Taylor, Caroline M., Humphriss, Rachel, Hall, Amanda, Golding, Jean and Emond, Alan M. (2015). Balance ability in 7- and 10-year-old children:associations with prenatal lead and cadmium exposure and with blood lead levels in childhood in a prospective birth cohort study. BMJ Open, 5 (12),
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Most studies reporting evidence of adverse effects of lead and cadmium on the ability to balance have been conducted in high-exposure groups or have included adults. The effects of prenatal exposure have not been well studied, nor have the effects in children been directly studied. The aim of the study was to identify the associations of lead (in utero and in childhood) and cadmium (in utero) exposure with the ability to balance in children aged 7 and 10 years. DESIGN: Prospective birth cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Maternal blood lead (n=4285) and cadmium (n=4286) levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in women enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) during pregnancy. Child lead levels were measured in a subsample of 582 of ALSPAC children at age 30 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Children completed a heel-to-toe walking test at 7 years. At 10 years, the children underwent clinical tests of static and dynamic balance. Statistical analysis using SPSS V.19 included logistic regression modelling, comparing categories of ≥ 5 vs <5 µg/dL for lead, and ≥ 1 vs <1 µg/L for cadmium. RESULTS: Balance at age 7 years was not associated with elevated in utero lead or cadmium exposure (adjusted OR for balance dysfunction: Pb 1.01 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.01), n=1732; Cd 0.95 (0.77 to 1.20), n=1734), or with elevated child blood lead level at age 30 months (adjusted OR 0.98 (0.92 to 1.05), n=354). Similarly, neither measures of static nor dynamic balance at age 10 years were associated with in utero lead or cadmium exposure, or child lead level. CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not provide any evidence of an association of prenatal exposure to lead or cadmium, or lead levels in childhood, on balance ability in children. Confirmation in other cohorts is needed.
Publication DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009635 |
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Divisions: | College of Health & Life Sciences |
Additional Information: | This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt and build upon this work, for commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | cadmium,child,Great Britain,lead,logistic models,longitudinal studies,postural balance,pregnancy,prenatal exposure delayed effects,prospective studies |
Publication ISSN: | 2044-6055 |
Last Modified: | 06 Aug 2024 07:28 |
Date Deposited: | 08 Dec 2016 14:05 |
Full Text Link: |
http://bmjopen. ... nt/5/12/e009635 |
Related URLs: | PURE Output Type: | Article |
Published Date: | 2015-12-30 |
Accepted Date: | 2015-12-02 |
Submitted Date: | 2015-08-04 |
Authors: |
Taylor, Caroline M.
Humphriss, Rachel Hall, Amanda ( ![]() Golding, Jean Emond, Alan M. |