title: Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in maternal serum and risk of neural tube defects in offspring.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, and have been reported to be a risk factor for human neural tube defects (NTDs). We investigated the relationship between PAH concentrations in maternal serum and NTD risk in offspring using a case-control study design, and explored the link between PAH concentrations to household energy usage characteristics and life styles. One hundred and seventeen women who had NTD-affected pregnancies (cases) and 121 women who delivered healthy infants (controls) were recruited in Northern China. Maternal blood samples were collected at pregnancy termination or at delivery. Twenty-seven PAHs were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentrations of 13 individual PAHs detected were significantly higher in the cases than in the controls. Clear dose-response relationships between concentrations of most individual PAHs and the risk of total NTDs or subtypes were observed, even when potential covariates were adjusted for. High-molecular-weight PAHs (H-PAHs) showed higher risk than low-molecular-weight PAHs (L-PAHs). No associations between PAH concentrations and indoor life styles and energy usage characteristics were observed. It was concluded that maternal exposure to PAHs was associated with an increased risk of NTDs, and H-PAHs overall posed a higher risk for NTDs than L-PAHs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, Peking University , Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jufen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhiwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Deqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Lin-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xilong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Finnell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008019:Life Style; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000097:blood*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons