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Liew Z, Meng Q, Yan Q, Schullehner J, Hansen B, Kristiansen SM, Voutchkova DD, Olsen J, Ersbøll AK, Ketzel M, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Ritz BR. Association Between Estimated Geocoded Residential Maternal Exposure to Lithium in Drinking Water and Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Offspring in Denmark. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:617-624. [PMID: 37010840 PMCID: PMC10071398 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Importance Lithium is a naturally occurring and trace element that has mood-stabilizing effects. Maternal therapeutic use of lithium has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. In animal models, lithium modulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling that is important for neurodevelopment. It is unknown whether exposure to lithium in drinking water affects brain health in early life. Objective To evaluate whether autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring is associated with maternal exposure to lithium in drinking water during pregnancy. Design, Setting, and Participants This nationwide population-based case-control study in Denmark identified 8842 children diagnosed with ASD born from 2000 through 2013 and 43 864 control participants matched by birth year and sex from the Danish Medical Birth Registry. These data were analyzed from March 2021 through November 2022. Exposures Geocoded maternal residential addresses during pregnancy were linked to lithium level (range, 0.6 to 30.7 μg/L) in drinking water estimated using kriging interpolation based on 151 waterworks measurements of lithium across all regions in Denmark. Main Outcomes and Measures ASD diagnoses were ascertained using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes recorded in the Danish Psychiatric Central Register. The study team estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for ASD according to estimated geocoded maternal exposure to natural source of lithium in drinking water as a continuous (per IQR) or a categorical (quartile) variable, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and ambient air pollutants levels. The study team also conducted stratified analyses by birth years, child's sex, and urbanicity. Results A total of 8842 participants with ASD (male, 7009 [79.3%]) and 43 864 control participants (male, 34 749 [79.2%]) were studied. Every IQR increase in estimated geocoded maternal exposure to natural source of lithium in drinking water was associated with higher odds for ASD in offspring (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.17-1.29). Elevated odds among offspring for ASD were estimated starting from the second quartile (7.36 to 12.67 μg/L) of estimated maternal exposure to drinking water with lithium and the OR for the highest quartile (more than 16.78 μg/L) compared with the reference group (less than 7.39 μg/L) was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.35-1.59). The associations were unchanged when adjusting for air pollution exposures and no differences were apparent in stratified analyses. Conclusions and Relevance Estimated maternal prenatal exposure to lithium from naturally occurring drinking water sources in Denmark was associated with an increased ASD risk in the offspring. This study suggests that naturally occurring lithium in drinking water may be a novel environmental risk factor for ASD development that requires further scrutiny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Qi Meng
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Qi Yan
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Jörg Schullehner
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University (CIRRAU), Aarhus, Denmark
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Jørn Olsen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Annette Kjær Ersbøll
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Matthias Ketzel
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Ole Raaschou-Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Beate R. Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
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Richter F, Kloster S, Wodschow K, Hansen B, Schullehner J, Kristiansen SM, Petersen MM, Strandberg-Larsen K, Ersbøll AK. Maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water and risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring. Environ Int 2022; 160:107051. [PMID: 34942407 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal exposure to arsenic is suspected to impair fetal health, including congenital malformations. Few studies investigated an association between maternal exposure to arsenic and congenital heart disease. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between maternal exposure to arsenic through drinking water and congenital heart disease among offspring. METHODS This nationwide cohort study included all liveborn children in Denmark, 1997-2014. Maternal addresses at fetal age 4 weeks were linked to drinking water supply areas. Exposure was arsenic concentration in drinking water in first trimester in four categories (<0.5 μg/L, 0.5-0.9 μg/L, 1.0-4.9 μg/L, ≥5.0 μg/L). Outcomes were defined as congenital heart disease diagnosed within the first year of life, with sub-categorization of severe, septal defects and valvular heart defect. Associations between arsenic levels and congenital heart disease were analysed using logistic regression, presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and adjusted for year of birth, mother's educational level and ethnicity. RESULTS A total of 1,042,413 liveborn children were included of whom 1.0% had a congenital heart disease. The OR of congenital heart disease was higher among children exposed to all levels of arsenic above 0.5 μg/L; the OR was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.08-1.19) for exposure of 0.5-0.9 μg/L, 1.33 (95% CI: 1.27-1.39) for 1.0-4.9 μg/L and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.24-1.63) for ≥5.0 μg/L. Similar associations were observed for congenital septal defects. The OR was also higher for severe congenital heart disease but at the same level among all exposure levels ≥0.5 μg/L. The OR of congenital valvular heart defects was only higher among children with maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water ≥5.0 μg/L. The associations were similar for boys and girls. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that maternal exposure to arsenic in drinking water even at low concentrations (i.e., 0.5-0.9 μg/L) increased the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida Richter
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stine Kloster
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kirstine Wodschow
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jörg Schullehner
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Research Unit for Environment, Work and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Annette Kjær Ersbøll
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Thygesen M, Schullehner J, Hansen B, Sigsgaard T, Voutchkova DD, Kristiansen SM, Pedersen CB, Dalsgaard S. Trace elements in drinking water and the incidence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2021; 68:126828. [PMID: 34391071 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trace elements have been suggested to have neurotoxic effects and increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, but studies of a potential role of trace elements in relation to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are very limited. The objective of this study was to conduct an exploratory analysis investigating the associations between 17 geogenic trace elements (Ba, Co, Eu, I, Li, Mo, Rb, Re, Rh, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sr, Ti, U and Y) found in Danish drinking water and the risk of developing ADHD. METHODS In this cohort study, 284,309 individuals, born 1994-2007, were followed for incidence of ADHD from the age of five until the end of study, December 31, 2016. We conducted survival analyses, using Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) in three different confounder adjustment scenarios. RESULTS In a model including adjustments for age, sex, calendar year, parental socio-economic status, neighborhood level socio-economic status and parental psychiatric illness, we found that six of the 17 trace elements (Sr, Rb, Rh, Ti, Sb and Re) were associated with an increased risk of ADHD, whereas two (Ba and I) were inversely associated with ADHD. However, when including region as a covariate in the model, most trace elements were no longer associated with ADHD or the association changed direction. Four trace elements (I, Li, Rb, and Y) remained significantly associated with ADHD but in an inverse direction and for three of these (I, Li and Y), we found significant interactions with region in their association with ADHD. CONCLUSION The trace elements under investigation, at levels found in Danish drinking water, do not seem to contribute to the development of ADHD and our findings highlight the importance of examining consistency of associations across geographic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malene Thygesen
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Department of Economics and Business, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register Based Research, CIRRAU, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Jörg Schullehner
- Department of Public Health, Section of Environment, Occupation and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, Denmark; Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, BERTHA, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Centre for Integrated Register Based Research, CIRRAU, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Section of Environment, Occupation and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, BERTHA, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Carsten B Pedersen
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Department of Economics and Business, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register Based Research, CIRRAU, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, BERTHA, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Søren Dalsgaard
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Department of Economics and Business, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register Based Research, CIRRAU, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Schullehner J, Thygesen M, Kristiansen SM, Hansen B, Pedersen CB, Dalsgaard S. Exposure to Manganese in Drinking Water during Childhood and Association with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study. Environ Health Perspect 2020; 128:97004. [PMID: 32955354 PMCID: PMC7505135 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Manganese (Mn) in drinking water may increase the risk of several neurodevelopmental outcomes, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Earlier epidemiological studies on associations between Mn exposure and ADHD-related outcomes had small sample sizes, lacked spatiotemporal exposure assessment, and relied on questionnaire data (not diagnoses)-shortcomings that we address here. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess the association between exposure to Mn in drinking water during childhood and later development of ADHD. METHODS In a nationwide population-based registry study in Denmark, we followed a cohort of 643,401 children born 1992-2007 for clinical diagnoses of ADHD. In subanalyses, we classified cases into ADHD-Inattentive and ADHD-Combined subtypes based on hierarchical categorization of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes. We obtained Mn measurements from 82,574 drinking water samples to estimate longitudinal exposure during the first 5 y of life with high spatiotemporal resolution. We modeled exposure as both peak concentration and time-weighted average. We estimated sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) in Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, birth year, socioeconomic status (SES), and urbanicity. RESULTS We found that exposure to increasing levels of Mn in drinking water was associated with an increased risk of ADHD-Inattentive subtype, but not ADHD-Combined subtype. After adjusting for age, birth year, and SES, females exposed to high levels of Mn (i.e., >100μg/L) at least once during their first 5 y of life had an HR for ADHD-Inattentive subtype of 1.51 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18, 1.93] and males of 1.20 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.42) when compared with same-sex individuals exposed to <5μg/L. When modeling exposure as a time-weighted average, sex differences were no longer present. DISCUSSION Mn in drinking water was associated with ADHD, specifically the ADHD-Inattentive subtype. Our results support earlier studies suggesting a need for a formal health-based drinking water guideline value for Mn. Future Mn-studies should examine ADHD subtype-specific associations and utilize direct subtype measurements rather than relying on ICD-10 codes alone. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6391.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Schullehner
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Malene Thygesen
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Carsten Bøcker Pedersen
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Søren Dalsgaard
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Aarhus, Denmark
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Schullehner J, Paksarian D, Hansen B, Thygesen M, Kristiansen SM, Dalsgaard S, Sigsgaard T, Pedersen CB. Lithium in drinking water associated with adverse mental health effects. Schizophr Res 2019; 210:313-315. [PMID: 31285074 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Schullehner
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University (CIRRAU), Aarhus, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Diana Paksarian
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Malene Thygesen
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University (CIRRAU), Aarhus, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Søren Dalsgaard
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Denmark; Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital of Telemark, Kragerø, Norway
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Carsten Bøcker Pedersen
- Centre for Integrated Register-based Research at Aarhus University (CIRRAU), Aarhus, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Big Data Centre for Environment and Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Denmark
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Muscarella R, Bacon CD, Faurby S, Antonelli A, Kristiansen SM, Svenning JC, Balslev H. Soil fertility and flood regime are correlated with phylogenetic structure of Amazonian palm communities. Ann Bot 2019; 123:641-655. [PMID: 30395146 PMCID: PMC6417467 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcy196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Identifying the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity requires understanding of how evolutionary processes interact with abiotic conditions to structure communities. Edaphic gradients are strongly associated with floristic patterns but, compared with climatic gradients, have received relatively little attention. We asked (1) How does the phylogenetic composition of palm communities vary along edaphic gradients within major habitat types? and (2) To what extent are phylogenetic patterns determined by (a) habitat specialists, (b) small versus large palms, and (c) hyperdiverse genera? METHODS We paired data on palm community composition from 501 transects of 0.25 ha located in two main habitat types (non-inundated uplands and seasonally inundated floodplains) in western Amazonian rain forests with information on soil chemistry, climate, phylogeny and metrics of plant size. We focused on exchangeable base concentration (cmol+ kg-1) as a metric of soil fertility and a floristic index of inundation intensity. We used a null model approach to quantify the standard effect size of mean phylogenetic distance for each transect (a metric of phylogenetic community composition) and related this value to edaphic variables using generalized linear mixed models, including a term for spatial autocorrelation. KEY RESULTS Overall, we recorded 112 008 individuals belonging to 110 species. Palm communities in non-inundated upland transects (but not floodplain transects) were more phylogenetically clustered in areas of low soil fertility, measured as exchangeable base concentration. In contrast, floodplain transects with more severe flood regimes (as inferred from floristic structure) tended to be phylogenetically clustered. Nearly half of the species recorded (44 %) were upland specialists while 18 % were floodplain specialists. In both habitat types, phylogenetic clustering was largely due to the co-occurrence of small-sized habitat specialists belonging to two hyperdiverse genera (Bactris and Geonoma). CONCLUSIONS Edaphic conditions are associated with the phylogenetic community structure of palms across western Amazonia, and different factors (specifically, soil fertility and inundation intensity) appear to underlie diversity patterns in non-inundated upland versus floodplain habitats. By linking edaphic gradients with palm community phylogenetic structure, our study reinforces the need to integrate edaphic conditions in eco-evolutionary studies in order to better understand the processes that generate and maintain tropical forest diversity. Our results suggest a role for edaphic niche conservatism in the evolution and distribution of Amazonian palms, a finding with potential relevance for other clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Muscarella
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Christine D Bacon
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Søren Faurby
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Henrik Balslev
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Abstract
Nationwide sampling campaign of treated drinking water of groundwater origin was designed and implemented in Denmark in 2013. The main purpose of the sampling was to obtain data on the spatial variation of iodine concentration and speciation in treated drinking water, which was supplied to the majority of the Danish population. This data was to be used in future exposure and epidemiologic studies. The water supply sector (83 companies, owning 144 waterworks throughout Denmark) was involved actively in the planning and implementation process, which reduced significantly the cost and duration of data collection. The dataset resulting from this collaboration covers not only iodine species (I-, IO₃-, TI), but also major elements and parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, DOC, TC, TN, F-, Cl-, NO₃-, SO₄2-, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺) and a long list of trace elements (n = 66). The water samples represent 144 waterworks abstracting about 45% of the annual Danish groundwater abstraction for drinking water purposes, which supply about 2.5 million Danes (45% of all Danish residents). This technical note presents the design, implementation, and limitations of such a sampling design in detail in order (1) to facilitate the future use of this dataset, (2) to inform future replication studies, or (3) to provide an example for other researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denitza Dimitrova Voutchkova
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, 1 Arts Link, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117570, Singapore.
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Vibeke Ernstsen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
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Kessing LV, Gerds TA, Knudsen NN, Jørgensen LF, Kristiansen SM, Voutchkova D, Ernstsen V, Schullehner J, Hansen B, Andersen PK, Ersbøll AK. Association of Lithium in Drinking Water With the Incidence of Dementia. JAMA Psychiatry 2017; 74:1005-1010. [PMID: 28832877 PMCID: PMC5710473 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.2362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Results from animal and human studies suggest that lithium in therapeutic doses may improve learning and memory and modify the risk of developing dementia. Additional preliminary studies suggest that subtherapeutic levels, including microlevels of lithium, may influence human cognition. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the incidence of dementia in the general population covaries with long-term exposure to microlevels of lithium in drinking water. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This Danish nationwide, population-based, nested case-control study examined longitudinal, individual geographic data on municipality of residence and data from drinking water measurements combined with time-specific data from all patients aged 50 to 90 years with a hospital contact with a diagnosis of dementia from January 1, 1970, through December 31, 2013, and 10 age- and sex-matched control individuals from the Danish population. The mean lithium exposure in drinking water since 1986 was estimated for all study individuals. Data analysis was performed from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2013. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES A diagnosis of dementia in a hospital inpatient or outpatient contact. Diagnoses of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia were secondary outcome measures. In primary analyses, distribution of lithium exposure was compared between patients with dementia and controls. RESULTS A total of 73 731 patients with dementia and 733 653 controls (median age, 80.3 years; interquartile range, 74.9-84.6 years; 44 760 female [60.7%] and 28 971 male [39.3%]) were included in the study. Lithium exposure was statistically significantly different between patients with a diagnosis of dementia (median, 11.5 µg/L; interquartile range, 6.5-14.9 µg/L) and controls (median, 12.2 µg/L; interquartile range, 7.3-16.0 µg/L; P < .001). A nonlinear association was observed. Compared with individuals exposed to 2.0 to 5.0 µg/L, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of dementia was decreased in those exposed to more than 15.0 µg/L (IRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.81-0.85; P < .001) and 10.1 to 15.0 µg/L (IRR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-1.01; P = .17) and increased with 5.1 to 10.0 µg/L (IRR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.19-1.25; P < .001). Similar patterns were found with Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia as outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Long-term increased lithium exposure in drinking water may be associated with a lower incidence of dementia in a nonlinear way; however, confounding from other factors associated with municipality of residence cannot be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Vedel Kessing
- Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | - Denitza Voutchkova
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark,Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark,Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vibeke Ernstsen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per Kragh Andersen
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Voutchkova DD, Kristiansen SM, Hansen B, Ernstsen V, Sørensen BL, Esbensen KH. Iodine concentrations in Danish groundwater: historical data assessment 1933-2011. Environ Geochem Health 2014; 36:1151-1164. [PMID: 24861191 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-014-9625-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In areas where water is a major source of dietary iodine (I), the I concentration in drinking water is an important factor for public health and epidemiological understandings. In Denmark, almost all of the drinking water is originating from groundwater. Therefore, understanding the I variation in groundwater and governing factors and processes are crucial. In this study, we perform uni- and multivariate analyses of all available historical Danish I groundwater data from 1933 to 2011 (n = 2,562) to give an overview on the I variability for first time and to discover possible geochemical associations between I and twenty other elements and parameters. Special attention is paid on the description and the quality assurance of this complex compilation of historical data. The high variability of I in Danish groundwater (<d.l. to 1,220 µg/l) is characterised by both small-scale heterogeneity and large-scale spatial trends, e.g. higher concentrations observed in the eastern part of Denmark. Significant trends are observed also with respect to the depth of extraction and geology, indicating the importance of older marine limestone and chalk deposits. A principal component analysis on centred log-ratio-transformed data (clr) revealed associations between I, Li, B, Ba, Br implying saline water influence. High I is also associated with reduced and alkaline groundwaters for this data set, dominated by Ca-HCO3 water type.
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Voutchkova DD, Ernstsen V, Hansen B, Sørensen BL, Zhang C, Kristiansen SM. Assessment of spatial variation in drinking water iodine and its implications for dietary intake: a new conceptual model for Denmark. Sci Total Environ 2014; 493:432-444. [PMID: 24956076 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 05/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Iodine is essential for human health. Many countries have therefore introduced universal salt iodising (USI) programmes to ensure adequate intake for the populations. However, little attention has been paid to subnational differences in iodine intake from drinking water caused by naturally occurring spatial variations. To address this issue, we here present the results of a Danish nationwide study of spatial trends of iodine in drinking water and the relevance of these trends for human dietary iodine intake. The data consist of treated drinking water samples from 144 waterworks, representing approx. 45% of the groundwater abstraction for drinking water supply in Denmark. The samples were analysed for iodide, iodate, total iodine (TI) and other major and trace elements. The spatial patterns were investigated with Local Moran's I. TI ranges from <0.2 to 126 μg L(-1) (mean 14.4 μg L(-1), median 11.9 μg L(-1)). Six speciation combinations were found. Half of the samples (n = 71) contain organic iodine; all species were detected in approx. 27% of all samples. The complex spatial variation is attributed both to the geology and the groundwater treatment. TI >40 μg L(-1) originates from postglacial marine and glacial meltwater sand and from Campanian-Maastrichtian chalk aquifers. The estimated drinking water contribution to human intake varies from 0% to >100% of the WHO recommended daily iodine intake for adults and from 0% to approx. 50% for adolescents. The paper presents a new conceptual model based on the observed clustering of high or low drinking-water iodine concentrations, delimiting zones with potentially deficient, excessive or optimal iodine status. Our findings suggest that the present coarse-scale nationwide programme for monitoring the population's iodine status may not offer a sufficiently accurate picture. Local variations in drinking-water iodine should be mapped and incorporated into future adjustment of the monitoring and/or the USI programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denitza Dimitrova Voutchkova
- Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Lyseng Allé 1, DK-8270 Højbjerg, Denmark; Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
| | - Vibeke Ernstsen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Lyseng Allé 1, DK-8270 Højbjerg, Denmark
| | - Brian Lyngby Sørensen
- Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Lyseng Allé 1, DK-8270 Højbjerg, Denmark
| | - Chaosheng Zhang
- GIS Centre and School of Geography and Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Søren Munch Kristiansen
- Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Damgaard C, Strandberg M, Kristiansen SM, Nielsen KE, Bak JL. Is Erica tetralix abundance on wet heathlands controlled by nitrogen deposition or soil acidification? Environ Pollut 2014; 184:1-8. [PMID: 24012785 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Erica tetralix is the key species on NW European wet heathlands, where it is often found to be the dominating plant species. Consequently, it is of considerable concern that the species has decreased significantly in cover from 28% to 18% over a six-year period. In order to understand the underlying causes, a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was applied on ecological data from 1130 wet heathland plots. Both atmospheric N deposition and soil acidification were included in the SEM. The most important causal effect revealed by the SEM was a significant negative effect of N deposition on the cover of E. tetralix, whereas soil acidity tended to have a negative effect of relatively less importance. There was no significant effect of N deposition on soil pH, which indicates that there are no major indirect effects of N deposition on the cover of E. tetralix mediated by soil acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Damgaard
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.
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Salthe J, Kristiansen SM, Sollid S, Oglaend B, Søreide E. Capnography rapidly confirmed correct endotracheal tube placement during resuscitation of extremely low birthweight babies (< 1000 g). Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2006; 50:1033-6. [PMID: 16923102 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2006.01087.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
During neonatal resuscitation, the routine use of capnography to verify correct placement of the endotracheal tube is not an established international practice. We present four cases that illustrate the successful use of immediate capnography to verify correct tracheal tube placement even in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) prematures (< 1000 g) during resuscitation. Based on this limited experience, we reached institutional consensus among paediatricians and anaesthesiologists that capnography should become standard monitoring during all endotracheal intubations in premature babies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Salthe
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Division of Acute Care Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
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