title: Blood lead concentrations in Jamaican children with and without autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder manifesting by early childhood. Lead is a toxic metal shown to cause neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Several studies have investigated the possible association between exposure to lead and ASD, but their findings are conflicting. Using data from 100 ASD cases (2-8 years of age) and their age- and sex-matched typically developing controls, we investigated the association between blood lead concentrations (BLC) and ASD in Jamaican children. We administered a questionnaire to assess demographic and socioeconomic information as well as exposure to potential lead sources. We used General Linear Models (GLM) to assess the association of BLC with ASD status as well as with sources of exposure to lead. In univariable GLM, we found a significant difference between geometric mean blood lead concentrations of ASD cases and controls (2.25 μg/dL cases vs. 2.73 μg/dL controls, p < 0.05). However, after controlling for potential confounders, there were no significant differences between adjusted geometric mean blood lead concentrations of ASD cases and controls (2.55 μg/dL vs. 2.72 μg/dL, p = 0.64). Our results do not support an association between BLC and ASD in Jamaican children. We have identified significant confounders when assessing an association between ASD and BLC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Mohammad.H.Rahbar@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Mohammad H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rahbar
authors.affiliation: Department of Child & Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica. msammsvaughan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samms-Vaughan
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) Component, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Aisha.S.Dickerson@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Aisha S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA. Katherine.A.Loveland@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Loveland
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) Component, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Manouchehr.Hessabi@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Manouchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardjomand-Hessabi
authors.affiliation: Human Genetics Center, University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Jan.Bressler@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bressler
authors.affiliation: Department of Child & Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica. sydonniesp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sydonnie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shakespeare-Pellington
authors.affiliation: Human Genetics Center, University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Megan.L.Grove@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA. Deborah.A.Pearson@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Eric.Boerwinkle@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boerwinkle
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead