title: Early exposure to the combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and thimerosal-containing vaccines and risk of autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case-control study investigated the relationship between the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) onset, and early exposure to the combined Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine and thimerosal consumption measured from vaccinations in the highly genetically homogenous Japanese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaccination histories at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months from birth were investigated in ASD cases (189 samples), and controls (224 samples) matching age and sex in each case. Crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to determine relationship between MMR vaccination and ASD. The differences in mean values of the thimerosal dosage between cases and controls were analyzed using an unpaired t-test. MMR vaccination and thimerosal dosage were also investigated using a conditional multiple-regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in MMR vaccination and thimerosal dosage between cases and controls at any age. Furthermore, the ORs (95% CIs) of MMR vaccination and thimerosal dosage associated with ASD in the conditional multiple regression model were, respectively, 0.875 (0.345-2.222) and 1.205 (0.862-1.683) at age 18 months, 0.724 (0.421-1.243) and 1.343 (0.997-1.808) at 24 months, and 1.040 (0.648-1.668) and 0.844 (0.632-1.128) at 36 months. Thus, there were no significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No convincing evidence was found in this study that MMR vaccination and increasing thimerosal dose were associated with an increased risk of ASD onset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Yokohama Psycho-Developmental Clinic, Chigasaki chuo 7-7-2F, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 224-0032, Japan. Electronic address: yota_u@ypdc.net.
authors.forename: Yota
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yokohama Psycho-Developmental Clinic, Chigasaki chuo 7-7-2F, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 224-0032, Japan; Department of Faculty of Human Development, Fukushima University Graduate School, Kanayagawa 1, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1248, Japan. Electronic address: tokiouch@ca2.so-net.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Tokio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan. Electronic address: mic@med.juntendo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan. Electronic address: branko@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aleksic
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan. Electronic address: ozaki-n@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D013849:Thimerosal
keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Case–control study; Environmental factors; Measles–Mumps–Rubella vaccine; Risk factor; Thimerosal