title: Low level arsenic contaminated water consumption and birth outcomes in Romania-An exploratory study.
abstract: Women are exposed to drinking water with low arsenic concentrations (<10.0μg/L) worldwide, yet little work has been done to assess the risk. To begin to address this data gap, we conducted an exploratory study of birth outcomes in Timis County, Romania. We prospectively followed 122 women with singleton deliveries, for whom we constructed individual exposure indicators using self-reported water consumption weighted by arsenic measured in drinking water sources. There were no overall confounder-adjusted effects for arsenic exposure on birth outcomes. Yet, higher average arsenic (10μg/L) was associated with a -2.45 lower birth weight Z-score (P=0.021) and a -1.17 shorter birth length Z-score (P=0.029) among smokers. Higher average iAs (10μg/L) was also associated with smaller ponderal index in boys (P=0.023). Our results suggest smoking may potentiate an otherwise benign arsenic exposure. A larger, more definitive biomarker-based study is needed to investigate the potential risks in conjunction with smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA. Electronic address: mbloom@albany.edu.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Iulia A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Neamtiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Surdu
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pop
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania; Gynecology Department of the Emergency County Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Doru
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anastasiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Allison A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Appleton
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Eugen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gurzau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001724:Birth Weight; D049628:Body Size; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Arsenic; Birth length; Birth outcomes; Birth size; Birth weight; Drinking water; Gestational age; Ponderal index