Studies on the influence of the copper content in the drinking water on the newborn copper burden and transaminases activity.
BACKGROUND
Clinical parameters for the early diagnosis of a potential development of childhood cirrhosis are not available. A cross-section study was performed to investigate whether the serum copper content and the activities of the newborn's glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) may be associated with the copper contents of the drinking water and/or the maternal serum and thus could serve as early indicator of an elevated health hazard.


METHODS
The serum concentration of copper was analyzed in samples of 141 mother-newborn pairs. Additionally, in umbilical cord serum the activities of the transaminases GOT and GPT were determined. Low molecular bound or free copper was quantified in 30 randomly chosen serum filtrates. According to questionnaire data, in 62 of the 141 households the drinking water installations consisted of copper. In these cases, the element was analyzed in drinking water.


RESULTS
The copper content of the drinking water was found ranging between 0.02 and 2.5 mg Cu/l (median 0.22 mg Cu/l), the maternal serum copper content ranged from 770-3720 micrograms Cu/l (median 2275 micrograms Cu/l), the neonatal serum from 220 to 1930 micrograms Cu/l (median 500 micrograms Cu/l), respectively. GOT (6-33 U/l); median 14 U/l) and GPT (3-21 U/l; median 6 U/l) activities could be judged as reference range data. In the statistical analysis, an association between the copper content of the drinking water and the maternal or neonatal serum copper content could not be found. Pearson regression analysis revealed slight, yet significant correlations of the neonatal GOT and GPT activities with the maternal serum copper content (GPT: r2 = 0.06; p < 0.05; GOT: r2 = 0.05; p < 0.05; each n = 139). In addition, the copper content of the mother's serum filtrates was correlated with the newborns' serum filtrates (Spearman: r = 0.61; p < 0.001; n = 30).


CONCLUSIONS
The prenatal copper exposure of the infant could be mainly determined by low molecular or free serum maternal copper, which seems to be able to penetrate the placental barrier easily. The association between maternal serum copper content and neonatal transaminases activity can be judged as clinically not relevant and might be a physiologic response.
Gahnz
G
G
Institut Allgemeine Hygiene und Umweltmedizin, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.
Gebel
T
T
Kevekordes
S
S
Schlaadt
E
E
Bolten
C
C
Dunkelberg
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase