In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes

Marina Vafeiadi; Silvia Agramunt; Marie Pedersen; Harrie Besselink; Leda Chatzi; Eleni Fthenou; Sarah Fleming; Laura J Hardie; John Wright; Lisbeth E. Knudsen; Jeanette K S Nielsen; Jordi Sunyer; Ramon Carreras; Gunnar Brunborg; Kristine B Gutzkow; Unni C Nygaard; Martinus Løvik; Soterios A Kyrtopoulos; Dan Segerbäck; Domenico F Merlo; Jos C Kleinjans; Martine Vrijheid; Manolis Kogevinas; NewGeneris Consortium

doi:10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes

Marina Vafeiadi, Silvia Agramunt, Marie Pedersen, Harrie Besselink, Leda Chatzi, Eleni Fthenou, Sarah Fleming, Laura J Hardie, John Wright, Lisbeth E. Knudsen, Jeanette K S Nielsen, Jordi Sunyer, Ramon Carreras, Gunnar Brunborg, Kristine B Gutzkow, Unni C Nygaard, Martinus Løvik, Soterios A Kyrtopoulos, Dan Segerbäck, Domenico F MerloJos C Kleinjans, Martine Vrijheid, Manolis Kogevinas, NewGeneris Consortium

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds may affect fetal growth and development. We evaluated the association between in utero dioxin-like activity and birth outcomes in a prospective European mother-child study.

METHODS: We measured dioxin-like activity in maternal and cord blood plasma samples collected at delivery using the Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase eXpression (DR CALUX) bioassay in 967 mother-child pairs, in Denmark, Greece, Norway, Spain, and England. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the associations with birth weight, gestational age, and head circumference.

RESULTS: Plasma dioxin-like activity was higher in maternal sample than in cord samples. Birth weight was lower with medium (-58 g [95% confidence interval (CI) = -176 to 62]) and high (-82 g [-216 to 53]) tertiles of exposure (cord blood) compared with the lowest tertile. Gestational age was shorter by approximately half a week in the highest compared with the lowest (-0.4 weeks [95% CI = -0.8 to -0.1]). This association was stronger in boys than in girls, although the statistical evidence for interaction was weak (P = 0.22). Analysis based on CALUX-toxic equivalents expressed per milliliter of plasma showed similar trends. We found no association between dioxin-like activity in maternal plasma and birth outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Results from this international general population study suggest an association between low-level prenatal dioxin-like activity and shorter gestational age, particularly in boys, with weaker associations for birth weight.

Original language	English
Journal	Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)
Volume	25
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	215-24
Number of pages	10
ISSN	1044-3983
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/ede.0000000000000046
Publication status	Published - Mar 2014

Keywords

Adult
Biological Assay
Birth Weight
Dioxins
Environmental Pollutants
Europe
Female
Fetal Blood
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Linear Models
Male
Maternal Exposure
Pregnancy
Premature Birth
Prospective Studies
Sex Factors

Access to Document

10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

Cite this

Vafeiadi, M., Agramunt, S., Pedersen, M., Besselink, H., Chatzi, L., Fthenou, E., Fleming, S., Hardie, L. J., Wright, J., Knudsen, L. E., Nielsen, J. K. S., Sunyer, J., Carreras, R., Brunborg, G., Gutzkow, K. B., Nygaard, U. C., Løvik, M., Kyrtopoulos, S. A., Segerbäck, D., ... NewGeneris Consortium (2014). In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 25(2), 215-24. https://doi.org/10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

Vafeiadi, M, Agramunt, S, Pedersen, M, Besselink, H, Chatzi, L, Fthenou, E, Fleming, S, Hardie, LJ, Wright, J, Knudsen, LE, Nielsen, JKS, Sunyer, J, Carreras, R, Brunborg, G, Gutzkow, KB, Nygaard, UC, Løvik, M, Kyrtopoulos, SA, Segerbäck, D, Merlo, DF, Kleinjans, JC, Vrijheid, M, Kogevinas, M & NewGeneris Consortium 2014, 'In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes', Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 215-24. https://doi.org/10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

@article{34e34db7ebda451a8ca5fad4f2d372c2,

title = "In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds may affect fetal growth and development. We evaluated the association between in utero dioxin-like activity and birth outcomes in a prospective European mother-child study.METHODS: We measured dioxin-like activity in maternal and cord blood plasma samples collected at delivery using the Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase eXpression (DR CALUX) bioassay in 967 mother-child pairs, in Denmark, Greece, Norway, Spain, and England. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the associations with birth weight, gestational age, and head circumference.RESULTS: Plasma dioxin-like activity was higher in maternal sample than in cord samples. Birth weight was lower with medium (-58 g [95% confidence interval (CI) = -176 to 62]) and high (-82 g [-216 to 53]) tertiles of exposure (cord blood) compared with the lowest tertile. Gestational age was shorter by approximately half a week in the highest compared with the lowest (-0.4 weeks [95% CI = -0.8 to -0.1]). This association was stronger in boys than in girls, although the statistical evidence for interaction was weak (P = 0.22). Analysis based on CALUX-toxic equivalents expressed per milliliter of plasma showed similar trends. We found no association between dioxin-like activity in maternal plasma and birth outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: Results from this international general population study suggest an association between low-level prenatal dioxin-like activity and shorter gestational age, particularly in boys, with weaker associations for birth weight.",

keywords = "Adult, Biological Assay, Birth Weight, Dioxins, Environmental Pollutants, Europe, Female, Fetal Blood, Gestational Age, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Linear Models, Male, Maternal Exposure, Pregnancy, Premature Birth, Prospective Studies, Sex Factors",

author = "Marina Vafeiadi and Silvia Agramunt and Marie Pedersen and Harrie Besselink and Leda Chatzi and Eleni Fthenou and Sarah Fleming and Hardie, {Laura J} and John Wright and Knudsen, {Lisbeth E.} and Nielsen, {Jeanette K S} and Jordi Sunyer and Ramon Carreras and Gunnar Brunborg and Gutzkow, {Kristine B} and Nygaard, {Unni C} and Martinus L{\o}vik and Kyrtopoulos, {Soterios A} and Dan Segerb{\"a}ck and Merlo, {Domenico F} and Kleinjans, {Jos C} and Martine Vrijheid and Manolis Kogevinas and {NewGeneris Consortium}",

year = "2014",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1097/ede.0000000000000046",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "215--24",

journal = "Epidemiology",

issn = "1044-3983",

publisher = "Lippincott Williams & Wilkins",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes

AU - Vafeiadi, Marina

AU - Agramunt, Silvia

AU - Pedersen, Marie

AU - Besselink, Harrie

AU - Chatzi, Leda

AU - Fthenou, Eleni

AU - Fleming, Sarah

AU - Hardie, Laura J

AU - Wright, John

AU - Knudsen, Lisbeth E.

AU - Nielsen, Jeanette K S

AU - Sunyer, Jordi

AU - Carreras, Ramon

AU - Brunborg, Gunnar

AU - Gutzkow, Kristine B

AU - Nygaard, Unni C

AU - Løvik, Martinus

AU - Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A

AU - Segerbäck, Dan

AU - Merlo, Domenico F

AU - Kleinjans, Jos C

AU - Vrijheid, Martine

AU - Kogevinas, Manolis

AU - NewGeneris Consortium

PY - 2014/3

Y1 - 2014/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds may affect fetal growth and development. We evaluated the association between in utero dioxin-like activity and birth outcomes in a prospective European mother-child study.METHODS: We measured dioxin-like activity in maternal and cord blood plasma samples collected at delivery using the Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase eXpression (DR CALUX) bioassay in 967 mother-child pairs, in Denmark, Greece, Norway, Spain, and England. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the associations with birth weight, gestational age, and head circumference.RESULTS: Plasma dioxin-like activity was higher in maternal sample than in cord samples. Birth weight was lower with medium (-58 g [95% confidence interval (CI) = -176 to 62]) and high (-82 g [-216 to 53]) tertiles of exposure (cord blood) compared with the lowest tertile. Gestational age was shorter by approximately half a week in the highest compared with the lowest (-0.4 weeks [95% CI = -0.8 to -0.1]). This association was stronger in boys than in girls, although the statistical evidence for interaction was weak (P = 0.22). Analysis based on CALUX-toxic equivalents expressed per milliliter of plasma showed similar trends. We found no association between dioxin-like activity in maternal plasma and birth outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: Results from this international general population study suggest an association between low-level prenatal dioxin-like activity and shorter gestational age, particularly in boys, with weaker associations for birth weight.

AB - BACKGROUND: Maternal exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds may affect fetal growth and development. We evaluated the association between in utero dioxin-like activity and birth outcomes in a prospective European mother-child study.METHODS: We measured dioxin-like activity in maternal and cord blood plasma samples collected at delivery using the Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase eXpression (DR CALUX) bioassay in 967 mother-child pairs, in Denmark, Greece, Norway, Spain, and England. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the associations with birth weight, gestational age, and head circumference.RESULTS: Plasma dioxin-like activity was higher in maternal sample than in cord samples. Birth weight was lower with medium (-58 g [95% confidence interval (CI) = -176 to 62]) and high (-82 g [-216 to 53]) tertiles of exposure (cord blood) compared with the lowest tertile. Gestational age was shorter by approximately half a week in the highest compared with the lowest (-0.4 weeks [95% CI = -0.8 to -0.1]). This association was stronger in boys than in girls, although the statistical evidence for interaction was weak (P = 0.22). Analysis based on CALUX-toxic equivalents expressed per milliliter of plasma showed similar trends. We found no association between dioxin-like activity in maternal plasma and birth outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: Results from this international general population study suggest an association between low-level prenatal dioxin-like activity and shorter gestational age, particularly in boys, with weaker associations for birth weight.

KW - Adult

KW - Biological Assay

KW - Birth Weight

KW - Dioxins

KW - Environmental Pollutants

KW - Europe

KW - Female

KW - Fetal Blood

KW - Gestational Age

KW - Humans

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Linear Models

KW - Male

KW - Maternal Exposure

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Premature Birth

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Sex Factors

U2 - 10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

DO - 10.1097/ede.0000000000000046

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24487205

SN - 1044-3983

VL - 25

SP - 215

EP - 224

JO - Epidemiology

JF - Epidemiology

IS - 2

ER -

In Utero Exposure to Compounds with Dioxin-like Activity and Birth Outcomes

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this