title: Changes in developmental body weight as a function of toluene exposure: A meta-analysis of animal studies.
abstract: Inhalant abuse is a globally prevalent health issue with particular concerns about substance-abusing pregnant women. In both animal models and clinical case reports of toluene exposure, the primary physiological outcome measure of prenatal inhalant exposure is low birth weight (BW). However, the effect of prenatal toluene exposure on animal BW varies widely in the literature. To clarify this effect and investigate possible design moderators of pup BW, a systematic review and meta-analytic techniques were applied to the existing peer-reviewed animal literature of prenatal and postnatal exposure models to the inhaled solvent toluene. Of 288 studies screened, 24 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Evaluation of these studies indicated that toluene exposure was negatively associated with pup BW (d = -0.39), with external inhaled concentration, route of administration, day of weighing, and toluene exposure magnitude moderating this association. Investigators doing animal studies should be cognizant of these factors before investigating the reproductive and developmental outcomes associated with prenatal and postnatal toluene exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA Behavioral Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Callan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kott
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA Behavioral Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA Behavioral Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Baltes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA Behavioral Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA Scott.Bowen@wayne.edu.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D012107:Research Design; D012997:Solvents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D014050:Toluene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D014050:Toluene
keywords: Toluene; inhalant; meta-analysis; prenatal