Relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts, environmental tobacco smoke, and child development in the World Trade Center cohort.
BACKGROUND
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are air pollutants released by the World Trade Center (WTC) fires and urban combustion sources. BaP-DNA adducts provide a measure of PAH-specific genetic damage, which has been associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes and cancer. We previously reported that levels of BaP-DNA adducts in maternal and umbilical cord blood obtained at delivery were elevated among subjects who had resided within 1 mile of the WTC site during the month after 9/11; and that elevated blood adducts in combination with in utero exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were significantly associated with decreased fetal growth.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to assess possible effects of prenatal exposure to WTC pollutants on child development.


METHODS
After 11 September 2001, we enrolled a cohort of nonsmoking pregnant women who delivered at three lower Manhattan hospitals. We have followed a subset of children through their third birthdays and measured cognitive and motor development using the Bayley-II Scales of Child Development (BSID-II).


RESULTS
In multivariate analyses, we found a significant interaction between cord blood adducts and in utero exposure to ETS on mental development index score at 3 years of age (p = 0.02, n = 98) whereas neither adducts nor ETS alone was a significant predictor of (BSID-II) cognitive development.


CONCLUSIONS
Although limited by small numbers, these results suggest that exposure to elevated levels of PAHs in conjunction with prenatal ETS exposure may have contributed to a modest reduction in cognitive development among cohort children.
Perera
Frederica P
FP
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. fpp1@columbia.edu
Tang
Deliang
D
Rauh
Virginia
V
Tu
Yi Hsuan
YH
Tsai
Wei Yann
WY
Becker
Mark
M
Stein
Janet L
JL
King
Jeffrey
J
Del Priore
Giuseppe
G
Lederman
Sally Ann
SA
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D015415:Biomarkers; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009519:New York City; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014505:Urban Population
D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D018736:DNA Adducts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution