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Recio Alcaide A, Pérez López C, Ortega MÁ, Borrell LN, Bolúmar F. Is there an association between family members' season of birth that could influence birth seasonality? Evidence from Spain and France. POPULATION STUDIES 2024; 78:151-166. [PMID: 38093442 DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2023.2272983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The number of births varies by season. Research on birth seasonality has shown that women's season of birth somehow influences that of their children, but factors underlying the intergenerational transmission of birth seasonality remain unknown. With data from Spain and France, we analysed the possibility of transmission of birth season between generations, testing whether relatives tended to be born in the same season. Results indicated that there was an association-a similarity-between parents' and children's birth seasons, partially explaining the stability of seasonal patterns over time. This association also existed between parents' birth seasons. While parents' association is directly explained by an excess of marriages with spouses born in the same month, the overall association may be explained by two facts: different socio-demographic groups show differentiated birth patterns, and relatives share socio-demographic features. Birth season seems to be related to family characteristics, which should be controlled for when assessing birth-month effects on subsequent social/health outcomes.
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Worsham CM, Bray CF, Jena AB. Optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children: population based cohort study. BMJ 2024; 384:e077076. [PMID: 38383038 PMCID: PMC10879981 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077076] [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] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess optimal timing of influenza vaccination in young children. DESIGN Population based cohort study. SETTING United States. PARTICIPANTS Commercially insured children aged 2-5 years who were vaccinated against influenza during 2011-18. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Rates of diagnosis of influenza among children who were vaccinated against influenza, by birth month. RESULTS Overall, 819 223 children aged 2-5 received influenza vaccination. Children vaccinated in November and December were least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, a finding that may be confounded by unmeasured factors that influence the timing of vaccination and risk of influenza. Vaccination commonly occurred on days of preventive care visits and during birth months. Children born in October were disproportionately vaccinated in October and were, on average, vaccinated later than children born in August and earlier than those born in December. Children born in October had the lowest rate of influenza diagnosis (for example, 2.7% (6016/224 540) versus 3.0% (6462/212 622) for those born in August; adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.92). CONCLUSIONS In a quasi-experimental analysis of young children vaccinated against influenza, birth month was associated with the timing of vaccination through its influence on the timing of preventive care visits. Children born in October were most likely to be vaccinated in October and least likely to have a diagnosis of influenza, consistent with recommendations promoting October vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Worsham
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles F Bray
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anupam B Jena
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Martín-Arévalo J, Moro-Valdezate D, Pla-Martí V, García-Botello S, Moya-Marcos P, Izquierdo-Moreno A, Pérez-Santiago L, Casado-Rodrigo D, Roselló-Keränen S, Espí-Macías A. Does month of birth influence colorectal cancer prognosis? Langenbecks Arch Surg 2023; 408:419. [PMID: 37882968 PMCID: PMC10602963 DOI: 10.1007/s00423-023-03161-3] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The main aim of this study was to identify a possible association between month of birth of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS). METHODS This observational study included all consecutive adult patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing oncological surgery from January 2005 to December 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. The outcome variables were locoregional recurrence, death due to cancer progression, OS and DFS. Non-supervised learning techniques (K-means) were conducted to identify groups of months with similar oncologic outcomes. Finally, OS and DFS were analysed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression tests. The model was calibrated with resampling techniques and subsequently a cross-validation was performed. RESULTS A total of 2520 patients were included. Three birth month groups with different oncologic outcomes were obtained. Survival analysis showed between-group differences in OS (p < 0.001) and DFS (p = 0.03). The multivariable Cox proportional hazards model identified the clusters obtained as independent prognostic factors for OS (p < 0.001) and DFS (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION There is an association between month of birth and oncologic outcomes of CRC. Patients born in the months of January, February, June, July, October and December had better OS and DFS than those born in different months of the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Martín-Arévalo
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - David Moro-Valdezate
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Surgery, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Vicente Pla-Martí
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Stephanie García-Botello
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Ana Izquierdo-Moreno
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Leticia Pérez-Santiago
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - David Casado-Rodrigo
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Susana Roselló-Keränen
- Department of Medical Oncology, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Espí-Macías
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Surgery, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Manfredini M, Breschi M, Fornasin A, Esposito M. Maternal nutritional status and offspring childlessness: Evidence from the late-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries in a group of Italian populations. POPULATION STUDIES 2022; 76:477-493. [PMID: 35899492 DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2022.2099566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The role of maternal nutrition in affecting offspring fertility, through alteration of foetal programming, has been demonstrated in animal-based experiments. However, results from human populations appear inconsistent and sometimes contradictory, likely because they have been based on single famine events. In this paper, we adopt a different approach. We combine official annual time series of daily nutrient availability with a sample of women's reproductive histories from the 1961 Italian Census to investigate the role of maternal nutritional status in pregnancy on offspring childlessness. The analysis therefore covers cohorts of females born between 1861 and 1939. Our results show a negative association between calorie availability in pregnancy and the odds of offspring childlessness, whereas no association is found between protein availability and offspring childlessness. The consequences of poor calorie intake were aggravated during the summer, likely due to the participation of pregnant women in physically demanding work.
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Recio Alcaide A, Pérez López C, Bolúmar F. Influence of sociodemographic factors in birth seasonality in Spain. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23788. [PMID: 35938587 PMCID: PMC9788106 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The goal of the present research is to establish for the first time a hierarchy of sociodemographic factors according to their importance influencing birth seasonality. METHODS We used Vital Statistics data on all births registered in Spain in the period 2016-2019. Differences in the degree of seasonality between sociodemographic groups (defined by maternal age, maternal marital status, maternal education, birth order, maternal job qualification, maternal employment status, maternal location population size, and maternal country of birth) were first examined with descriptive techniques. Secondly, analysis through alternative Data Mining techniques determined the association between sociodemographic factors and birth seasonality and the factors importance rank. RESULTS Those factors related to maternal labor status (employment status, job qualification, and education) were found to be the most relevant influencing birth seasonality. It was found that the overall seasonal pattern in Spain was driven by lower skilled employed mothers, in contrast with not employed or high skilled employed mothers, who showed a different or weaker seasonality. Finally, we found that a change in the rhythm pattern has taken place in the last decades in Spain. CONCLUSIONS Birth seasonality is to a large extent related to maternal employment status. Employed mothers, normally more affected by the seasonality of work calendar than the unemployed, show higher conception rates structured around holidays. This may indicate that the observed change of seasonal pattern in Spain in the last decades, as in other European countries, may be specifically driven by the progressive higher participation of women in labor market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adela Recio Alcaide
- Public Health Unit, Department of Surgery and Medical Sciences, School of MedicineUniversity of AlcaláAlcalá de HenaresSpain,Directorate of Research, Institute of Fiscal Studies (IEF)Ministry of FinanceMadridSpain
| | - César Pérez López
- Directorate of Research, Institute of Fiscal Studies (IEF)Ministry of FinanceMadridSpain,Department of Statistics and Data ScienceComplutense University of MadridMadridSpain
| | - Francisco Bolúmar
- Public Health Unit, Department of Surgery and Medical Sciences, School of MedicineUniversity of AlcaláAlcalá de HenaresSpain,Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health & Health PolicyCity University of New YorkNew YorkUSA
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Davis GE, Davis MJ, Lowell WE. The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the incidence and severity of major mental illness using birth month, birth year, and sunspot data. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09197. [PMID: 35368522 PMCID: PMC8969152 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives The evaluation of the severity of patients afflicted with major mental illness (MMI) has been problematic because of confounding variables and genetic variability. There have been multiple studies that suggest several human diseases, especially schizophrenia, are predisposed to be born in certain months or seasons. This observation implied an epigenetic effect of sunlight, likely ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is damaging to DNA, especially in an embryo. This paper outlines a method to evaluate the severity of schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BPD), and schizoaffective disorder (SZ-AFF) using the month/year of birth of those affected compared to the month/year of birth of the general population (GP). Relevance Our previous research found that more intense UVR (equal to or greater than 90 sunspot number (SSN)) had a negative effect on the average human lifespan. Also, human birth rates vary in frequency by month of birth reflecting variables like availability of food, sunlight, and other unknown epigenetic factors. We wanted to see if the patient month of birth varied from the average birth months of the general population and if UVR has an epigenetic effect promoting these diseases. Methods We obtained the month and year of birth of 1,233 patients admitted over a 15-year period to Maine's largest state psychiatric hospital and counted the months of birth for each diagnosis of SZ, BPD, and SZ-AFF, and compared these results to the general population's birth months of 4,265,555 persons from U. S. Census Year 2006. The number of patients in each month was normalized to August and compared with the normalized birth months of the general population (GP). Plots of the normalized months were considered rates of change (e.g., derivatives) and their respective integrals gave domains of each mental illness relative to the GP. Normalizing the GP to unity was then related to the factor 1.28, e.g., 28% more entropy, deduced from the Sun's fractal dimension imprinted on biological organisms. Results The percent of patients meeting our criterion for severity: SZ = 27%; BPD = 26%; SZ-AFF = 100%. Conclusions High UVR intensity or a rapid increase in UVR in early gestation are likely epigenetic triggers of major mental illness. BPD is more epigenetically affected than SZ or SZ-AFF disorders. We found that 52% of 1,233 patients comprised the core function of a tertiary-care psychiatric hospital. Also, mental illness exacerbated when the median SSN doubled. This work also validates the Kraeplinian dichotomy. What is new in this research This paper offers a new paradigm for evaluating the severity of MMI and supports significant epigenetic effects from UVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- George E Davis
- Riverview Psychiatric Center, 250 Arsenal Street, State House Station #11, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0011, USA
| | - Matthew J Davis
- Riverview Psychiatric Center, 250 Arsenal Street, State House Station #11, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0011, USA
| | - Walter E Lowell
- Riverview Psychiatric Center, 250 Arsenal Street, State House Station #11, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0011, USA
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Gue YX, Bisson A, Bodin A, Herbert J, Lip GYH, Fauchier L. Season of Birth and Cardiovascular Mortality in Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Cohort Study. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8120177. [PMID: 34940532 PMCID: PMC8707232 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8120177] [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: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The fetal origins hypothesis have associated early life exposures with the development of adverse health outcomes in adulthood. Season of birth has been shown to be associated with overall and cardiovascular mortality. Methods: We performed a retrospective database study to explore the association between season of birth and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation. Results: A total of 8962 patients with AF were identified in the database with 1253 deaths recorded. AF patients born in spring and summer had a higher mortality rate when compared to those born in autumn and winter (hazard ratio (HR) 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.26, p = 0.03). This effect was consistent in the male subgroup (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03–1.51, p = 0.02 for males born in spring; HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03–1.51, p = 0.03 for males born in summer when compared to winter as the reference) but not in females (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.79–1.31, p = 0.88 for females born in spring; HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.87–1.42, p = 0.39 for females born in summer when compared to winter as the reference). Results persisted after adjustment for baseline characteristics and clinical risk profile. A similar pattern was observed with cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion: Birth in spring or summer is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality in male AF patients, but not in females. This could be related to the underlying differences in rates of major adverse clinical events between genders. Further studies should aim at clarifying the mechanisms behind this association, which may help us understand the higher level of risk in female patients with AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying X. Gue
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool L14 3PE, UK; (Y.X.G.); (G.Y.H.L.)
| | - Arnaud Bisson
- Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours, 37044 Tours, France; (A.B.); (A.B.); (J.H.)
| | - Alexandre Bodin
- Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours, 37044 Tours, France; (A.B.); (A.B.); (J.H.)
| | - Julien Herbert
- Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours, 37044 Tours, France; (A.B.); (A.B.); (J.H.)
- Service d’Information Médicale, d’Épidémiologie et d’Économie de la Santé, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Faculté de Médecine, EA7505, Université de Tours, 37044 Tours, France
| | - Gregory Y. H. Lip
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool L14 3PE, UK; (Y.X.G.); (G.Y.H.L.)
| | - Laurent Fauchier
- Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours, 37044 Tours, France; (A.B.); (A.B.); (J.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-247474650; Fax: +33-247475919
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Yang T, He T, Huang J, Li G. Impact of birth season on the years of life lost from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM 2.5 exposure in Ningbo, China. Environ Health Prev Med 2021; 26:74. [PMID: 34273955 PMCID: PMC8286574 DOI: 10.1186/s12199-021-00994-6] [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: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ambient fine particle (PM2.5) pollution is an important public health problem in China. Short-term ambient PM2.5 exposure is associated with increased mortality of respiratory diseases. However, few evidence was available on the effect of exposure to ambient PM2.5 on the years of life lost (YLL) from respiratory diseases in the elderly. Furthermore, birth season which is frequently applied as a proxy for environmental exposure in early life may influence the health outcome in the later life. Nevertheless, the modification effect of birth season on the relationship of PM2.5 exposure and respiratory health need to be explored. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM2.5 exposure between 2013 and 2016 in Ningbo, China. The modification effect of birth season was explored by subgroup comparisons between different birth seasons. Results Each 10 μg/m3 increase in daily ambient PM2.5 was associated with an increment of 1.61 (95% CI 0.12, 3.10) years in YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly population. Individuals who were born in winter had significantly higher YLL from respiratory diseases associated with ambient PM2.5 exposure than those who were born in other seasons. Conclusions Birth season which reflects the early-life PM2.5 exposure level that may influence the lung development has a potential effect on the disease burden of respiratory diseases related to ambient PM2.5 exposure in later life. The results would provide theoretical basis to protect vulnerable population defined by birth season when exploring the adverse effects of ambient PM2.5 in the respiratory health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-021-00994-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Yang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Tianfeng He
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.,Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Guoxing Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China
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Uji T, Wada K, Yamakawa M, Koda S, Nakashima Y, Onuma S, Nagata C. Birth month and mortality in Japan: a population-based prospective cohort study. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:1023-1031. [PMID: 33792442 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1903482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies investigating the association between birth season and risk of mortality in adulthood are limited and have yielded inconclusive results. We aimed to examine the relationship between birth month and all-cause and cause-specific mortality, after controlling for potential confounders, including lifestyle and medical factors, in a population-based cohort study in Japan. We included 28,884 subjects (13,262 men and 15,622 women) from Takayama City, aged 35 years or older without cancer, stroke, and ischemic heart disease, who were born in Japan at baseline. Participants who were enrolled in 1992 were followed up for over 16 years. Information including place of birth, lifestyles, and medical history was obtained from a baseline questionnaire. We performed a Cox proportional hazards analysis to determine the association between birth month and all-cause and cause-specific mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. During the follow-up period (mean follow-up: 14.1 years), 5,303 deaths (2,881 men and 2,422 women) were identified. After controlling for multiple covariates, it was found that being born in April or June was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to being born in January (hazard ratio [HR] 1.138; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006-1.288 and HR 1.169; 95% CI, 1.028-1.329, respectively). The HRs for cardiovascular mortality were significantly higher in participants born in March and May (HR 1.285; 95% CI, 1.056-1.565 and HR 1.293; 95% CI, 1.040-1.608, respectively). Our findings indicate that an individual's birth month may be an indicator of the susceptibility to mortality in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Uji
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Keiko Wada
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Michiyo Yamakawa
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Sachi Koda
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yuma Nakashima
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Sakiko Onuma
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Chisato Nagata
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
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Gao Z, Liu S, Dai Y, Guo R, Wang Y, Sun Z, Xing L, Sun Y, Zheng L. Born in winter or spring more susceptible to all-cause and cardiovascular disease death in rural areas of China: results from a 11.9-year follow-up study. J Hum Hypertens 2021; 35:1170-1179. [PMID: 33504977 PMCID: PMC7839939 DOI: 10.1038/s41371-020-00432-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
There has been no evidence on the effects of birth season and birth month on mortality in China. We aimed to explore the association between birth season, birth month and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death. A population-based sample of 21,338 Chinese rural participants aged ≥35 years at baseline was included in our analysis. Age and multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the relationship between astronomical birth season (autumn as the reference), birth month (November as the reference), and all-cause and CVD mortality. During a median follow-up period of 11.9 years, 2,207 people died from all-cause and 1,214 people were attributed to CVD death. In multivariable adjusted analyses, for all-cause death, spring and winter had HRs (95% CIs) of 1.134 (1.005–1.280) and 1.162 (1.038–1.301), respectively; January, March, May, and August had HRs (95% CIs) of 1.249 (1.027–1.518), 1.234 (1.008–1.512), 1.276 (1.037–1.571), and 1.232 (1.003–1.513), respectively. For CVD death, spring and winter with HRs (95% CIs) of mortality were 1.232 (1.048–1.449) and 1.174 (1.007–1.369), respectively; March with HR (95% CI) of mortality were 1.343 (1.030–1.750) (all P < 0.05). Our study indicated that people born in the winter or spring were significantly associated with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in rural areas of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihui Gao
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Sitong Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Yue Dai
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Rongrong Guo
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Zhaoqing Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Liying Xing
- Institute of Chronic Disease, Liaoning Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenyang, 110005, PR China
| | - Yingxian Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China.
| | - Liqiang Zheng
- Department of Cardiology, Department of Library and Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China.
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Season-of-birth phenomenon in health and longevity: epidemiologic evidence and mechanistic considerations. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2020; 12:849-858. [PMID: 33298226 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420001221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In many human populations, especially those living in regions with pronounced climatic differences between seasons, the most sensitive (prenatal and neonatal) developmental stages occur in contrasting conditions depending on the season of conception. The difference in prenatal and postnatal environments may be a factor significantly affecting human development and risk for later life chronic diseases. Factors potentially contributing to this kind of developmental programming include nutrition, outdoor temperature, infectious exposures, duration of sunlight, vitamin D synthesis, etc. Month of birth is commonly used as a proxy for exposures which vary seasonally around the perinatal period. Season-of-birth patterns have been identified for many chronic health outcomes. In this review, the research evidence for the seasonality of birth in adult-life disorders is provided and potential mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of early life seasonal programming of chronic disease and longevity are discussed.
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Miłkowska K, Nenko I, Klimek M, Galbarczyk A, Jasienska G. Season of birth and biomarkers of early-life environment. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23532. [PMID: 33166028 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early-life conditions play an important role in human development, affecting health status and survival. Conditions in utero partly depend on the external environment and thus vary in relation to the season of birth. The aim of this study was to investigate if people born in different seasons of the year differ in values of biomarkers that reflect conditions during fetal development. METHODS The study was conducted among Polish rural women recruited at the Mogielica Human Ecology Study Site. The participants were 234 women aged 45 to 92 (mean = 60.2; SD = 10.44). The indicators of early-life environment analyzed in the study were: Absolute Finger Ridge Count (AFRC), the difference between mean number of ridge counts in both thumbs and both little fingers (Md15), overall facial fluctuating asymmetry (OFA), central facial asymmetry (CFA), right and left hand 2D:4D. RESULTS Values of biomarkers of fetal development did not vary among groups of women born in different seasons of the year. CONCLUSIONS Lack of differences in values of biomarkers according to birth season may indicate that: (a) season of birth is not a good indicator of early-life conditions; (b) tested biomarkers do not reliably reflect the prenatal environment; (c) season of birth does not fully overlap with the sensitive periods of biomarker development and thus fails to capture differences in developmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Miłkowska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ilona Nenko
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Klimek
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Galbarczyk
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Grazyna Jasienska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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Abeliansky AL, Strulik H. Season of birth, health and aging. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2020; 36:100812. [PMID: 31732433 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2019.100812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigate how the season of birth is related to human health and aging. For this purpose, we use five waves of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) dataset and construct a health deficit index for 21 European countries. Results from log-linear regressions suggest that, on average, elderly European men age faster when they were born in spring and summer (compared to autumn). At any given age, they have developed about 3.5 percent more health deficits. These differences due to seasons of birth are not mediated by body height and education. In a subsample of Southern European countries, where the seasonal variation of sunlight is smaller, the birth season plays an insignificant role for health in old age. In a subsample of Northern countries, in contrast, the season of birth coefficients increase. At any given age, elderly Northern European men born in spring have developed, on average, 8.7 percent more health deficits than those born in autumn. In non-linear regressions we find that the speed of aging is also associated with the birth season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lucia Abeliansky
- University of Göttingen, Department of Economics, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Holger Strulik
- University of Göttingen, Department of Economics, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
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Zhang Y, Devore EE, Strohmaier S, Grodstein F, Schernhammer ES. Birth month, birth season, and overall and cardiovascular disease mortality in US women: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2019; 367:l6058. [PMID: 31852664 PMCID: PMC7190053 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l6058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the associations between birth month, birth season, and overall and cardiovascular disease mortality, and to examine the role of familial and socioeconomic factors in these associations. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Nurses' Health Study, established in 1976, an ongoing prospective cohort study in the United States. PARTICIPANTS Female registered nurses who reported information on date of birth at study enrolment (n=116 911, 1976-2014, followed for 38 years). EXPOSURE Birth month and astronomical birth season (based on solstices and equinoxes as boundaries of the season categories). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age and various multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between birth months (using November as the reference), astronomical birth season (using autumn as the reference), and overall and cardiovascular disease specific mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS Among study participants, 43 248 overall deaths were documented during 4 136 364 person years of follow-up since enrolment, including 8360 cardiovascular disease related deaths. In fully adjusted multivariable analyses, no significant association was observed between birth month, birth season, and overall mortality. Compared with women born in November, increased cardiovascular disease mortality was observed among those born from March to July (hazard ratio for March, 1.09, 95% confidence interval 0.98 to 1.21; April, 1.12, 1.00 to 1.24; May, 1.08, 0.98 to 1.20; June, 1.07, 0.96 to 1.19; and July 1.08, 0.98 to 1.20). Those born in April had the highest cardiovascular disease mortality, and those born in December had the lowest (December, 0.95, 0.85 to 1.06). The relative difference between the lowest and highest risk month was 17.89%. Women born in spring (1.10, 1.04 to 1.17) and summer (1.09, 1.03 to 1.16) had a higher cardiovascular disease mortality than women born in the autumn. Adjustment for familial and socioeconomic factors did not change these results. The relative difference between the lowest and highest risk season was 10.00%. CONCLUSION Participants born in the spring and summer (especially those born in March-July) had a slight but significant increase in cardiovascular disease specific mortality. However, no seasonal birth month effect was observed among women for overall mortality. Familial and socioeconomic factors did not appear to alter these associations. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and reveal mechanisms of these seasonal birth month effects in cardiovascular disease mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Zhang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Devore
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Susanne Strohmaier
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Francine Grodstein
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eva S Schernhammer
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Kulikov AV, Arkhipova LV, Kulikova PA, Glazkov AA, Kulikov DA. Possible Approaches to Increase the Longevity of Experimental Animals. ADVANCES IN GERONTOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079057018040100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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Dahlberg J, Andersson G. Changing seasonal variation in births by sociodemographic factors: a population-based register study. Hum Reprod Open 2018; 2018:hoy015. [PMID: 30895256 PMCID: PMC6276686 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoy015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Have seasonal variations in births by factors related to maternal education, age, parity and re-partnering changed over a 72-year period? SUMMARY ANSWER Seasonal variation in births has been reduced overall but also changed its pattern over the last seven decades. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The number of births varies markedly by season, but the causes of this variation are not fully understood. Seasonality of births is, in some populations, strongly influenced by sociodemographic factors. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION A longitudinal study design was used by analysing the seasonal variation in live births between 1940 and 2012, and relating it to mothers' sociodemographic characteristics at the time of childbirth (maternal education, age, parity and re-partnering). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS Register data on 6 768 810 live births in Sweden between 1940 and 2012 were used. Information on biological parents are available for more than 95% of all births. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to calculate predicted probabilities of giving birth for each calendar month. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Between 1940 and 1999, Swedish birth rates showed the typical seasonal variation with high numbers of births during the spring, and low numbers of births during the last quarter of the year. However, during the 21st century, the seasonal variation in fertility declined so that only minor variation in birth rates between February and September now remains. Still, the pattern of low birth rates at the end of the year remains and has even become more pronounced from the 1980s onwards. The characteristic 'Christmas effect' that used to be visible in September has vanished over the last 30 years. The roles in seasonal variation of maternal education, the mother's age, parity and instances where the mother has re-partnered between subsequent births changed during the second half of the 20th century. From 1980s onwards, the decline in birth rates during the last quarter of the year became particularly pronounced among highly educated mothers. Over the 72 years studied, the seasonal variation among first-time mothers declined steadily and has almost disappeared at the end of the study period. Using data that cover ~180 000 births in each month, all meaningful results are statistically significant. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION The study uses data from one Nordic country only, making it difficult to draw conclusions that may hold for other countries. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The typical seasonal variation reported for Sweden between 1940 and 1999, with high numbers of births during the spring and low numbers of births during the last quarter of the year, is in line with results from most other European countries during the same time period. However, the significant decline in seasonal variation in the early 21st century is a novel development. The study underlines that in a society with low fertility and efficient birth control, active choices and behaviours associated with an individual's sociodemographic characteristics tend to matter more for the seasonal timing of childbearing than environmental factors related to the physiological ability to reproduce and cultural-behavioural factors related to the frequency of intercourse. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) via the Swedish Initiative for Research on Microdata in the Social and Medical Sciences (SIMSAM): Stockholm University SIMSAM Node for Demographic Research (grant registration number 340-2013-5164). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Dahlberg
- Department of Sociology, The Stockholm University Demography Unit, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - G Andersson
- Department of Sociology, The Stockholm University Demography Unit, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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Gentilini D, Somigliana E, Pagliardini L, Rabellotti E, Garagnani P, Bernardinelli L, Papaleo E, Candiani M, Di Blasio AM, Viganò P. Multifactorial analysis of the stochastic epigenetic variability in cord blood confirmed an impact of common behavioral and environmental factors but not of in vitro conception. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:77. [PMID: 29930742 PMCID: PMC5994106 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An increased incidence of imprint-associated disorders has been reported in babies born from assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, previous studies supporting an association between ART and an altered DNA methylation status of the conceived babies have been often conducted on a limited number of methylation sites and without correction for critical potential confounders. Moreover, all the previous studies focused on the identification of methylation changes shared among subjects while an evaluation of stochastic differences has never been conducted. This study aims to evaluate the effect of ART and other common behavioral or environmental factors associated with pregnancy on stochastic epigenetic variability using a multivariate approach. Results DNA methylation levels of cord blood from 23 in vitro and 41 naturally conceived children were analyzed using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. After multiple testing correction, no statistically significant difference emerged in the number of cord blood stochastic epigenetic variations or in the methylation levels between in vitro- and in vivo-conceived babies. Conversely, four multiple factor analysis dimensions summarizing common phenotypic, behavioral, or environmental factors (cord blood cell composition, pre or post conception supplementation of folates, birth percentiles, gestational age, cesarean section, pre-gestational mother’s weight, parents’ BMI and obesity status, presence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, mother’s smoking status, and season of birth) were significantly associated with stochastic epigenetic variability. The stochastic epigenetic variation analysis allowed the identification of a rare imprinting defect in the locus GNAS in one of the babies belonging to the control population, which would not have emerged using a classical case-control association analysis. Conclusions We confirmed the effect of several common behavioral or environmental factors on the epigenome of newborns and described for the first time an epigenetic effect related to season of birth. Children born after ART did not appear to have an increased risk of genome-wide changes in DNA methylation either at specific loci or randomly scattered throughout the genome. The inability to identify differences between cases and controls suggests that the number of stochastic epigenetic variations potentially induced by ART was not greater than that naturally produced in response to maternal behavior or other common environmental factors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-018-0510-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Gentilini
- 1Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy.,5Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - E Somigliana
- 2Infertility Unit, Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - L Pagliardini
- 3Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - E Rabellotti
- 3Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - P Garagnani
- 4Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - L Bernardinelli
- 5Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - E Papaleo
- 3Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - M Candiani
- 6Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - A M Di Blasio
- 1Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy
| | - P Viganò
- 3Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
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Indigenous Infant Mortality by Age and Season of Birth, 1800-1899: Did Season of Birth Affect Children's Chances for Survival? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 15:ijerph15010018. [PMID: 29295484 PMCID: PMC5800118 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This paper focuses on the influence of season of birth on infant mortality among the Sami and non-Sami populations in northern Sweden during the nineteenth century. The source material is a set of data files from the Demographic Data Base at Umeå University, making it possible to combine age at death (in days), month of death, and month of birth over the course of the entire century. Cox regression models reveal that for the first week of life, season of birth had no influence on the risk of mortality. For the Sami, the results showed that being born during winter was related to a higher risk of neonatal mortality, and being born during summer was related to a higher risk of mortality after six months of age. Furthermore, for the Sami, the neonatal mortality showed a U-shaped pattern with a minimum in June–August, whereas the corresponding pattern among the non-Sami was flatter. The findings shed light on vulnerability in two populations sharing the same environment, but diverging in terms of social, economic, and cultural factors.
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19
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Is Month of Birth a Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer? Gastroenterol Res Pract 2017; 2017:5423765. [PMID: 28133478 PMCID: PMC5241469 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5423765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction. The developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis and season of birth have been linked to a wide variety of later life conditions including cancer. Whether any relationship between month and season of birth and colorectal cancer exists is unknown. Methods. A case-control study was performed with month of birth extracted from a dedicated colorectal cancer database. Age and gender matched patients were used as a control group. Generalised linear models were fitted with Poisson and negative binomial responses and logarithmic links. A forward stepwise approach was followed adding seasonal components with 6- and 12-month periods. Results. 1019 colorectal cancer patients and 1277 randomly selected age and gender matched controls were included. For both men and women there is an excess of colorectal cancer in those born in autumn and a corresponding reduction of risk among those born in spring (p = 0.026). For the identified September peak, the excess risk for colorectal cancer was 14.8% (95% CI 5.6–32.3%) larger than the spring trough. Conclusion. There is a seasonal effect in the monthly birth rates of people who are operated for colorectal cancer with a disproportionate excess of cancer in those born in September. Further large studies are required to validate these findings.
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Chmielewski P, Borysławski K. Understanding the links between month of birth, body height, and longevity: why some studies reveal that shorter people live longer – further evidence of seasonal programming from the Polish population. ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW 2016. [DOI: 10.1515/anre-2016-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a lack of agreement in the literature as to whether adult height depends on month of birth and whether height affects lifespan. Additionally, the relationship between stature and longevity involves conflicting findings and the results remain mixed due to several confounders, such as: year of birth, somatotype, relative body weight, genetic inheritance, diet, diseases, etc. Here, we hypothesize that the season of birth effect can also be involved in shaping the mysterious link between body height and longevity. To assess the links between month of birth, adult height, and longevity in the Polish population, data on 848,860 individuals, of whom 483,512 were men (57%) and 365,348 were women (43%), born in the years 1896-1988 and died in the years 2004-2008, were collected from the ‘PESEL’ database and signalments in the censuses obtained from identity card offices throughout Poland. ANOVA and the LSD test were performed. A significant relationship between month of birth and lifespan was found. Individuals born in autumn and winter months lived significantly longer than those who were born in the middle of the year (May). The amplitudes of lifespan were 16 months in men and 14 months in women. As expected, subjects of both sexes born in autumn and winter months were significantly shorter than their peers born around the middle of the year. In conclusion, the results of the study not only corroborate the theory of seasonal programming of longevity and support the idea that some undetermined factors from early stages of ontogeny and associated with season of birth have long-term effects on phenotype in later life in terms of adult height and longevity, but also bear out the hypothesis that month of birth can be another important confounding factor with respect to the relationship between adult height and longevity.
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Day FR, Forouhi NG, Ong KK, Perry JRB. Season of birth is associated with birth weight, pubertal timing, adult body size and educational attainment: a UK Biobank study. Heliyon 2015; 1:e00031. [PMID: 27123493 PMCID: PMC4832516 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2015.e00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Season of birth, a marker of in utero vitamin D exposure, has been associated with a wide range of health outcomes. Using a dataset of ∼450,000 participants from the UK Biobank study, we aimed to assess the impact of this seasonality on birth weight, age at menarche, adult height and body mass index (BMI). Birth weight, age at menarche and height, but not BMI, were highly significantly associated with season of birth. Individuals born in summer (June-July-August) had higher mean birth weight (P = 8 × 10-10), later pubertal development (P = 1.1 × 10-45) and taller adult height (P = 6.5 × 10-9) compared to those born in all other seasons. Concordantly, those born in winter (December-January-February) showed directionally opposite differences in these outcomes. A secondary comparison of the extreme differences between months revealed higher odds ratios [95% confidence intervals (CI)] for low birth weight in February vs. September (1.23 [1.15-1.32], P = 4.4 × 10-10), for early puberty in September vs. July (1.22 [1.16-1.28], P = 7.3 × 10-15) and for short stature in December vs. June (1.09 [1.03-1.17], P = 0.006). The above associations were also seen with total hours of sunshine during the second trimester, but not during the first three months after birth. Additional associations were observed with educational attainment; individuals born in autumn vs. summer were more likely to continue in education post age 16 years (P = 1.1 × 10-91) or attain a degree-level qualification (P = 4 × 10-7). However, unlike other outcomes, an abrupt difference was seen between those born in August vs. September, which flank the start of the school year. Our findings provide support for the 'fetal programming' hypothesis, refining and extending the impact that season of birth has on childhood growth and development. Whilst other mechanisms may contribute to these associations, these findings are consistent with a possible role of in utero vitamin D exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix R Day
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Nita G Forouhi
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Ken K Ong
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK; Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - John R B Perry
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
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Moser A, Clough-Gorr K, Zwahlen M. Modeling absolute differences in life expectancy with a censored skew-normal regression approach. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1162. [PMID: 26339544 PMCID: PMC4558072 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Parameter estimates from commonly used multivariable parametric survival regression models do not directly quantify differences in years of life expectancy. Gaussian linear regression models give results in terms of absolute mean differences, but are not appropriate in modeling life expectancy, because in many situations time to death has a negative skewed distribution. A regression approach using a skew-normal distribution would be an alternative to parametric survival models in the modeling of life expectancy, because parameter estimates can be interpreted in terms of survival time differences while allowing for skewness of the distribution. In this paper we show how to use the skew-normal regression so that censored and left-truncated observations are accounted for. With this we model differences in life expectancy using data from the Swiss National Cohort Study and from official life expectancy estimates and compare the results with those derived from commonly used survival regression models. We conclude that a censored skew-normal survival regression approach for left-truncated observations can be used to model differences in life expectancy across covariates of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Moser
- Department of Geriatrics, Bern University Hospital, and Spital Netz Bern Ziegler, and University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland ; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Kerri Clough-Gorr
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Marcel Zwahlen
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
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La Rosa F, Liso A, Bianconi F, Duca E, Stracci F. Seasonal variation in the month of birth in patients with skin cancer. Br J Cancer 2014; 111:1810-3. [PMID: 25290092 PMCID: PMC4453742 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2014] [Revised: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Month of birth influences the risk of developing several diseases. We investigated the influence of date of birth on melanoma skin cancer (MSC) and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) incidence. METHODS Enhanced cancer registry data were analysed including 1751 MSC and 15 200 NMSC. RESULTS People born in February to April showed significantly elevated risks of NMSC compared with those born in summertime. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated seasonality by date of birth for skin cancer incidence. Neonatal UV exposure may explain this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- F La Rosa
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Public Health Section, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy
| | - A Liso
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - F Bianconi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Public Health Section, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy
| | - E Duca
- Department of Health, Regional Government of Umbria, 06124 Perugia, Italy
| | - F Stracci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Public Health Section, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy
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Abstract
Available data from both experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that inadequate diet in early life can permanently change the structure and function of specific organs or homoeostatic pathways, thereby ‘programming’ the individual’s health status and longevity. Sufficient evidence has accumulated showing significant impact of epigenetic regulation mechanisms in nutritional programming phenomenon. The essential role of early-life diet in the development of aging-related chronic diseases is well established and described in many scientific publications. However, the programming effects on lifespan have not been extensively reviewed systematically. The aim of the review is to provide a summary of research findings and theoretical explanations that indicate that longevity can be influenced by early nutrition.
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Ueda P, Edstedt Bonamy AK, Granath F, Cnattingius S. Month of birth and cause-specific mortality between 50 and 80 years: a population-based longitudinal cohort study in Sweden. Eur J Epidemiol 2014; 29:89-94. [PMID: 24522654 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-014-9882-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Month of birth-a proxy for a variety of prenatal and early postnatal exposures including nutritional status, ambient temperature and infections-has been linked to mortality risk in adult life. We assessed the relation between month of birth and cause-specific mortality risk from cardiovascular diseases, infections, tumors and external causes-in ages of more than 50-80 years. In this nation-wide Swedish study, 4,240,338 subjects were followed from 1991 to 2010, using data from population-based health and administrative registries. The relation between month of birth and cause-specific mortality risk was assessed by fitting Cox proportional hazard regression models with attained age as the underlying time scale. In models adjusted for sex and education, month of birth was associated with cardiovascular and infectious mortality, but not with deaths from tumors or external causes. Compared with subjects born in November, a higher cardiovascular mortality was seen in subjects born from January through August, peaking in March/April [hazard ratio (HR) 1.066 compared to November, 95 % CI 1.045-1.086]. The mortality from infections was lowest for the birth months November and December and a distinct peak was observed for September-born (HR 1.108 compared to November, 95 % CI 1.046-1.175). Month of birth is associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases and infections in ages of more than 50-80 years in Sweden. The mechanisms behind these associations remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Ueda
- Institutionen för Medicin - Solna, Enheten för klinisk epidemiologi, T2 Karolinska universitetssjukhuset, Solna, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden,
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