title: Mercury and neuromotor function among children in a rural town in Chile.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) exposure from artisanal gold mining has adverse effects on the neuromotor function in adults. However, few studies have examined this relationship in children.
  
  
  
  To investigate the impact of Hg exposure on children's neuromotor function.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional data on Hg risk factors and demographics were collected from n = 288 children (response = 68.9%). Based on complete cases (CCs) (n = 130) and multiple imputations (n = 288), associations between fingernail Hg and four different neuromotor function components were calculated using multiple logistic regression adjusted for confounders.
  
  
  
  Of the children, 11.1, 14.9, 63.9, and 10.4% had pathologic pure motor skills, adaptive fine motor skills, adaptive gross motor skills, and static balance, respectively. No significant association between fingernail Hg and any neuromotor component was found. However, Hg burning in the household was significantly associated with children's pathologic pure motor skills (OR 3.07 95% CI 1.03-9.18).
  
  
  
  Elemental Hg exposure in the household might have adverse long-term effects on children's pure motor skills.
authors.affiliation: a Center for International Health Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) at the Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine , University Hospital Munich (LMU) , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohlander
authors.affiliation: a Center for International Health Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) at the Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine , University Hospital Munich (LMU) , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Stella Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schomaker
authors.affiliation: c Department for Statistics , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heumann
authors.affiliation: a Center for International Health Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) at the Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine , University Hospital Munich (LMU) , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schierl
authors.affiliation: d Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry , Helmholtz Center Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH , Neuherberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Michalke
authors.affiliation: e Department of Pediatrics, Child Development Center , University Children's Hospital Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Oskar G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Jenni
authors.affiliation: e Department of Pediatrics, Child Development Center , University Children's Hospital Zürich , Zürich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caflisch
authors.affiliation: f Facultad de Medicina , Universidad Diego Portales , Santiago , Chile.|g Past staff of Facultad de Medicina, Latin American Center of the Center for International Health Ludwig-Maximilians-University , Universidad Católica del Norte , Coquimbo , Chile.
authors.forename: Daniel Moraga
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: h Department of Community Health Sciences , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Ondine S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: von Ehrenstein
authors.affiliation: a Center for International Health Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) at the Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine , University Hospital Munich (LMU) , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radon
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D008906:Mining; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects*; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006046:Gold; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Child development; Gold mining; Mercury; Motor skills; Neurotoxicity syndromes; Postural balance