[A case control study on the relationship between trace elements and human neural tube defects].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between multi-trace elements levels in hair and human neural tube defects as well as other risk factors.


METHODS
Using 88 paired cases and controls, an 1:1 matched case control study was carried out. The study subjects were collected from the China-U. S. Collaborative Project on Neural Tube Defects Prevention and Birth Defects Surveillance System. Risk factors were obtained by field investigation with standardized questionnaires and hair trace elements levels were determined by AAS and ICP-MS methods. Microwave digestion was used to digest hair samples. The detected elements would include three groups, namely nutritional elements: Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Mo; toxic elements: Pb, As, Cd, Hg; and Lanthanons: Y, La, Pr, Nd. Cox Proportional Hazard Regression Model was used to perform risk factors analysis.


RESULTS
Pregnancy fever appeared to be a risk factor of neural tube defects (OR = 6.525, P = 0.034) while hair zinc level (OR = 0.541 microg/100 g, P = 0.02) and times of prenatal physical examination (OR = 0.634, P < 0.001) served as two protective factors appeared in the last model.


CONCLUSIONS
Zinc deficiency might serve as a risk factor for human neural tube defects, suggesting that the avoidance of pregnancy infection together with more periodical prenatal physical examination might reduce the incidence of neural tube defects.
Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Wei
W
Zhang
Ai-guo
AG
Ren
Li-jun
LJ
Pei
Ling
L
Hao
Yang-li
YL
Ou
Xin-yan
XY
Zhong
Fei-ran
FR
Zhang
Ci-hui
CH
Diao
Wei-bo
WB
Luo
Lin-zi
LZ
Zhou
Mei-lin
ML
Zhang
Zhu
Z
Li
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*
D014131:Trace Elements