Comparing bullying to ACEs in the national survey of children's health: Examining 2016-2019 prevalence trends among children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES

To estimate adverse childhood experience (ACE) prevalence among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years in the United States, to examine factors influencing the prevalence of ACEs over the time period 2016-2019, and to examine the difference in bullying trends compared to ACEs in the NSCH.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) is a cross-sectional survey. Participants included respondents who completed the separate surveys for ages 6-11 and 12-17 from 2016 to 2019.

METHODS

Cumulative ACEs were analyzed to determine the change in prevalence of having at least one ACE, overall and stratified by age group.

RESULTS

Overall prevalence was highest among income difficulties (16-26 %); parent/guardian divorced or separated (29-31 %); and bullying (21-48 %). There was a significant time trend for income difficulties (decreased; p < 0.001), lived with anyone with a mental illness (increased; p = 0.004), racial/ethnic mistreatment (increased; p = 0.004), and bullying (increased; p < 0.001). Cumulative prevalence trends without bullying decreased significantly from 2016 to 2019 while prevalence trends for bullying increased significantly during this time frame. Sex, age, and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with some of the ACEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Trend of ACEs varies as prevalence of some ACEs increased while decreasing for others over time. Also, ACEs appear to affect children and adolescents differently according to sex, age group, and racial/ethnic background, which warrants the need to prioritize efforts to decrease the exposure to ACEs.

[Families with infants and toddlers in the COVID-19 pandemic: parental stress and child development considering social class]

INTRODUCTION

It is now well established empirically that families and children who could not attend educational and childcare institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced disadvantages. This is particularly true for families in poverty. However, little is known about the situation of families with young children. The aim of the paper is to investigate (1) to what extent families with infants and toddlers also experienced their situation during the pandemic as stressful, (2) whether there were differences depending on social class, (3) how the pandemic affected the healthy development of infants and toddlers, and (4) to what extent class-related differences can also be identified in this.

METHODS

The German National Centre for Early Prevention conducted a nationally representative survey of families with children of age 0 to 3 years in April to December 2022, "Kinder in Deutschland 0‑3 2022" (N = 7821). The KiD 0‑3 study combines a parent survey on family psychosocial burden and resources with pediatric documentation of child development.

RESULTS

Parents with very young children experienced their situation in the COVID-19 pandemic as stressful. A clear difference depending on social class emerged. Both from the parents' perspective and in pediatric judgment, the pandemic had a negative impact on social and affective development even in young children. These effects were more pronounced in children from families experiencing poverty than in children from families not receiving basic government benefits.

DISCUSSION

In order to mitigate the psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for families and to improve children's chances of growing up in a healthy way that promotes their development, it is necessary to support families in need without stigmatization.

Environmental risks from consumer products: Acceptable drinking water quality can produce unacceptable indoor air quality with ultrasonic humidifier use

The commonly used consumer product of an ultrasonic humidifier (e.g., cool mist humidifier) emits fine particles containing metals from tap water used to fill the humidifier. The objectives are: 1) predict emitted indoor air inhalable metal concentrations produced by an ultrasonic humidifier filled with tap-water containing As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Pb in 33 m³ or 72 m³ rooms with varying air exchange rates; 2) calculate daily ingestion and 8-h inhalation average daily dose (ADD) and hazard quotient (HQ) for adults and children (aged 0.25-6 yr); and 3) quantify deposition in respiratory tract via multi-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model. Mass concentrations of indoor air metals increase proportionally with aqueous metal concentrations in fill water, and are inversely related to ventilation. Inhalation-ADDs are 2 magnitudes lower than ingestion-ADDs, using identical water quality for ingestion and fill-water. However, in the 33 m³, low 0.2/h ventilated room, inhalation-HQs are >1 for children and adults, except for Pb. HQ inhalation risks exceed ingestion risks at drinking water regulated levels for As, Cd, Cr, and Mn. MPPD shows greater dose deposits in lungs of children than adults, and 3 times greater deposited doses in a 33 m³ vs 72 m³ room. Rethinking health effects of drinking water and consumer products to broaden consideration of multiple exposure routes is needed.

Multisite greenness exposure and oxidative stress in children. The potential mediating role of physical activity

Residential greenness exposure has been reported to positively impact health mainly by reducing overweight/obesity risk, improving mental health and physical activity. Less is known on biological pathways involved in these health benefits. We aimed to investigate the association between multisite greenness exposure and oxidative stress in children and explore the potential mediating role of physical activity in this association. This cross-sectional study involved 323 healthy subjects (8-11 y) from five schools in Asti (Italy). Children's parents filled a questionnaire providing the residential address, parental education, and physical activity frequency. Oxidative stress was quantified in spot urine by isoprostane (15-F_2t-IsoP) using ELISA technique. Residential and scholastic greenness were defined by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in buffers with 100, 250, 300, 500 and 1000 m radii, and vegetated portion was also estimated. Multisite exposures were derived accounting for NDVI around home and school, weighted for time spent in each location. Linear mixed models, age-adjusted, with schools as random intercept, tested the association between 500 m-radius buffer multisite grenness variables and log (15-F_2t-IsoP), reporting decreased oxidative stress per interquartile range (IQR) increase in multisite NDVI (β: 012, 95%CI -0.240 to 0.004) and multisite vegetated portion (β: 0.14, 95%CI -0.270 to -0.006). The mediation analysis did not support the hypothesis that physical activity frequency could mediate these associations. Multisite greenness exposure is associated with decreased oxidative stress in children and our data did not support the mediating role of physical activity.

Long-term trends in the incidence of congenital anomalies in Central China from 1997 to 2019

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of, and trends in, congenital anomalies in Central China from 1997 to 2019.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a descriptive study.

METHODS

We collected data describing 4,134,098 births from 75 hospital monitoring sites in Henan Province, Central China, from 1997 to 2019. A joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the continuous changes.

RESULTS

There were 4,134,098 births recorded from 1997 to 2019, of which 50,646 noted the presence of congenital anomalies (incidence: 122.5 per 10,000). The incidence of congenital anomalies was found to have increased over time (P-trend <0.05). Congenital anomaly incidence in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas (155.3 per 10,000 vs 100.7 per 10,000; P < 0.001). Moreover, incidence was higher in males than in females (129.1 per 10,000 vs 112.9 per 10,000; P < 0.001). The incidence of neural tube defects significantly reduced from 1997 to 2019 (39.3 per 10,000 in 1997 vs 0.92 per 10,000 in 2019, P-trend <0.001), whereas the incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) increased (5.56 per 10,000 in 2010 to 136.46 per 10,000 in 2019), which meant that CHD was the most common congenital anomaly post-2013.

CONCLUSION

In Henan province, the incidence of congenital anomalies increased by 115% from 1997 to 2019. Notably, the incidence of CHD is rising.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children related to maternal job stress during pregnancy in Taiwan: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorders. Although studies have suggested relationships between ADHD in children and maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy, little is known about the effects of work-related mental stress. Considering the increasing number of pregnant women who continue to work during the gestation period, this study investigated whether work-related stress during pregnancy is related to offspring ADHD.

METHODS

The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study followed selected representative mother-infant pairs in a face-to-face interview since a child was 6 months old. A total of 10,556 working pregnant women who completed follow-up 8 years later were included. Whether the 8-year-old child had ever received a diagnosis of ADHD were inquired. Self-reported job stress during pregnant period was obtained 6 months after delivery. Factors including perinatal and socioeconomic factors as well as the mother's job conditions were further analyzed with logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among those who continued working during pregnancy, 3850 (36.5%) mothers reported having job stress during pregnancy, and 210 (2.0%) of the children were diagnosed as having ADHD before 8 years of age. Compared with mothers who reported no job stress, the adjusted odds ratio of child ADHD was 1.91 (95% CI 1.21-3.07) for mothers with "very stressful" jobs during pregnancy and 1.53 (95% CI 1.04-2.25) for mothers with "rather stressful" jobs.

CONCLUSION

Among pregnant female workers, higher levels of job stress were related to the higher occurrence of ADHD in their children.

Health risk assessment in children living in an urban area with hydrofluorosis: San Luis Potosí Mexico case study

BACKGROUND

Fluoride is an inorganic element, which can be found in high concentrations in groundwater. Its consumption and exposure have consequences on human health. The objective of this study was to evaluate fluoride exposure and develop a health risk assessment in children from an urban area with hydrofluorosis in Mexico.

METHODS

Water fluoride levels in active wells were provided by the Water State Agency and divided into three zones: agriculture zone (Zone A), metallurgical zone (Zone B), and industrial zone (Zone C). Urinary fluoride levels were determined by potentiometric method using an ion-selective electrode. Health risk assessment was performed through Monte Carlo model analysis and hazard quotient was calculated.

RESULTS

According to fluoride well concentration, all zones have high concentration especially Zone B (2.55 ± 0.98 mg/L). Urinary fluoride concentrations were highest in children in Zone B (1.42 ± 0.8 mg/L). The estimated median daily intake dose of fluoride was 0.084 mg/Kg-day for the children living in zone B. The highest mean HQ value was to Zone B (1.400 ± 0.980), followed by Zone C (0.626 ± 0.443).

CONCLUSION

The levels of fluoride exposure registered are a potential risk to generate adverse health effects in children in the San Luis Potosi metropolitan area.

Covid-19 pandemic impact on maternal and child health services access in Nampula, Mozambique: a mixed methods research

Background

The Covid-19 pandemic has so far infected more than 30 million people in the world, having major impact on global health with collateral damage. In Mozambique, a public state of emergency was declared at the end of March 2020. This has limited people’s movements and reduced public services, leading to a decrease in the number of people accessing health care facilities. An implementation research project, The Alert Community for a Prepared Hospital, has been promoting access to maternal and child health care, in Natikiri, Nampula, for the last four years. Nampula has the second highest incidence of Covid-19. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Covid-19 pandemic Government restrictions on access to maternal and child healthcare services. We compared health centres in Nampula city with healthcare centres in our research catchment area. We wanted to see if our previous research interventions have led to a more resilient response from the community.

Methods

Mixed-methods research, descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, using a review of patient visit documentation. We compared maternal and child health care unit statistical indicators from March–May 2019 to the same time-period in 2020. We tested for significant changes in access to maternal and child health services, using KrushKall Wallis, One-way Anova and mean and standard deviation tests.

We compared interviews with health professionals, traditional birth attendants and patients in the two areas. We gathered data from a comparable city health centre and the main city referral hospital. The Marrere health centre and Marrere General Hospital were the two Alert Community for a Prepared Hospital intervention sites.

Results

Comparing 2019 quantitative maternal health services access indicators with those from 2020, showed decreases in most important indicators: family planning visits and elective C-sections dropped 28%; first antenatal visit occurring in the first trimester dropped 26%; hospital deliveries dropped a statistically significant 4% (p = 0.046), while home deliveries rose 74%; children vaccinated down 20%.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated the negative collateral effects of Covid-19 pandemic Government restrictions, on access to maternal and child healthcare services, and highlighted the need to improve the health information system in Mozambique.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-06878-3.

Impact of temperature on hospital admission for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among pre-school children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Changes in ambient temperature have been reported as an important risk factor for respiratory diseases among pre-school children. However, there have been few studies so far on the effects of temperature on children respiratory health in developing countries including Vietnam. This study examined the impact of short-term changes in ambient temperature on hospital admissions for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among children aged less than 5 years old in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. Data on daily hospital admissions from 2013 to 2017 were collected from two large paediatric hospitals of the city. Daily meteorological data of the same period were also collected. Time series analysis was performed to evaluate the association between risk of hospitalisations and temperatures categorised by seasons, age, and causes. We found that a 1 °C increase in maximum temperature was associated with 4.2 and 3.4% increase in hospital admission for ALRI among children 3-5 years old during the dry season and the rainy season, respectively. Surprisingly, in the rainy season, a rise of 1°C diurnal temperature range (DTR) was significantly associated with a decrease from 2.0 to 2.5% risk of hospitalisation for ALRI among children <3 years old. These findings suggested that although high temperature is a risk factor for hospital admissions among children in general, other modifiable factors such as age, exposure time, air conditioning usage, wearing protective clothing, socioeconomic status, and behaviour may influence the overall effect of high temperature on hospital admissions of children <5 years old in HCMC. The findings of this study have provided evidence for building public health policies aimed at preventing and minimizing the adverse health effects of temperature on children in HCMC.

Bioaccumulation of Toxic Metals in Children Exposed to Urban Pollution and to Cement Plant Emissions

Cement plants located in urban areas can increase health risk. Although children are particularly vulnerable, biomonitoring studies are lacking. Toenail concentration of 24 metals was measured in 366 children (6-10 years), who live and attend school in a city hosting a cement plant. Living addresses and schools were geocoded and attributed to exposed or control areas, according to modeled ground concentrations of PM₁₀ generated by the cement plant. Air levels of PM₁₀ and NO₂ were monitored. PM₁₀ levels were higher in the exposed, than in the control area. The highest mean PM₁₀ concentration was recorded close to the cement plant. Conversely, the highest NO₂ concentration was in the control area, where vehicular traffic and home heating were the prevalent sources of pollutants. Exposed children had higher concentrations of Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), and Arsenic (As) than controls. These concentrations correlated each other, indicating a common source. Toenail Barium (Ba) concentration was higher in the control- than in the exposed area. The location of the attended school was a predictor of Cd, Hg, Ni, Ba concentrations, after adjusting for confounders. In conclusion, children living and attending school in an urban area exposed to cement plant emissions show a chronic bioaccumulation of toxic metals, and a significant exposure to PM₁₀ pollution. Cement plants located in populous urban areas seem therefore harmful, and primary prevention policies to protect children health are needed.

Ergonomic factors of school bags and their adaptation to the weight of students

BACKGROUND

Students use a school bag to carry their school supplies which may not have the required standards and ergonomic factors.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to examine the ergonomic factors of schoolbags and their adaptation to the weight of elementary school students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 721 primary schoolchildren. To collecting data a checklist, which its final version was approved by the experts, was designed by researchers. Data were analyzed by using SPSS ver. 22 and Chi-square test, One-Way ANOVA, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

In this study, about 90.1% of students used a backpack to carry their items and most students carried backpacks with a weight up to 10% of their body weight. In 43.5% of the students, waist width was appropriate with backpack width at the bottom, and in 96.6% shoulder width was appropriate with backpack width at the top. Multivariate logistic regression showed that girls in compared to boys were more likely tolerated ratio of backpack weight to body weight, and also had more likely proportion of waist width and the backpack width at the bottom. The grades of the first, second, and fourth used more heavy backpacks. Students who their mothers were employee compared to housewives, carried heavier backpacks and had more likely proportion of waist width and the backpack width at the bottom. As the mother's age increased, the proportion of waist width and the backpack width at the bottom is diminished.

CONCLUSION

The schoolbags weight of many students was more than the standard weight, and their schoolbags did not have the required standards. Educational interventions can increase the knowledge of students and parents about the ideal weight of a schoolbag and the criteria for choosing a proper school bag.

Quantitative evaluation of total volatile organic compounds in urban and rural schools of southern Brazil

Volatile organic compounds, VOCs, are air pollutants widely produced by biogenic and anthropogenic sources. This work quantitatively studied the presence of these gases in the internal and external environments of schools, comparing one in an urban area (La Salle School, Canoas, RS) and another in a rural area (Santa Cassia Farm School, Nova Santa Rita, RS). The aim of this study was to compare if this environmental differences (location) influence their gases concentration. Monitoring campaigns were conducted for 6 months, occurring every 2 weeks in both schools during class hours, 1 day indoors and 1 day outdoors. The results showed higher concentrations of total volatile organic compounds in the urban school external environment compared with the same rural school environment and, in the comparison between environments, the internal environments of the two schools obtained higher VOC concentrations than the external ones, except in November and December at the urban school.

Impact of air pollutants on pediatric admissions for Mycoplasma pneumonia: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China

Background

Children are especially vulnerable to pneumonia and the effects of air pollution. However, little is known about the impacts of air pollutants on pediatric admissions for Mycoplasma pneumonia. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of air pollutants on pediatric hospital admissions for Mycoplasma pneumonia in Shanghai, China.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was applied to explore the association between pediatric hospital admissions and levels of air pollutants (fine particulate matter, particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide). Data on hospital admissions for pneumonia and levels of ambient air pollutants were obtained for the period of 2015 to 2018. Associations between pediatric admissions for Mycoplasma pneumonia and ambient air pollutants were calculated using logistic regression and described by the odds ratio and relevant 95% confidence interval. The hysteresis effects of air pollutants from the day of hospital admission to the previous 7 days were evaluated in single-pollutant models and multi-pollutant models with adjustments for weather variables and seasonality. Lag 0 was defined as the day of hospital admission, lag 1 was defined as the day before hospital admission, and so forth.

Results

In the single-pollutant models (without adjustment for other pollutants), pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia were positively associated with elevated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter. A 0.5% increase in daily admissions per 10-μg/m³ increase in the nitrogen dioxide level occurred at lag 1 and lag 2, and a 0.3% increase in daily admissions per 10-μg/m³ increase in fine particulate matter occurred at lag 1. In the multi-pollutant models, nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter remained significant after inclusion of particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

Conclusions

This study illustrated that higher levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter increase the risk of pediatric hospitalization for Mycoplasma pneumonia in Shanghai, China. These findings imply that the high incidence of Mycoplasma pneumonia in children in Asia might be attributed to the high concentration of specific air pollutants in Asia.

Assessment of developmental neurotoxicity induced by chemical mixtures using an adverse outcome pathway concept

BACKGROUND

In light of the vulnerability of the developing brain, mixture risk assessment (MRA) for the evaluation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) should be implemented, since infants and children are co-exposed to more than one chemical at a time. One possible approach to tackle MRA could be to cluster DNT chemicals in a mixture on the basis of their mode of action (MoA) into 'similar' and 'dissimilar', but still contributing to the same adverse outcome, and anchor DNT assays to common key events (CKEs) identified in DNT-specific adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). Moreover, the use of human in vitro models, such as induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neuronal and glial cultures would enable mechanistic understanding of chemically-induced adverse effects, avoiding species extrapolation.

METHODS

HiPSC-derived neural progenitors differentiated into mixed cultures of neurons and astrocytes were used to assess the effects of acute (3 days) and repeated dose (14 days) treatments with single chemicals and in mixtures belonging to different classes (i.e., lead(II) chloride and methylmercury chloride (heavy metals), chlorpyrifos (pesticide), bisphenol A (organic compound and endocrine disrupter), valproic acid (drug), and PCB138 (persistent organic pollutant and endocrine disrupter), which are associated with cognitive deficits, including learning and memory impairment in children. Selected chemicals were grouped based on their mode of action (MoA) into 'similar' and 'dissimilar' MoA compounds and their effects on synaptogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels, identified as CKEs in currently available AOPs relevant to DNT, were evaluated by immunocytochemistry and high content imaging analysis.

RESULTS

Chemicals working through similar MoA (i.e., alterations of BDNF levels), at non-cytotoxic (IC20/100), very low toxic (IC5), or moderately toxic (IC20) concentrations, induce DNT effects in mixtures, as shown by increased number of neurons, impairment of neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis (the most sensitive endpoint as confirmed by mathematical modelling) and increase of BDNF levels, to a certain extent reproducing autism-like cellular changes observed in the brain of autistic children.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the use of human iPSC-derived mixed neuronal/glial cultures applied to a battery of assays anchored to key events of an AOP network represents a valuable approach to identify mixtures of chemicals with potential to cause learning and memory impairment in children.

Particulate air pollution in Ho Chi Minh city and risk of hospital admission for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among young children

High levels of air pollutants in Vietnam, especially particulate matters including PM_2.5, can be important risk factors for respiratory diseases among children of the country. However, few studies on the effects of ambient air pollution on human health have been conducted in Vietnam so far. The aim of this study is to examine the association between PM_2.5 and hospital admission due to acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among children aged < 5 years old in Ho Chi Minh city, the largest city of Vietnam. Data relating PM_2.5 and hospital admission were collected from February 2016-December 2017 and a time series regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between PM_2.5 and hospital admission including the delayed effect up to three days prior to the admission. We found that each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 was associated with an increase of 3.51 (95%CI: 0.96-6.12) risk of ALRI admission among children. According to the analysis, male children are more sensitive to exposure to PM_2.5 than females, while children exposed to PM_2.5 are more likely to be infected with acute bronchiolitis than with pneumonia. The study demonstrated that young children in HCMC are at increased risk of ALRI admissions due to the high level of PM_2.5 concentration in the city's ambient air.

Breakfast Eating Habits Among Schoolchildren

BACKGROUND

A healthy breakfast provides school-age children with the essential nutrients needed for their activities and is correlated with improving a person's general nutritional status.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of two months in 2015, involving 1798 Jordanian schoolchildren from grade 1 to grade 6. The study data sheet covered the breakfast habits of those children. Descriptive measures and Pearson's chi-square test were computed. Multivariate regression was calculated to assess the predictors' factors for breakfast consumption. The p value was considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS

Findings show a prevalence for breakfast consumption of 80.4%. Furthermore, 52.1% of the breakfast eaters indicated that it was a family habit; half of them ate breakfast in order to be active and energetic and to alleviate hunger during the morning. Live with both parents, age groups of 6-9years and boys were the predictors of breakfast consumption among schoolchildren.

CONCLUSION

Breakfast skipping among schoolchildren was initially high and increased with age. The findings suggest a community health education programme, conducted by school nurses, nutritionists and other health professionals, is needed.

Measurement and health risk assessment of PM2.5, flame retardants, carbonyls and black carbon in indoor and outdoor air in kindergartens in Hong Kong

Indoor air pollution is closely related to children's health. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DP) transmitted through indoor PM_2.5 and dust, along with carbonyl compounds and black carbon (BC) aerosol were analysed in five Hong Kong kindergartens. The results showed that 60% of the median PM_2.5 levels (1.3×10¹ to 2.9×10¹μg/m³ for indoor; 9.5 to 8.8×10¹μg/m³ for outdoor) in the five kindergartens were higher than the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (2.5×10¹μg/m³). Indoor PM_2.5 mass concentrations were correlated with outdoor PM_2.5 in four of the kindergartens. The PBDEs (0.10-0.64ng/m³ in PM_2.5; 0.30-2.0×10²ng/g in dust) and DP (0.05-0.10ng/m³ in PM_2.5; 1.3-8.7ng/g in dust) were detected in 100% of the PM_2.5 and dust samples. Fire retardant levels in the air were not correlated with the levels of dust in this study. The median BC concentrations varied by >7-fold from 8.8×10²ng/m^-3 to 6.7×10³ng/m^-3 and cooking events might have caused BC concentrations to rise both indoors and outdoors. The total concentrations of 16 carbonyls ranged from 4.7×10¹μg/m³ to 9.3×10¹μg/m³ indoors and from 1.9×10¹μg/m³ to 4.3×10¹μg/m³ outdoors, whilst formaldehyde was the most abundant air carbonyl. Indoor carbonyl concentrations were correlated with outdoor carbonyls in three kindergartens. The health risk assessment showed that hazard indexes (HIs) HIs of non-cancer risks from PBDEs and DPs were all lower than 0.08, whilst non-cancer HIs of carbonyl compounds ranged from 0.77 to 1.85 indoors and from 0.50 to 0.97 outdoors. The human intake of PBDEs and DP through inhalation of PM_2.5 accounted for 78% to 92% of the total intake. The cancer hazard quotients (HQs) of formaldehyde ranged from 4.5E-05 to 2.1E-04 indoors and from 1.9E-05 to 6.2E-05 outdoors. In general, the indoor air pollution in the five Hong Kong kindergartens might present adverse effects to children, although different schools showed distinct pollution levels, so indoor air quality might be improved through artificial measures. The data will be useful to developing a feasible management protocol for indoor environments.

Early life exposure to traffic-related air pollution and allergic rhinitis in preschool children

BACKGROUND

Evidence linking long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution with allergic rhinitis (AR) in children is scare, and the role of components of air pollution and timing of exposure remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of pre- and post-natal exposure to air pollution with life-time prevalence of AR in preschool children.

METHODS

We conducted a cohort study of 2598 children aged 3-6 years in Changsha, China. The lifetime prevalence of AR was assessed by a questionnaire administered by parents. Children's exposures to dioxide nitrogen (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM₁₀) during different pre- and post-natal timing windows were estimated using the measured concentrations at monitoring stations. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of childhood AR for exposure to different air pollutants during different timing windows were assessed by logistic regression model in terms of an interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure level.

RESULTS

Life-time prevalence of AR in preschool children (7.3%) was associated with both pre- and post-natal exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), but only significant during the third trimester of pregnancy with adjusted OR = 1.40 (95% CI: 1.08-1.82) for a 15 μg/m³ increase in NO₂ and during the first-year of life with adjusted OR = 1.36 (95% CI: 1.03-1.78) and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.07-2.21) respectively for 11 and 12 μg/m³ increase in NO₂ and PM₁₀. The association of early life exposure to TRAP with childhood AR was robust by adjusting for other air pollutants and timing windows. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the association was higher in the children who are male, young, with genetic predisposition by parental atopy, and living in damp houses.

CONCLUSION

Early life exposure to traffic-related air pollutant during pregnancy and first-year of life may contribute to childhood AR.

The first 50 live births after autologous oocyte vitrification in France

PURPOSE

The study aims to describe the newborn health parameters of the 50 first children conceived after autologous oocyte vitrification in France.

METHODS

The 50 children born after autologous oocyte vitrification/warming cycle (VAO children) have been retrospectively compared with 364 children conceived by micromanipulation using freshly recovered non-vitrified oocytes (ICSI children). Children included in the study were born between 2011 and 2015. Maternal characteristics (age, body mass index, smoking habits), obstetric outcomes (diabetes, hypertension, placenta previa, parity, mode of delivery), and perinatal outcome (twinning, sex, birth weight, macrosomia, birth defects) were analyzed. The generalized estimating equation for correlated data was performed to evaluate perinatal outcomes and caesarean section.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found between VAO children and ICSI children, even after adjusting confounding factors (low birth weigh odds ratio (OR) 0.8, 95 % confident interval (CI) 0.3-2.2, adjusted (AOR) 0.5, 95 % CI 0.2-1.7; large for gestational age OR 1.5, 95 % CI 0.3-7.0, AOR 1.6, 95 % CI 0.3-7.5; birth defects OR 0.4, 95 % CI 0.1-3.2, AOR 0.5, 95 % CI 0.1-3.7; caesarean section OR 1.8, 95 % CI 0.9-3.4, AOR 1.8, 95 % CI 0.9-3.7).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our results, newborn health parameters of children conceived in our center by micromanipulation using vitrified/warmed autologous oocytes seem not to be different from children born after micromanipulation on freshly recovered oocytes.

Inverse association between intelligence quotient and urinary retinol binding protein in Chinese school-age children with low blood lead levels: results from a cross-sectional investigation

OBJECTIVES

Examine the relationship between blood lead concentration and children's intelligence quotient (IQ) in Chinese children 8-12 years old.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, and participants included 446 children from three primary schools in Jiangsu, China. We collected environmental and genetic information from questionnaires. Blood lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and selenium (Se) concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). IQ was assessed using the Combined Raven's Test and then converted to a standard IQ score according to Chinese children's norm. Morning urine samples were collected to measure retinol binding protein (RBP).

RESULTS

The average blood lead concentration was 33.13 μg L(-1) (geometric mean), and the blood lead concentration (BoxCox transform) was inversely and significantly associated with IQ (r=-0.11, p=0.02). The geometric mean of blood Mn, Cd and Se was 7.02 μg L(-1), 0.18 μg L(-1) and 94.77 μg L(-1), respectively. Blood Mn, Cd and Se showed no association with IQ, but all of them associated with urinary RBP. Urinary RBP was identified as a new factor associated with IQ (β=-6.49, p=0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary RBP was recognized as a new indicated factor associated with children's IQ. Mn, Cd and Se exposure might affect urinary RBP concentration and further IQ. Findings also support that blood lead concentrations in 8-12 years old children, even <44 μg L(-1), have a negative association with IQ.

Toxicological screening of Daouri, a polyherbal formulation used in children in the Central Region of Togo

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Daouri, a combination of several plants, is an old African Traditional Medicine based on ancestral knowledge transmitted from generation to generation and is used by the Kotokoli Community in Togo. The combination of several plants may potentiate or attenuate the toxicity of individual plants. The present investigation aims to study the composition and potential toxicity of Daouri used in children in the Kotokoli community.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Surveys were performed using a semi-structured questionnaire to determine the composition of Daouri. On the basis of these data collected, Standard Daouri was formulated, and its aqueous extract was orally administered at 300, 600 and 1200mg/kg to rats for 28 days. On the 29th day, the rats were sacrificed and their serum were analysed to evaluate hepatic and renal toxicities.

RESULTS

Four categories of Daouri were collected. The plant combinations used in each Daouri formulation varied according to the pathological conditions, including the age of the children and the availability of each plant. The most plants cited in the four Daouri were Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A. Juss, Odina acida (A. Rich.) Oliv.,Lophira lanceolata Tiegh, Paullinia pinnata L. and Pteleopsis suberosa Engl. & Diels. Although there was an increase in the alkaline phosphatase concentration, different doses of the aqueous extract of Standard Daouri were not toxic after 28 days of administration. In addition, the concentrations of alanine transaminase, creatinine and urea were not different between the Daouri-treated and control groups.

CONCLUSION

Daouri is plant combination used in children in the Kotokoli community as a part of African Traditional Medicine. Standard Daouri is not toxic in rats.

Passive exposures of children to volatile trihalomethanes during domestic cleaning activities of their parents

Domestic cleaning has been proposed as a determinant of trihalomethanes (THMs) exposure in adult females. We hypothesized that parental housekeeping activities could influence children's passive exposures to THMs from their mere physical presence during domestic cleaning. In a recent cross-sectional study (n = 382) in Cyprus [41 children (< 18 y) and 341 adults (≥ 18 y)], we identified 29 children who met the study's inclusion criteria. Linear regression models were applied to understand the association between children sociodemographic variables, their individual practices influencing ingestion and noningestion exposures to ΣTHMs, and their urinary THMs levels. Among the children-specific variables, age alone showed a statistically significant inverse association with their creatinine-adjusted urinary ΣTHMs (rS = -0.59, p < 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between urinary ΣTHMs (ng g(-1)) of children and matched-mothers (rS = 0.52, p = 0.014), but this was not the case for their matched-fathers (rS = 0.39, p = 0.112). Time spent daily by the matched-mothers for domestic mopping, toilet and other cleaning activities using chlorine-based cleaning products was associated with their children's urinary THMs levels (rS = 0.56, p = 0.007). This trend was not observed between children and their matched-fathers urinary ΣTHMs levels, because of minimum amount of time spent by the latter in performing domestic cleaning. The proportion of variance of creatinine-unadjusted and adjusted urinary ΣTHMs levels in children that was explained by the matched-mothers covariates was 76% and 74% (p < 0.001), respectively. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model adequately predicted urinary chloroform excretion estimates, being consistent with the corresponding measured levels. Our findings highlighted the influence of mothers' domestic cleaning activities towards enhancing passive THMs exposures of their children. The duration of such activities could be further tested as a valid indicator of children's THMs body burden.