[Frequency of congenital abnormalities in Hungary after the Chernobyl nuclear power accident].
BACKGROUND
The only positive result of earlier Hungarian teratological investigations on consequences of Chernobyl nuclear power station accident was the description of increased prevalence of birth with less than 2500 g body weight. It was attributed to the concern of the pregnant women, not to the direct effect of ionising radiation.


OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to refine the earlier results by application of sensitive epidemiological techniques.


METHODS
The exposure data observed in the 150 districts of Hungary were correlated with the prevalence of Down syndrome by geographical information system and the monthly detected prevalences were analysed in the function of exposure.


RESULTS
The ecological investigation on geographical inequalities revealed that there is no correlation between the district level exposure and Down syndrome prevalence. The time trend analysis on monthly data showed no exposure-related elevation of Down-syndrome occurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The results supported the earlier conclusions of the studies that the Chernobyl accident related exposure did not elicited detectable increase of Down syndrome.
Sándor
János
J
Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, Közegészségtani Intézet. janos@pubhealth.pote.hu
Métneki
Júlia
J
Szunyogh
Melinda
M
Siffel
Csaba
C
D000328:Adult; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011210:Power Plants; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012042:Registries; D013997:Time Factors; D014455:Ukraine