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Costet N, Doyen M, Rouget F, Michineau L, Monfort C, Cirtiu CM, Kadhel P, Multigner L, Pladys P, Cordier S. Early exposure to mercury and cardiovascular function of seven-year old children in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:117955. [PMID: 38159660 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117955] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cardiotoxicity of prenatal exposure to mercury has been suggested in populations having regular contaminated seafood intake, though replications in the literature are inconsistent. METHODS The Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study was set up in Guadeloupe, an island in the Caribbean Sea where seafood consumption is regular. At seven years of age, 592 children underwent a medical examination, including cardiac function assessment. Blood pressure (BP) was taken using an automated blood pressure monitor, heart rate variability (HRV, 9 parameters) and electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics (QT, T-wave parameters) were measured using Holter cardiac monitoring during the examination. Total mercury concentrations were measured in cord blood at birth (median = 6.6 μg/L, N = 399) and in the children's blood at age 7 (median = 1.7 μg/L, N = 310). Adjusted linear and non-linear modelling was used to study the association of each cardiac parameter with prenatal and childhood exposures. Sensitivity analyses included co-exposures to lead and cadmium, adjustment for maternal seafood consumption, selenium and polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs), and for sporting activity. RESULTS Higher prenatal mercury was associated with higher systolic BP at 7 years of age (βlog2 = 1.02; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.10, 1.19). In boys, intermediate prenatal exposure was associated with reduced overall HRV and parasympathetic activity, and longer QT was observed with increasing prenatal mercury (βlog2 = 4.02; CI = 0.48, 7.56). In girls, HRV tended to increase linearly with prenatal exposure, and no association was observed with QT-wave related parameters. Mercury exposure at 7 years was associated with decreased BP in girls (βlog2 = -1.13; CI = -2.22, -0.004 for diastolic BP). In boys, the low/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio increased for intermediate levels of exposure. CONCLUSION Our study suggests sex-specific and non-monotonic modifications in some cardiac health parameters following prenatal exposure to mercury in pre-pubertal children from an insular fish-consuming population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Costet
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Matthieu Doyen
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, Rennes, France; IADI, U1254, Inserm and Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France.
| | - Florence Rouget
- Univ Rennes, CHU de Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Leah Michineau
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Pointe à Pitre, France.
| | - Christine Monfort
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Ciprian-Mihai Cirtiu
- Centre de Toxicologie Du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique Du Québec, Québec, Québec, Canada.
| | - Philippe Kadhel
- CHU de Guadeloupe, Univ Antilles, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, Pointe à Pitre, France.
| | - Luc Multigner
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Patrick Pladys
- Univ Rennes, CHU de Rennes, Inserm, LTSI - UMR 1099, Rennes, France.
| | - Sylvaine Cordier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) -UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France.
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Perinatal Metal and Metalloid Exposures and Offspring Cardiovascular Health Risk. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:714-734. [PMID: 35980568 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00377-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Toxic metal exposures have been associated with cardiovascular disease in adults and growing evidence suggests metal exposures also adversely affect cardiovascular phenotypes in childhood and adolescence. However, to our knowledge, the influence of perinatal metals exposure, particularly metal mixtures, in relation to cardiovascular-related outcomes have not been comprehensively reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS We summarized 17 contemporary studies (2017-2021) that investigated the impact of perinatal metal exposures on measures of cardiovascular health in children. Accumulating evidence supports a potential adverse impact of perinatal Pb exposure on BP in children. Fewer recent studies have focused on perinatal As, Hg, and Cd; thus, the cardiovascular impacts of these metals are less clear. Studies of metal mixtures demonstrate that interactions between metals may be complex and have identified numerous understudied elements and essential metals, including Mo, Co, Ni, Se, Zn, and Mn, which may influence cardiovascular risk. A key question that remains is whether perinatal metals exposure influences cardiovascular health into adulthood. Comparisons across studies remain challenging due to several factors, including differences in the timing of exposure/outcome assessments and exposure biomarkers, as well as variability in exposure levels and mixture compositions across populations. Future studies longitudinally investigating trajectories of cardiovascular outcomes could help determine the influence of perinatal metals exposure on long-term effects of clinical relevance in later life and whether interventions, which reduce metals exposures during this key developmental window, could alter disease development.
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Yalçin SS, Erdal İ, Oğuz B, Duzova A. Associations between toxic elements and blood pressure parameters in adolescents. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2022; 71:126949. [PMID: 35193093 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.126949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both exposure to toxic elements and hypertension (HT) are a global health problem. We planned to examine the associations between some toxic elements in urine, and blood pressure (BP) and its diurnal changes in adolescents. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 48 adolescents who were newly diagnosed with HT and 38 adolescents with age-appropriate BP and normal physical examination were included. Anthropometric measurements, urinary toxic elements, carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and office and 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements (ABPM) of participants were taken. Urinary elements levels were studied with ICP-MS. Elements were grouped in tertiles according to urinary levels. Logistic regression analyses were performed to show the interactions. RESULTS Urinary cadmium, mercury, lead, and arsenic were found to be at detectable level in 90.7%, 69.8%, 91.9% and 100% of the participants, respectively. Univariate analyses showed that elevated daytime systolic and/or diastolic BP was associated with urinary cadmium and mercury. No association between urinary toxic elements and nighttime BP was found. When height and body mass index z-scores adjusted for, age, gender, and all four urinary creatinine-corrected toxic elements analyzed, multiple logistic regression revealed that there was an association between mercury (high vs. low; AOR:3.85) and office HT, and mercury (high vs. low; AOR:6.18) and cadmium (middle vs. low; AOR: 13.38) were associated with "elevated 24-hour systolic BP and/or diastolic BP", and "elevated 24-hour mean arterial BP" in ABPM. CONCLUSION There are complex relationships between toxic elements and BP parameters in adolescents, and more studies are needed to define the evolution of these relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddika Songül Yalçin
- Division of Social Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - İzzet Erdal
- Division of Social Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Berna Oğuz
- Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Ali Duzova
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
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The benefits of fish intake: results concerning prenatal mercury exposure and child outcomes from the ALSPAC prebirth cohort. Neurotoxicology 2022; 91:22-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Zhang M, Buckley JP, Liang L, Hong X, Wang G, Wang MC, Wills-Karp M, Wang X, Mueller NT. A metabolome-wide association study of in utero metal and trace element exposures with cord blood metabolome profile: Findings from the Boston Birth Cohort. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106976. [PMID: 34991243 PMCID: PMC8742133 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) and trace elements selenium (Se) and manganese (Mn) has been linked to the developmental origins of cardiometabolic diseases, but the mechanisms are not well-understood. OBJECTIVE Conduct a metabolome-wide association study to understand how in utero exposure to Pb, Hg, Cd, Se, and Mn affects the metabolic programming of fetuses. METHODS We used data from the Boston Birth Cohort, which enrolled mother-child pairs from Boston, MA. We measured metals and trace elements in maternal red blood cells (RBCs) collected 24-72 h after delivery, and metabolites in cord blood collected at birth. We used multivariable linear regression to examine associations of metals and trace elements with metabolites and Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons. We assessed non-linear associations of metals and trace elements with metabolites using restricted cubic spline plots. RESULTS This analysis included 670 mother-child pairs (57% non-Hispanic Black and 24% Hispanic). After Bonferroni correction, there were 25 cord metabolites associated with at least one of the metals or trace elements. Pb was negatively associated with the xenobiotic piperine, Cd was positively associated with xenobiotics cotinine and hydroxycotinine, and Hg was associated with 8 lipid metabolites (in both directions). Se and Mn shared associations with 6 metabolites (in both directions), which mostly included nucleotides and amino acids; Se was additionally associated with 7 metabolites (mostly amino acids, nucleotides, and carnitines) and Mn was additionally associated with C36:4 hydroxy phosphatidylcholine. Restricted cubic spline plots showed that most associations were linear. DISCUSSION Maternal RBC metal and trace element concentrations were associated in a dose-dependent fashion with cord blood metabolites. What remains to be determined is whether these metals- and trace elements-associated changes in cord metabolites can influence a child's risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessie P Buckley
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, 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
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Guoying Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mei-Cheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marsha Wills-Karp
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noel T Mueller
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Zhang M, Liu T, Wang G, Buckley JP, Guallar E, Hong X, Wang MC, Wills-Karp M, Wang X, Mueller NT. In Utero Exposure to Heavy Metals and Trace Elements and Childhood Blood Pressure in a U.S. Urban, Low-Income, Minority Birth Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:67005. [PMID: 34160246 PMCID: PMC8221032 DOI: 10.1289/ehp8325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In utero exposure to heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) may be associated with higher childhood blood pressure (BP), whereas trace elements selenium (Se) and manganese (Mn) may have protective antioxidant effects that modify metal-BP associations. OBJECTIVES We examined the individual and joint effects of in utero exposure to Pb, Hg, Cd, Se, and Mn on childhood BP. METHODS We used data from the Boston Birth Cohort (enrolled 2002-2013). We measured heavy metals and trace elements in maternal red blood cells collected 24-72 h after delivery. We calculated child BP percentile per the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline. We used linear regression models to estimate the association of each metal, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to examine metal coexposures, with child BP between 3 to 15 years of age. RESULTS Our analytic sample comprised 1,194 mother-infant pairs (61% non-Hispanic Black, 20% Hispanic). Hg and Pb were not associated with child systolic BP (SBP). Se and Mn were inversely associated with child SBP percentiles, which, on average, were 6.23 points lower with a doubling of Se (95% CI: -11.51, -0.96) and 2.62 points lower with a doubling of Mn (95% CI: -5.20, -0.04). BKMR models showed similar results. Although Cd was not associated with child SBP overall, the inverse association between Mn and child SBP was stronger at higher levels of Cd (p-interaction=0.04). Consistent with this finding, in utero exposure to cigarette smoke modified the Mn-child SBP association. Among children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, a doubling of Mn was associated with a 10.09-point reduction in SBP percentile (95% CI: -18.03, -2.15), compared with a 1.49-point reduction (95% CI: -4.21, 1.24) in children whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy (p-interaction=0.08). CONCLUSION Se and Mn concentrations in maternal red blood cells collected 24-72 h after delivery were associated with lower child SBP at 3 to 15 years of age. There was an interaction between Mn and Cd on child SBP, whereby the protective association of Mn on child SBP was stronger among mothers who had higher Cd. The association of Mn and child SBP was also modified by maternal cigarette smoking-a source of Cd-during pregnancy. Optimizing in utero Se levels, as well as Mn levels in women who had high Cd or smoked during pregnancy, may protect offspring from developing high BP during childhood. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8325.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tiange Liu
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Guoying Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessie P. Buckley
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eliseo Guallar
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mei-Cheng Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Marsha Wills-Karp
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Noel T. Mueller
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Liu J, Portnoy J, Um P, Cui N, Rudo-Hutt A, Yan C, Raine A, Chen A. Blood lead and mercury levels are associated with low resting heart rate in community adolescent boys. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 233:113685. [PMID: 33556713 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
While the neurotoxic effects of heavy metals at even low levels have been well-studied, few studies have examined the cardiovascular effects of heavy metals on resting heart rate and these have focused on adult populations. The present study aimed to examine the association between low-level environmental lead and mercury exposure and resting heart rate in community adolescents. As part of the China Jintan Cohort Study, 532 adolescents aged 12 years (SD = 0.6) were tested for blood levels of lead (BLL) and mercury (BML) and resting heart rate (RHR). Generalized linear models were conducted to test the relationship between BLL and BML and RHR, controlling for children's sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Analyses were clustered at the preschool level when the children were recruited to adjust for standard error. The mean (SD) BLL and BML were 3.14 (SD = 1.19) μg/dL and 1.26 (SD = 0.68) μg/L at age 12 years, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, we found a significant interaction between BML and BLL in predicting RHR in boys (B = -1.27, SE = 0.49, p < 0.01, n = 289). We created BLL and BML groups in boys based on median cut-offs. Boys in the High BLL/High BML group had significantly lower RHR (mean = 84.22 beats per minute [bpm], SD = 8.77, n = 61) than boys in the Low BLL/Low BML group (mean = 89.03 bpm, SD = 10.75, n = 69; p < 0.05). BML and BLL did not interact to predict RHR in girls (B = -0.18, SE = 0.88, p > 0.05, n = 242). Combined high BLL and BML were associated with low RHR in community adolescent boys. Low RHR is an indication of chronic under-arousal and has been implicated in psychopathology, particularly for externalizing behavior. Our findings may stimulate further communication and research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghong Liu
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Jill Portnoy
- University of Massachusetts Lowell, School of Criminology and Justice Studies, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Phoebe Um
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Naixue Cui
- Shandong University, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong Province, China
| | - Anna Rudo-Hutt
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chonghai Yan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Adrian Raine
- University of Pennsylvania, Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aimin Chen
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Farzan SF, Howe CG, Chen Y, Gilbert-Diamond D, Korrick S, Jackson BP, Weinstein AR, Karagas MR. Prenatal and postnatal mercury exposure and blood pressure in childhood. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106201. [PMID: 33129000 PMCID: PMC7775884 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Elevated blood pressure in childhood is an important risk factor for hypertension in adulthood. Environmental exposures have been associated with elevated blood pressure over the life course and exposure to mercury (Hg) has been linked to cardiovascular effects in adults. As subclinical vascular changes begin early in life, Hg may play a role in altered blood pressure in children. However, the evidence linking early life Hg exposure to altered blood pressure in childhood has been largely inconsistent. In the ongoing New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, we investigated prenatal and childhood Hg exposure at multiple time points and associations with blood pressure measurements in 395 young children (mean age 5.5 years, SD 0.4). Hg exposure was measured in children's toenail clippings at age 3 and in urine at age 5-6 years, as well as in maternal toenail samples collected at ∼28 weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum, the latter two samples reflecting early prenatal and mid-gestation exposures, respectively. Five measurements of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were averaged for each child using a standardized technique. In covariate-adjusted linear regression analyses, we observed that a 0.1 μg/g increase in child toenail Hg at age 3 or a 0.1 μg/L urine Hg at age 5-6 were individually associated with greater DBP (toenail β: 0.53 mmHg; 95% CI: -0.02, 1.07; urine β: 0.48 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.86) and MAP (toenail β: 0.67 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.002, 1.33; urine β: 0.55 mmHg; 95% CI: 0.10, 1.01). Neither early prenatal nor mid-gestation Hg exposure, as measured by maternal toenails, were related to any changes to child BP. Simultaneous inclusion of both child urine Hg and child toenail Hg in models suggested a potentially stronger relationship of urine Hg at age 5-6 with DBP and MAP, as compared to toenail Hg at age 3. Our findings suggest that Hg exposure during childhood is associated with alterations in BP. Childhood may be an important window of opportunity to reduce the impacts of Hg exposure on children's blood pressure, and in turn, long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh F Farzan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Caitlin G Howe
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Diane Gilbert-Diamond
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Susan Korrick
- 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
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Adam R Weinstein
- Department of Medical Education and Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA; Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
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Stratakis N, Conti DV, Borras E, Sabido E, Roumeliotaki T, Papadopoulou E, Agier L, Basagana X, Bustamante M, Casas M, Farzan SF, Fossati S, Gonzalez JR, Grazuleviciene R, Heude B, Maitre L, McEachan RRC, Theologidis I, Urquiza J, Vafeiadi M, West J, Wright J, McConnell R, Brantsaeter AL, Meltzer HM, Vrijheid M, Chatzi L. Association of Fish Consumption and Mercury Exposure During Pregnancy With Metabolic Health and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e201007. [PMID: 32176304 PMCID: PMC7076335 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance The balance of mercury risk and nutritional benefit from fish intake during pregnancy for the metabolic health of offspring to date is unknown. Objective To assess the associations of fish intake and mercury exposure during pregnancy with metabolic syndrome in children and alterations in biomarkers of inflammation in children. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based prospective birth cohort study used data from studies performed in 5 European countries (France, Greece, Norway, Spain, and the UK) between April 1, 2003, and February 26, 2016, as part of the Human Early Life Exposome (HELIX) project. Mothers and their singleton offspring were followed up until the children were aged 6 to 12 years. Data were analyzed between March 1 and August 2, 2019. Exposures Maternal fish intake during pregnancy (measured in times per week) was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires, and maternal mercury concentration (measured in micrograms per liter) was assessed using maternal whole blood and cord blood samples. Main Outcomes and Measures An aggregate metabolic syndrome score for children was calculated using the z scores of waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and levels of triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulin. A higher metabolic syndrome score (score range, -4.9 to 7.5) indicated a poorer metabolic profile. Three protein panels were used to measure several cytokines and adipokines in the plasma of children. Results The study included 805 mothers and their singleton children. Among mothers, the mean (SD) age at cohort inclusion or delivery of their infant was 31.3 (4.6) years. A total of 400 women (49.7%) had a high educational level, and 432 women (53.7%) were multiparous. Among children, the mean (SD) age was 8.4 (1.5) years (age range, 6-12 years). A total of 453 children (56.3%) were boys, and 734 children (91.2%) were of white race/ethnicity. Fish intake consistent with health recommendations (1 to 3 times per week) during pregnancy was associated with a 1-U decrease in metabolic syndrome score in children (β = -0.96; 95% CI, -1.49 to -0.42) compared with low fish consumption (<1 time per week) after adjusting for maternal mercury levels and other covariates. No further benefit was observed with fish intake of more than 3 times per week. A higher maternal mercury concentration was independently associated with an increase in the metabolic syndrome score of their offspring (β per 2-fold increase in mercury concentration = 0.18; 95% CI, 0.01-0.34). Compared with low fish intake, moderate and high fish intake during pregnancy were associated with reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines and adipokines in children. An integrated analysis identified a cluster of children with increased susceptibility to metabolic disease, which was characterized by low fish consumption during pregnancy, high maternal mercury levels, decreased levels of adiponectin in children, and increased levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor α, and the cytokines interleukin 6 and interleukin 1β in children. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this study suggest that moderate fish intake consistent with current health recommendations during pregnancy was associated with improvements in the metabolic health of children, while high maternal mercury exposure was associated with an unfavorable metabolic profile in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Stratakis
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
- Department of Complex Genetics and Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - David V. Conti
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Eva Borras
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Proteomics Unit, Centre de Regulacio Genomica, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduardo Sabido
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Proteomics Unit, Centre de Regulacio Genomica, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Eleni Papadopoulou
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lydiane Agier
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Inserm, CNRS, University Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, U1209 Joint Research Center, La Tronche, Grenoble, France
| | - Xavier Basagana
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maribel Casas
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Shohreh F. Farzan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Serena Fossati
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan R. Gonzalez
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Barbara Heude
- Centre of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics, Inserm, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Universite de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Lea Maitre
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosemary R. C. McEachan
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Ioannis Theologidis
- Foundation for Research and Technology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Jose Urquiza
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Vafeiadi
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Jane West
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - John Wright
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Anne-Lise Brantsaeter
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Martine Vrijheid
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Leda Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
- Department of Complex Genetics and Epidemiology, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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10
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Gallego-Viñas G, Ballester F, Llop S. Chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children and adolescents: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:2238-2252. [PMID: 30519915 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3796-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to systematically review the scientific literature on the possible relation of chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure among children and adolescents. We searched for observational studies in 6 electronic databases and grey literature for English, French or Spanish language studies published up to 30th November 2017. We performed a quality assessment of primary studies. We identified 8 articles involving 5 cohorts, 1 cross-sectional study and 1 case-control study. The participants had mean ages of between 3 and 17 years. Mercury was analysed in different matrices and periods of exposure. Four articles evaluated prenatal exposure, 2 evaluated both prenatal and postnatal exposures and 2 postnatal exposure. Blood pressure was measured according to different protocols. The association between mercury and blood pressure was adjusted by different covariates in each study. Four articles found a positive significant association between chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children or adolescents. Among these 4 articles, three of them evaluated prenatal exposure. There are still few studies assessing chronic mercury exposure and blood pressure in children and adolescents with inconsistency in results. Designs are very heterogeneous, which hampers their comparability. Evidence of this association is scarce and further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema Gallego-Viñas
- Conselleria de Sanitat Universal i Salut Pública, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ferran Ballester
- FISABIO-UJI-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Nursing Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- FISABIO-UJI-Universitat de València Joint Research Unit in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Valencia, Spain.
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Avda. Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia, Spain.
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11
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Golding J, Rai D, Gregory S, Ellis G, Emond A, Iles-Caven Y, Hibbeln J, Taylor C. Prenatal mercury exposure and features of autism: a prospective population study. Mol Autism 2018; 9:30. [PMID: 29713443 PMCID: PMC5914043 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mercury (Hg) has been suspected of causing autism in the past, especially a suspected link with vaccinations containing thiomersal, but a review of the literature shows that has been largely repudiated. Of more significant burden is the total quantity of Hg in the environment. Here, we have used the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) to test whether prenatal exposure from total maternal blood Hg in the first half of pregnancy is associated with the risk of autism or of extreme levels of autistic traits. This is the largest longitudinal study to date to have tested this hypothesis and the only one to have considered early pregnancy. Methods We have used three strategies: (1) direct comparison of 45 pregnancies resulting in children with diagnosed autism from a population of 3840, (2) comparison of high scores on each of the four autistic traits within the population at risk (n~2800), and (3) indirect measures of association of these outcomes with proxies for increased Hg levels such as frequency of fish consumption and exposure to dental amalgam (n > 8000). Logistic regression adjusted for social conditions including maternal age, housing circumstances, maternal education, and parity. Interactions were tested between risks to offspring of fish and non-fish eaters. Results There was no suggestion of an adverse effect of total prenatal blood Hg levels on diagnosed autism (AOR 0.89; 95% CI 0.65, 1.22) per SD of Hg (P = 0.485). The only indication of adverse effects concerned a measure of poor social cognition when the mother ate no fish, where the AOR was 1.63 [95% CI 1.02, 2.62] per SD of Hg (P = 0.041), significantly different from the association among the offspring of fish-eaters (AOR = 0.74 [95% CI 0.41, 1.35]). Conclusion In conclusion, our study identifies no adverse effect of prenatal total blood Hg on autism or autistic traits provided the mother ate fish. Although these results should be confirmed in other populations, accumulating evidence substantiates the recommendation to eat fish during pregnancy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0215-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Golding
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Dheeraj Rai
- 2Centre for Academic Mental Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Steven Gregory
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Genette Ellis
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Alan Emond
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
| | - Joseph Hibbeln
- 3Section on Nutritional Neurosciences, LMBB, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 31 Center Drive 1B/58, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Caroline Taylor
- 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN UK
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12
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Public health messages to reduce Hg exposure for pregnant women have focused exclusively on advice on fish consumption to limit Hg exposure, with little account being taken of the positive contribution of fish to nutritional quality. The aim of the present review was to compare and contrast the content and presentation of national guidelines on fish consumption in pregnancy, and comment on their evidence base and impact on consumption. DESIGN We searched for national and international guidelines on fish consumption in pregnancy using Internet search strategies. The detailed content and style of presentation of the guidelines were compared. The evidence base for the guidelines, and evidence for the impact of the guidelines on fish consumption levels, were assessed. RESULTS We identified nineteen national guidelines and three international guidelines. There was great variation in the content, complexity and presentation style. The guidelines were based largely on the Hg content of fish with far less consideration being given to the positive beneficial effects of nutrients provided by fish. The complexity of the guidelines may lead to pregnant women reducing their fish intake, or not eating fish at all. CONCLUSIONS Guidelines on fish consumption in pregnancy should take the beneficial effects of fish into account. Guidelines need to be clear and memorable, and appropriately disseminated, to achieve impact. Guidelines could include visual rather than narrative content. Use of technology, for example apps, could enable women to record their fish consumption in real time and log compliance with guidance over a week or other time period.
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