title: Exposure to barbiturates in utero and during childhood risk of intracranial and spinal cord tumors.
abstract: Barbiturate exposure during childhood was assessed from medical records of 237 children with intracranial and spinal cord tumors and 474 matched controls in a prepaid health plan. In utero exposure was also examined in a subset of 86 "cases" and 172 controls whose mothers were health plan members during pregnancy. No association of in utero exposure to barbiturates was found [odds ratio (O.R.) = 0.96, 95% confidence interval (C.I.) = 0.47, 1.94]. An association was noted for barbiturate use during childhood (O.R. = 1.80, 95% C.I. = 1.18, 2.74) but was reduced (O.R. = 1.41, 95% C.I. = 0.89, 2.21) when history of epilepsy was taken into account and was no longer significant. An apparent dose-response effect disappeared after adjustment for a history of epilepsy. Although barbiturate use for epilepsy due to preexisting brain tumors clearly explains some of the observed association, the small, residual risk prevents us from ruling out a possible carcinogenic effect of barbiturates. Further study of cohorts of adult as well as childhood users of barbiturates and other anticonvulsants is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, California 94611.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Goldhaber
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Selby
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hiatt
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Quesenberry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001463:Barbiturates