Deziel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Joint effects of ambient air pollution and maternal smoking on neonatal adiposity and childhood BMI trajectories in the Healthy Start study. Environ Epidemiol 2021; 5:e142. [PMID: 34131612 PMCID: PMC8196098 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Coexposure to air pollution and tobacco smoke may influence early-life growth, but few studies have investigated their joint effects. We examined the interaction between fetal exposure to maternal smoking and ozone (O3) or fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on birth weight, neonatal adiposity, and body mass index (BMI) trajectories through age 3 years. Methods Participants were 526 mother-child pairs, born ≥37 weeks. Cotinine was measured at ~27 weeks gestation. Whole pregnancy and trimester-specific O3 and PM2.5 were estimated via. inverse-distance weighted interpolation from stationary monitors. Neonatal adiposity (fat mass percentage) was measured via. air displacement plethysmography. Child weight and length/height were abstracted from medical records. Interaction was assessed by introducing cotinine (<31.5 vs. ≥31.5 ng/mL [indicating active smoking]), O3/PM2.5 (low [tertiles 1-2] vs. high [tertile 3]), and their product term in linear regression models for birth weight and neonatal adiposity and mixed-effects models for BMI trajectories. Results The rate of BMI growth among offspring jointly exposed to maternal smoking and high PM2.5 (between 8.1 and 12.7 μg/m3) in the third trimester was more rapid than would be expected due to the individual exposures alone (0.8 kg/m2 per square root year; 95% CI = 0.1, 1.5; P for interaction = 0.03). We did not detect interactions between maternal smoking and O3 or PM2.5 at any other time on birth weight, neonatal adiposity, or BMI trajectories. Conclusions Although PM2.5 was generally below the EPA annual air quality standards of 12.0 μg/m3, exposure during the third trimester may influence BMI trajectories when combined with maternal smoking.
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Early Life Exposure to Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from a Multisite Case-Control Study. Epidemiology 2021; 31:103-114. [PMID: 31592868 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies have reported associations between prenatal and early postnatal air pollution exposure and autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, findings differ by pollutant and developmental window. OBJECTIVES We examined associations between early life exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) and ozone in association with ASD across multiple US regions. METHODS Our study participants included 674 children with confirmed ASD and 855 population controls from the Study to Explore Early Development, a multi-site case-control study of children born from 2003 to 2006 in the United States. We used a satellite-based model to assign air pollutant exposure averages during several critical periods of neurodevelopment: 3 months before pregnancy; each trimester of pregnancy; the entire pregnancy; and the first year of life. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for study site, maternal age, maternal education, maternal race/ethnicity, maternal smoking, and month and year of birth. RESULTS The air pollution-ASD associations appeared to vary by exposure time period. Ozone exposure during the third trimester was associated with ASD, with an OR of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.4) per 6.6 ppb increase in ozone. We additionally observed a positive association with PM2.5 exposure during the first year of life (OR = 1.3 [95% CI: 1.0, 1.6] per 1.6 µg/m increase in PM2.5). CONCLUSIONS Our study corroborates previous findings of a positive association between early life air pollution exposure and ASD, and identifies a potential critical window of exposure during the late prenatal and early postnatal periods.
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Gonsalves GS, David Paltiel A, Thornhill T, Iloglu S, DeMaria A, Cranston K, Monina Klevens R, Walensky RP, Warren JL. The Dynamics of Infectious Diseases Associated With Injection Drug Use in Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab128. [PMID: 34189158 PMCID: PMC8231383 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There are a wide variety of infectious complications of injection drug use. Understanding the trajectory of these complications might inform the development of an early warning system for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreaks that occur regularly among people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods A distributed lag Poisson regression model in the Bayesian setting was used to examine temporal patterns in the incidence of injection-associated infectious diseases and their association with HIV cases in Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts between 2005 and 2018. Results Current-month HIV counts are associated with fatal overdoses approximately 8 months prior, cases of infective endocarditis 10 months prior, and cases of skin and soft tissue infections and incision and drainage procedures associated with these infections 12 months prior. Conclusions Collecting data on these other complications associated with injection drug use by public health departments may be important to consider because these complications may serve as input to a sentinel system to trigger early intervention and avert potential outbreaks of HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg S Gonsalves
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - A David Paltiel
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Thomas Thornhill
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Suzan Iloglu
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alfred DeMaria
- Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin Cranston
- Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - R Monina Klevens
- Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rochelle P Walensky
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joshua L Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, Connecticut, USA.,Public Health Modeling Unit, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Wang Q, Miao H, Warren JL, Ren M, Benmarhnia T, Knibbs LD, Zhang H, Zhao Q, Huang C. Association of maternal ozone exposure with term low birth weight and susceptible window identification. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106208. [PMID: 33129003 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ozone pollution keeps deteriorating in the context of climate change. Maternal ozone exposure may be associated with low birth weight (LBW), but the results are still inconsistent. The identification of the critical exposure windows, a specific period of particular susceptibility during pregnancy, remains unresolved. We aimed to evaluate whether ozone exposure was associated with term LBW and further identify the susceptible exposure windows. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Guangzhou, a megacity in the most populous and economically developed city clusters in China. We included 444,096 singleton live births between January 2015 and July 2017. From 11 fixed stations, we collected daily 1-h maximum and 8-h maximum moving average ozone level (O3-1 h and O3-8 h) and calculated exposures for each participant based on their district of residence during pregnancy. We used traditional Logistic regression to estimate the trimester-specific association between ozone exposure and term LBW, and further estimated monthly- and weekly association by distributed lag models (DLMs) with Logistic regression. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of term LBW were calculated for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in ozone exposure. Stratified analyses and heterogeneity tests were conducted by maternal age and infant sex. RESULTS The incidence of term LBW was 1.9%. During the study period, the mean O3-1 h and O3-8 h levels were 112.6 µg/m3 and 84.5 µg/m3, respectively. Increased O3-1 h (IQR: 90 µg/m3) and O3-8 h (73 µg/m3) exposure during the second trimester were associated with increased risk of term LBW. At a monthly level, the term LBW risk was associated with O3-1 h exposure during the 4th-6th month and O3-8 h exposure during the 6th month. By estimating the weekly-specific association, we observed that critical exposure windows were the 15th- 26th gestational weeks for O3-1 h, and the 20th-26th weeks for O3-8 h, respectively. Estimated ORs and 95% CIs ranged from 1.012 (1.000, 1.024) to 1.023 (1.007, 1.039). When examined by subgroups, the effects were present among women ≥ 35 years or < 25 years old and those with female babies. CONCLUSIONS This study provides compelling evidence that exposure to O3 was associated with increased risk of term LBW, and gestational weeks 15th- 26th was found to be particularly susceptible. These findings provide a research basis for further mechanism examination, public health interventions, and targeted environmental policy-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huazhang Miao
- Department of Healthcare, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Joshua L Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Meng Ren
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, USA; Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Huanhuan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qingguo Zhao
- Epidemiological Research Office of Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics (National Health and Family Planning Commission), Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province/Family Planning Special Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Cunrui Huang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai Meteorological Service, Shanghai, China.
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Associations Between Ambient Air Pollutant Concentrations and Birth Weight: A Quantile Regression Analysis. Epidemiology 2020; 30:624-632. [PMID: 31386644 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated the extent to which associations of ambient air pollutant concentrations and birth weight varied across birth weight quantiles. METHODS We analyzed singleton births ≥27 weeks of gestation from 20-county metropolitan Atlanta with conception dates between January 1, 2002 and February 28, 2006 (N = 273,711). Trimester-specific and total pregnancy average concentrations for 10 pollutants, obtained from ground observations that were interpolated using 12-km Community Multiscale Air Quality model outputs, were assigned using maternal residence at delivery. We estimated associations between interquartile range width (IQRw) increases in pollutant concentrations and changes in birth weight using quantile regression. RESULTS Gestational age-adjusted associations were of greater magnitude at higher percentiles of the birth weight distribution. Pollutants with large vehicle source contributions (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, PM2.5 elemental carbon, and total PM2.5 mass), as well as PM2.5 sulfate and PM2.5 ammonium, were associated with birth weight decreases for the higher birth weight percentiles. For example, whereas the decrease in mean birthweight per IQRw increase in PM2.5 averaged over pregnancy was -7.8 g (95% confidence interval = -13.6, -2.0 g), the quantile-specific associations were: 10th percentile -2.4 g (-11.5, 6.7 g); 50th percentile -8.9 g (-15.7, -2.0g); and 90th percentile -19.3 g (-30.6, -7.9 g). Associations for the intermediate and high birth weight quantiles were not sensitive to gestational age adjustment. For some pollutants, we saw associations at the lowest quantile (10th percentile) when not adjusting for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS Associations between air pollution and reduced birth weight were of greater magnitude for newborns at relatively heavy birth weights.
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Chen B, Huang S, He J, He Q, Chen S, Liu X, Peng S, Luo D, Duan Y. Sex-specific influence of prenatal air pollutant exposure on neonatal neurobehavioral development and the sensitive window. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 254:126824. [PMID: 32335443 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates the adverse effect of air pollution exposure during pregnancy on neurologic development among children. However, the impact on neurobehavioral development in fetus remains unknown. In 2017, a total of 1193 mother-newborns pairs were enrolled in a birth cohort study in Changsha, China. Exposures to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO and NO2 were determined by using inverse distance weighted method based on local monitoring station data. Neurobehavioral measure was administered at 48-72 h postpartum by utilizing the neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA). Basic information and covariates were collected by face to face interview. Generalized linear regression and multivariable restricted cubic spline function were performed to explore the trimester-specific association and dose-response relationship of maternal air pollution exposure with NBNA score, respectively. In adjusted three-pollutant model, PM2.5 exposure in trimester 2 was negatively associated with behavior score (β, -0.003; 95% CI, -0.006, -0.001) and the inverse relation was more pronounced in male infants. In addition, PM2.5 level in the 2nd trimester was negatively related to activetone score (β, -0.012; 95% CI, -0.021, -0.002) in a dose-dependent manner for both genders. Collectively, our results demonstrated that prenatal exposure to PM2.5 was linked to poor neurobehavioral performance of newborns. The second trimester was the most sensitive time window for the developments of behavior and activetone, and male subject was more vulnerable as compared to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingzhi Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Shangzhuan Huang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Jun He
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Qican He
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Shaoyi Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Xiaoqun Liu
- Department of Children and Maternal Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Songxu Peng
- Department of Children and Maternal Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Yanying Duan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China.
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Lamichhane DK, Lee SY, Ahn K, Kim KW, Shin YH, Suh DI, Hong SJ, Kim HC. Quantile regression analysis of the socioeconomic inequalities in air pollution and birth weight. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 142:105875. [PMID: 32590283 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An association between maternal exposure to air pollution and the birth weight distribution has been reported, but the extent to which this relationship varies according to socioeconomic status (SES) is unknown. This study examined the relationship using the data from a Korean birth cohort. METHODS Data for singleton births in Seoul from 2007 to 2017 (n = 1739) were analyzed. Maternal exposures to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 µm (PM10) and <2.5 µm (PM2.5), as well as to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) for each trimester and the entire pregnancy were estimated using residential address, gestational age, and the birth date. The associations between the interquartile range (IQR) increases in pollutant concentrations and the changes in birth weight were examined using linear regression and quantile regression models. The socioeconomic disparities in the associations were investigated using a derived SES variable based on the composite of parental education and occupation. This SES variable was then interacted with the air pollutant. RESULTS In the gestational age-adjusted models, particulate air pollutants (PM10 and PM2.5) and O3 were associated with birth weight decreases for the lower birth weight percentiles. For example, the decrease in mean birthweight per IQR increase in PM2.5 during second trimester was -21.1 g (95% confidence interval (CI) = -41.8, -0.4), whereas the quantile-specific associations were: 10th percentile -27.0 g (95% CI = -46.6, -7.3); 50th percentile -22.2 g (95% CI = -39.6, -4.8); and 90th percentile -22.9 g (95% CI = -45.5, -0.2). Particulate air pollutants and O3 showed a pattern of socioeconomic inequalities; the reduced birth weight was of greater magnitude for children from a low SES group. CONCLUSIONS Negative associations between particulate air pollutants and O3 and birth weight were consistently greater at the lower quantiles of the birth weight distribution, especially in lower SES group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirga Kumar Lamichhane
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Yeon Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Childhood Asthma Atopy Center, Humidifier Disinfectant Health Center, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kangmo Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Won Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn Ho Shin
- Department of Pediatrics, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong In Suh
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Jong Hong
- Department of Pediatrics, Childhood Asthma Atopy Center, Humidifier Disinfectant Health Center, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hwan-Cheol Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
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Fine particulate matter exposure and lipid levels among children in Mexico city. Environ Epidemiol 2020; 4:e088. [PMID: 32337473 PMCID: PMC7147392 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studies have identified associations between air pollution and lipid levels in adults, suggesting a mechanism by which air pollution contributes to cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the association between early life air pollution exposure and lipid levels in children. Methods Participants included 465 mother-child pairs from a prospective birth cohort in Mexico City. Daily particulate matter <2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) predictions were estimated using a satellite-based exposure model and averaged over trimesters, the entire pregnancy, and the first year of life. We assessed associations with several lipid measures at 4-6 years of age, including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). Linear regression models were used to estimate change in lipid levels with each interquartile range increase in PM2.5. We additionally assessed if associations between PM2.5 and lipid levels varied across lipid quantiles using quantile regression. Models were adjusted for maternal education, body mass index, and age, child's age at study visit, prenatal environmental tobacco smoke, and season of conception. Results PM2.5 exposure during the third trimester was associated with increases in childhood total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C, and decreases in HDL-C and triglycerides. There was additionally an increasing trend in the effect estimate across higher quantiles of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C during the third trimester and entire pregnancy period. There were no consistent associations for first year of life exposures. Conclusion In this longitudinal birth cohort in Mexico City, associations between prenatal PM2.5 and childhood lipid (total cholesterol, LDL-C, non-HDL-C) levels were greater for children at higher lipid quantiles.
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Warren JL, Luben TJ, Chang HH. A spatially varying distributed lag model with application to an air pollution and term low birth weight study. J R Stat Soc Ser C Appl Stat 2020; 69:681-696. [PMID: 32595237 DOI: 10.1111/rssc.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Distributed lag models have been used to identify critical pregnancy periods of exposure (i.e. critical exposure windows) to air pollution in studies of pregnancy outcomes. However, much of the previous work in this area has ignored the possibility of spatial variability in the lagged health effect parameters that may result from exposure characteristics and/or residual confounding. We develop a spatially varying Gaussian process model for critical windows called 'SpGPCW' and use it to investigate geographic variability in the association between term low birth weight and average weekly concentrations of ozone and PM2:5 during pregnancy by using birth records from North Carolina. SpGPCW is designed to accommodate areal level spatial correlation between lagged health effect parameters and temporal smoothness in risk estimation across pregnancy. Through simulation and a real data application, we show that the consequences of ignoring spatial variability in the lagged health effect parameters include less reliable inference for the parameters and diminished ability to identify true critical window sets, and we investigate the use of existing Bayesian model comparison techniques as tools for determining the presence of spatial variability. We find that exposure to PM2:5 is associated with elevated term low birth weight risk in selected weeks and counties and that ignoring spatial variability results in null associations during these periods. An R package (SpGPCW) has been developed to implement the new method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas J Luben
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, USA
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Sheridan P, Ilango S, Bruckner TA, Wang Q, Basu R, Benmarhnia T. Ambient Fine Particulate Matter and Preterm Birth in California: Identification of Critical Exposure Windows. Am J Epidemiol 2019; 188:1608-1615. [PMID: 31107509 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)) during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth (PTB), a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Results from studies attempting to identify etiologically relevant exposure periods of vulnerability have been inconsistent, possibly because of failure to consider the time-to-event nature of the outcome and lagged exposure effects of PM2.5. In this study, we aimed to identify critical exposure windows for weekly PM2.5 exposure and PTB in California using California birth cohort data from 2005-2010. Associations were assessed using distributed-lag Cox proportional hazards models. We assessed effect-measure modification by race/ethnicity by calculating the weekly relative excess risk due to interaction. For a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure over the entire period of gestation, PTB risk increased by 11% (hazard ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.14). Gestational weeks 17-24 and 36 were associated with increased vulnerability to PM2.5 exposure. We find that non-Hispanic black mothers may be more susceptible to effects of PM2.5 exposure than non-Hispanic white mothers, particularly at the end of pregnancy. These findings extend our knowledge about the existence of specific exposure periods during pregnancy that have the greatest impact on preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Sheridan
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Sindana Ilango
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Tim A Bruckner
- Department of Public Health and Planning, Policy and Design, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Qiong Wang
- School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Rupa Basu
- Air Toxicology and Epidemiology Branch, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Sacramento, California
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
- Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
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Schwarz L, Bruckner T, Ilango SD, Sheridan P, Basu R, Benmarhnia T. A quantile regression approach to examine fine particles, term low birth weight, and racial/ethnic disparities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 3:e060. [PMID: 33778340 PMCID: PMC7939411 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with reduced birth weight and racial/ethnic minorities have been found to be more vulnerable. Previous studies have focused on the mean value of birth weight associated with PM2.5, which may mask meaningful differences. We applied a quantile regression approach to investigate the variation by percentile of birth weight and compared non-Hispanic (NH) Black, NH White, and Hispanic mothers. Methods Data for singleton births in California from October 24, 2005 to February 27, 2010 were collected from the birth records accessed from the California Department of Public Health. Air pollution monitoring data collected by the California Air Resources Board and interpolated for each zip code using an inverse-distance weighting approach, and linked to maternal zip code of residence reported on the birth certificate. Multilevel linear regression models were conducted with mother's residential zip code tabulation area as a random effect. Multilevel quantile regression models were used to analyze the association at different percentiles of birth weight (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th), as well as examine the heterogeneity in this association between racial/ethnic groups. Results Linear regression revealed that a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy is associated with a mean birth weight decrease of 7.31 g [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.10, 6.51] and NH Black mothers are the most vulnerable. Results of the quantile regression are not constant across quantiles. For NH Black mothers whose infants had the lowest birthweight of less than 2673 g (5th percentile), a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure is associated with a decrease of 18.57 g [95% CI: 22.23, 14.91], while it is associated with a decrease of 7.77 g [95% CI: 8.73, 6.79] for NH White mothers and 7.76 [8.52, 7.00] decrease for Hispanic mothers at the same quantile. Conclusion Results of the quantile regression revealed greater disparities, particularly for infants with the lowest birth weight. By identifying vulnerable populations, we can promote and implement policies to confront these health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Schwarz
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Tim Bruckner
- Public Health, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Sindana D Ilango
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Paige Sheridan
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Rupa Basu
- Air and Climate Epidemiology Section, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland, California
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.,Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego, California
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Statistical Approaches for Investigating Periods of Susceptibility in Children's Environmental Health Research. Curr Environ Health Rep 2019; 6:1-7. [PMID: 30684243 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-019-0224-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Children's environmental health researchers are increasingly interested in identifying time intervals during which individuals are most susceptible to adverse impacts of environmental exposures. We review recent advances in methods for assessing susceptible periods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified three general classes of modeling approaches aimed at identifying susceptible periods in children's environmental health research: multiple informant models, distributed lag models, and Bayesian approaches. Benefits over traditional regression modeling include the ability to formally test period effect differences, to incorporate highly time-resolved exposure data, or to address correlation among exposure periods or exposure mixtures. Several statistical approaches exist for investigating periods of susceptibility. Assessment of susceptible periods would be advanced by additional basic biological research, further development of statistical methods to assess susceptibility to complex exposure mixtures, validation studies evaluating model assumptions, replication studies in different populations, and consideration of susceptible periods from before conception to disease onset.
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Noelke C, Chen YH, Osypuk TL, Acevedo-Garcia D. Economic Downturns and Inequities in Birth Outcomes: Evidence From 149 Million US Births. Am J Epidemiol 2019; 188:1092-1100. [PMID: 30989169 PMCID: PMC7476222 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Using birth certificate data for nearly all registered US births from 1976 to 2016 and monthly data on state unemployment rates, we reexamined the link between macroeconomic variation and birth outcomes. We hypothesized that economic downturns reduce exposure to work-related stressors and pollution while increasing exposure to socioeconomic stressors like job loss. Because of preexisting inequalities in health and other resources, we expected that less-educated mothers and black mothers would be more exposed to macroeconomic variation. Using fixed-effect regression models, we found that a 1-percentage-point increase in state unemployment during the first trimester of pregnancy increased the probability of preterm birth by 0.1 percentage points, while increases in the state unemployment rate during the second/third trimester reduced the probability of preterm birth by 0.06 percentage points. During the period encompassing the Great Recession, the magnitude of these associations doubled in size. We found substantial variation in the impact of economic conditions across different groups, with highly educated white women least affected and less-educated black women most affected. The results highlight the increased relevance of economic conditions for birth outcomes and population health as well as continuing, large inequities in the exposure and impact of macroeconomic fluctuations on birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Noelke
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Yu-Han Chen
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - Theresa L Osypuk
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Dolores Acevedo-Garcia
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
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Warren JL, Kong W, Luben TJ, Chang HH. Critical window variable selection: estimating the impact of air pollution on very preterm birth. Biostatistics 2019; 21:790-806. [PMID: 30958877 DOI: 10.1093/biostatistics/kxz006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the impact that environmental exposure during different stages of pregnancy has on the risk of adverse birth outcomes is vital for protection of the fetus and for the development of mechanistic explanations of exposure-disease relationships. As a result, statistical models to estimate critical windows of susceptibility have been developed for several different reproductive outcomes and pollutants. However, these current methods fail to adequately address the primary objective of this line of research; how to statistically identify a critical window of susceptibility. In this article, we introduce critical window variable selection (CWVS), a hierarchical Bayesian framework that directly addresses this question while simultaneously providing improved estimation of the risk parameters. Through simulation, we show that CWVS outperforms existing competing techniques in the setting of highly temporally correlated exposures in terms of (i) correctly identifying critical windows and (ii) accurately estimating risk parameters. We apply all competing methods to a case/control analysis of pregnant women in North Carolina, 2005-2008, with respect to the development of very preterm birth and exposure to ambient ozone and particulate matter $<$ 2.5 $\mu$m in aerodynamic diameter, and identify/estimate the critical windows of susceptibility. The newly developed method is implemented in the R package CWVS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Warren
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Wenjing Kong
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Thomas J Luben
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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