Περίληψη:
BACKGROUND: Many pregnancy and birth cohort studies investigate the
health effects of early-life environmental contaminant exposure. An
overview of existing studies and their data is needed to improve
collaboration, harmonization, and future project planning.
OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to create a comprehensive overview of European
birth cohorts with environmental exposure data.
METHODS: Birth cohort studies were included if they a) collected data on
at least one environmental exposure, b) started enrollment during
pregnancy or at birth, c) included at least one follow-up point after
birth, d) included at least 200 mother-child pairs, and e) were based in
a European country. A questionnaire collected information on basic
protocol details and exposure and health outcome assessments, including
specific contaminants, methods and samples, timing, and number of
subjects. A full inventory can be searched on
www.birthcohortsenrieco.net.
RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 37 cohort studies of > 350,000
mother-child pairs in 19 European countries. Only three cohorts did not
participate. All cohorts collected biological specimens of children or
parents. Many cohorts collected information on passive smoking (n = 36),
maternal occupation (n = 33), outdoor air pollution (n = 27), and
allergens/biological organisms (n = 27). Fewer cohorts (n = 12-19)
collected information on water contamination, ionizing or nonionizing
radiation exposures, noise, metals, persistent organic pollutants, or
other pollutants. All cohorts have information on birth outcomes; nearly
all on asthma, allergies, childhood growth and obesity; and 26 collected
information on child neurodevelopment.
CONCLUSION: Combining forces in this field will yield more efficient and
conclusive studies and ultimately improve causal inference. This
impressive resource of existing birth cohort data could form the basis
for longer-term and worldwide coordination of research on environment
and child health.
Συγγραφείς:
Vrijheid, Martine
Casas, Maribel
Bergstrom, Anna
Carmichael,
Amanda
Cordier, Sylvaine
Eggesbo, Merete
Eller, Esben and
Fantini, Maria P.
Fernandez, Mariana F.
Fernandez-Somoano, Ana
and Gehring, Ulrike
Grazuleviciene, Regina
Hohmann, Cynthia and
Karvonen, Anne M.
Keil, Thomas
Kogevinas, Manolis
Koppen,
Gudrun
Kraemer, Ursula
Kuehni, Claudia E.
Magnus, Per and
Majewska, Renata
Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo
Patelarou, Evridiki
and Petersen, Maria Skaalum
Pierik, Frank H.
Polanska, Kinga and
Porta, Daniela
Richiardi, Lorenzo
Santos, Ana Cristina and
Slama, Remy
Sram, Radim J.
Thijs, Care
Tischer, Christina
and Toft, Gunnar
Trnovec, Tomas
Vandentorren, Stephanie and
Vrijkotte, Tanja G. M.
Wilhelm, Michael
Wright, John and
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
