Background: Studies suggest that exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy may be associated with increased risks of birth defects (BDs), but conclusions have been inconsistent. This study describes the ethnic distribution of major BDs and examines the relationship between air pollution and BDs among different ethnic groups in Liuzhou city, China.Methods: Surveillance data of infants born in 114 registered hospitals in Liuzhou in 2019 were analyzed to determine the epidemiology of BDs across five major ethnic groups. Concentrations of six air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, NO2, O3) were obtained from the Liuzhou Environmental Protection Bureau. Logistic regression was used to examine the associations between ambient air exposure and risk of BDs.Results: Among 32,549 infants, 635 infants had BDs, yielding a prevalence of 19.5 per 1000 perinatal infants. Dong ethnic group had the highest prevalence of BDs (2.59%), followed by Yao (2.57%), Miao (2.35%), Zhuang (2.07%), Han (1.75%). Relative to the Han ethnic group, Zhuang, Miao, Yao and Dong groups had lower risks of congenital heart disease, polydactyly, and hypospadias. The Zhuang ethnic group had higher risks of severe thalassemia, cleft lip and/or palate, and syndactyls. Our analysis of the correlation between air pollution and BDs showed that BDs were positively correlated with air pollutants PM10 (aORs =1.14; 95% CI:1.12-2.43 for per 10ug/mg3 increment) and CO (aORs =1.36; 95% CI:1.14-2.48 for every 1mg /m3 increment) in second month of pregnancy, and were associated with PM10 (aORs =1.51; 95% CI:1.13-2.03) and CO (aORs =1.75; 95%CI:1.02-3.61) in the third month of pregnancy. SO2 also had a significant association with BDs in the second month of the pregnancy (aORs =1.31; 95% CI:1.20-3.22) and third month of pregnancy (aORs =1.75; 95% CI:1.02-3.61). However, no significant association was found between birth defects and O3, PM2.5 and NO2 (P > 0.05). Conclusion: This study provided a comprehensive description of ethnic differences in BDs in Southwest China, and broadens the evidence of association between air pollution exposure during gestation and BDs.
Background: The factors that cause recurrent wheezing in children are complex, and premature delivery may be one of these factors. Little is known about early wheezing in preterm infants.Methods: Data were sourced from 1616 children born between 2007 and 2013 from 8 hospitals in Guangxi, China. All children were followed up by telephone or questionnaire through the sixth year of life. Children were grouped by gestational age (GA): Group A, GA ≤ 32 weeks; Group B, 32 weeks < GA < 37 weeks; and Group C, 37 weeks ≤ GA < 42 weeks.Results: The incidences and risk factors for early wheezing in preterm infants were analysed. The incidences of early wheezing were as follows: Group A > Group B > Group C. The incidence of persistent early wheezing in Group A or Group B was significantly higher than that in Group C, respectively. SGA (95% CI: 1.097 to 7.519) was a risk factor for early wheezing in group A. Male sex (95% CI: 1.595 to 4.501) and family history of allergies (95% CI: 1.207 to 3.352) were risk factors for early wheezing in group B.Conclusions: 1. New-borns with younger GAs had a higher risk of early wheezing. 2. The incidence of persistent early wheezing for preterm infants (GA ≤ 32 weeks and 32 weeks < GA < 37 weeks) was higher than that for full-term infants (37 weeks ≤ GA < 42 weeks). 3. SGA was a risk factor for early wheezing in preterm infants with a GA ≤ 32 weeks. 4. Male sex, personal history of allergies and family history of allergies were all possible factors affecting early wheezing in preterm infants with a GA > 32 weeks but < 37 weeks and full-term infants. Among them, male sex and family history of allergies were risk factors for early wheezing. 5. Mode of delivery, passive smoking, breastfeeding and invasive mechanical ventilation were not possible risk factors for early wheezing in infants of different GAs.
The concentrations of 21 metal(loid)s were analyzed in 2,050 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years from Liuzhou City, Southwest China. The detection rates of elements were all above 99%. The potential contribution of demographic and dietary habits to urinary metal(loid) levels was analyzed. We found that age was an important predictor for most elements, and that children exhibited higher metal(loid) exposure levels than adolescents, expect for Sr (P < 0.05). Urinary metal(loid) levels were higher in girls for 13 elements. Multiple regression models also showed that dietary habits may affect the distributions of metal(loid)s. This raised health concerns that the hazard quotient (HQ) of cadmium was > 1 at the P95 value and that the risk of the mixed effect of Cd, Hg and Tl was not negligible. The results of this study provide basic data on the reference values of urinary metal(loid) levels and health risk assessments of children and adolescents in industrial areas.
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