title: Evaluation of the relationship of sodium in drinking water and toxemia of pregnancy.
abstract: This study is a retrospective case comparison analysis of the relationship of water-borne Na+ and toxemia of pregnancy as a part of a continuous investigation at our facility on the role of various water constituents in human chronic disease. Five hundred thirty-seven toxemic pregnant women delivered at Jefferson Davis Hospital, Houston, Texas, during 1976 were matched by age, race, obstetrical history, and month of delivery to 537 non-toxemic controls. Sodium concentration in each patient's drinking water was derived, based on her address, from earlier prepared maps of sodium distribution in Houston's water supplies. Paired t-tests were performed to compare the Na+ levels, which varied from 19 to 250 mg/l in water supplies of cases and controls. Odds ratio analysis was used to test for the presence of a gradient in occurrence of toxemia in parallel with the gradient of Na+. No significant impact of water-borne Na+ in the indicated range was observed. Further studies incorporating still higher ranges are contemplated.
mesh_terms: D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012964:Sodium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D013781:Texas; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium