0000000000052081

AUTHOR

Maribel Casas

0000-0002-2112-6740

Associations of black carbon with lung function and airway inflammation in schoolchildren

Background: Few studies have investigated the 24-hour respiratory health effects of personal black carbon (BC) and ultrafine particles (UFP) exposure in schoolchildren. The objective of this study was to investigate these associations with the lung function in children 10-years old with and without persistent respiratory symptoms. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 305 children (147 and 158 with and without persistent respiratory symptoms, respectively) from three European birth-cohorts: PARIS (France) and INMA Sabadell and Valencia (Spain). Personal 24-hour measurements of exposure concentrations to BC and UFP were performed by portable devices, before lung function testing. …

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Vitamin D status during pregnancy and wheezing and asthma during childhood

Background: Maternal vitamin D can have a protective role on child’s respiratory health, but the results from prospective studies are still inconsistent. We examined whether maternal circulating vitamin D levels during pregnancy are associated with wheezing and asthma during childhood in a Spanish birth cohort. Methods: Maternal circulating 25(OH)D3 levels were measured during the first trimester of pregnancy. Information on active wheezing (wheezing episodes plus medication), wheezing patterns (early, late-onset, and persistent wheeze), and physician-diagnosed asthma ever was obtained from parental questionnaires administered from 1 to 7 years in new cohorts(N=1964) and from 1 to 9 years i…

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Maternal Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Thyroid Hormones, and DIO Genes: A Spanish Cross-sectional Study

Results of studies on perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and thyroid hormones (THs) are heterogeneous, and the mechanisms underlying the action of PFASs to target THs have not been fully characterized. We examined the relation between first-trimester maternal PFAS and TH levels and the role played by polymorphisms in the iodothyronine deiodinase 1 (DIO1) and 2 (DIO2) genes in this association. Our sample comprised 919 pregnant Spanish women (recruitment = 2003-2008) with measurements of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), and fr…

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Occupational Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Birth Weight and Length of Gestation: A European Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Women of reproductive age can be exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) at work, and exposure to EDCs in pregnancy may affect fetal growth. OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether maternal occupational exposure to EDCs during pregnancy as classified by application of a job exposure matrix was associated with birth weight, term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery. METHODS: Using individual participant data from 133,957 mother-child pairs in 13 European cohorts spanning births from 1994 through 2011, we linked maternal job titles with exposure to 10 EDC groups as assessed through a job exposure matrix. For each group, we combined the two levels of e…

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Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and cardiometabolic risk in children from the spanish INMA birth cohort study

BACKGROUND: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may affect body mass index (BMI) and other components of cardiometabolic (CM) risk during childhood, hut evidence is scarce and inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and outcomes relevant to cardiometabolic risk, including a composite CM risk score. METHODS: We measured perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in maternal plasma (first trimester). We assessed weight gain from birth until 6 mo. At 4 and 7 y, we calculated the age- and sex-specific z-scores for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and blood pres…

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Prenatal mercury exposure in a multicenter cohort study in Spain

Background: Mercury is a ubiquitous heavy metal that may negatively affect human health. It is desirable to investigate mercury exposure in vulnerable populations. Objective: To determine the concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg) in cord blood and to evaluate the role of maternal fish consumption in a Spanish mother and child cohort. Methods: A total of 1883 mother and child pairs from a population-based cohort were included between 2004 and 2008. T-Hg concentrations were measured in whole cord blood and maternal seafood consumption was ascertained by means of a food-frequency questionnaire. Linear regression was used in stratified analyses, while a joint model was adjusted using a mixed-e…

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Inorganic arsenic exposure and neuropsychological development of children of 4-5 years of age living in Spain

This study was funded by grants from Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III-Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (INMA Network G03/176, CB06/02/0041, and FIS-FEDER: PI03/1615, PI04/1436, PI08/1151, PI04/2018, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/1213, PI06/0867, PI07/0314, PI09/02647, PS09/00090, PI09/02311, MS11/0178, PI13/1944, PI13/2032, PI14/00891, PI16/1288, and PI17/00663). Miguel Servet-FEDER: MSII16/ 00051, CP14/00108 & PI16/00261 (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”), FEDER funds, MS13/00054. Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT 1999SGR 00241, JCI2011–09771–MICINN, Generalitat Valenciana (Conselleria de Sanitat048/2010 and 060/…

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Impact of maternal nutritional status during pregnancy on the associations between persistent organic pollutants and childhood overweight

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Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and birth outcomes in a Spanish birth cohort

BACKGROUND: Prenatal perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) exposure has been associated with reduced birth weight but maternal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) may attenuate this association. Further, this association remains unclear for other perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA). We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and birth outcomes, and the influence of GFR, in a Spanish birth cohort. METHODS: We measured PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA in 1st-trimester maternal plasma (years: 2003-2008) in 1202 mother-child pairs. Continuous birth outcomes included standardized weight, length, he…

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Exposure to metals and metalloids among pregnant women from Spain: Levels and associated factors

This study was funded by Grants from EU (FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957 and HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1); Spain: ISCIII (Red INMA G03/176, CB06/02/0041; FIS-FEDER: PI03/1615, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/0867, PI06/1213, PI07/0314, PI09/00090, PI09/02647, PI11/01007, PI11/02591, PI11/02038, PI13/1944, PI13/2032, PI13/02187, PI14/00891, PI14/01687, PI16/1288, PI17/00663, PI18/01142 and PI19/1338; Miguel Servet FEDER MS15/00025, MS20/0006, CPII16/00051, and FIS-FSE: 17/00260); CIBERESP; Generalitat Valenciana: FISABIO (UGP 15-230, UGP-15-244, and UGP-15-249), AICO/2020/285, and Alicia Koplowitz Foundation 2017; Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT 1999SGR 00241; Department of Health…

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Prenatal exposure to phenols and lung function, wheeze, and asthma in school-age children from 8 European birth cohorts

Prenatal exposure to phenolic compounds, widely used in many consumer products, can alter lung development and increase the risk of respiratory disorders in the offspring. However, evidence is scarce and mostly focused on bisphenol-A (BPA), although there are other substitutes that could also interfere with the developing respiratory system. We aim to estimate the association between exposure to 5 phenols during pregnancy (BPA, BPAF, BPB, BPF, and BPS) and lung function, wheeze, and asthma in school-age children. We included 2685 mother-child pairs from 8 European birth cohorts. Phenols concentrations were determined in urinary maternal samples collected during pregnancy (1999-2010). Betwee…

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Placental metal concentrations and birth outcomes: The Environment and Childhood (INMA) project

To examine the association of placental levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) with birth outcomes (birth weight, length, and head circumference, low birth weight [LBW], gestational age, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age [SGA]) in mother-child pairs from the Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project in Spain.Metal concentrations were measured in placenta tissue samples randomly selected from five INMA cohorts. Data on birth outcomes were obtained from medical records. Associations were assessed in a sub-sample of 327 mother-infant pairs by regression models adjusted for confounding factors and for all metals simultaneous…

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Variability of perfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in pregnant women by socio-demographic and dietary factors in a Spanish birth cohort

Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) might affect child health; but maternal determinants of PFAS exposure are unclear. We evaluated the socio-demographic and dietary factors of prenatal PFAS concentrations in a Spanish birth cohort. Methods: We analyzed perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in 1216 plasma samples collected during the 1ST trimester of pregnancy (2003–2008). We used multivariable linear regressions to assess the geometric mean (GM) ratios of PFAS concentrations by socio-demographic and dietary factors. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to asse…

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Prenatal exposure to lead in Spain: Cord blood levels and associated factors

Abstract Introduction and Objective Lead is a known neurotoxic. Fetuses and infants are very vulnerable to lead exposure, since their blood-brain barrier is not completely formed. Hence, there is an importance for monitoring of blood lead levels prenatally and during early infancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prenatal exposure to lead and its association with maternal factors in four population based mother–child cohorts in Spain. The present research was carried out within the framework of the INMA project INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood). Methods A total of 1462 pregnant women were recruited between 2004 and 2008. Lead was analyzed in a sample of cord blo…

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Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances, immune-related outcomes, and lung function in children from a Spanish birth cohort study.

Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been associated with impaired immune and respiratory health during childhood but the evidence is inconsistent and limited for lung function. We studied the association between prenatal PFASs exposure and immune and respiratory health, including lung function, up to age 7 years in the Spanish INMA birth cohort study. Methods: We assessed four PFASs in maternal plasma samples collected during the 1st trimester of pregnancy (years: 2003-2008): perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA). Mothers reported the occurrence (yes/no) of lower respir…

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Concentrations of urinary arsenic species in relation to rice and seafood consumption among children living in Spain.

Inorganic arsenic (i-As) has been related to wide-ranging health effects in children, leading to lifelong concerns. Proportionally, dietary i-As exposure dominates in regions with low arsenic drinking water. This study aims to investigate the relation between rice and seafood consumption and urinary arsenic species during childhood and to assess the proportion of urinary i-As metabolites. Urinary arsenic species concentration in 400 4-year-old children living in four geographical areas of Spain, in addition to repeated measures from 100 children at 7 years of age are included in this study. Rice and seafood products intake was collected from children's parents using a validated food frequen…

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Transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances from mother to fetus in a Spanish birth cohort

CSIC Servicio de enlaces(opens in a new window)|Library catalogue(opens in a new window)|View at Publisher| Export | Download | Add to List | More... Environmental Research Volume 142, October 01, 2015, Pages 471-478 Transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances from mother to fetus in a Spanish birth cohort (Article) Manzano-Salgado, C.B.abc , Casas, M.abc, Lopez-Espinosa, M.-J.cd, Ballester, F.cd, Basterrechea, M.cef, Grimalt, J.O.gh, Jiménez, A.-M.ef, Kraus, T.i, Schettgen, T.i, Sunyer, J.abc, Vrijheid, M.abc a Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader, 88, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain b Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain c CIBER Epidemiología y Salu…

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Early childhood growth is associated with lung function at 7 years: a prospective population-based study

Previous studies have related early postnatal growth with later lung function but their interpretation is limited by the methods used to assess a child's growth. We aimed to assess the association of early childhood growth, measured by body mass index (BMI) trajectories up to 4 years, with lung function at 7 years.We included 1257 children from the Spanish Infancia y Medio Ambiente population-based birth cohort. Early childhood growth was classified into five categories based on BMI trajectories up to 4 years previously identified using latent class growth analysis. These trajectories differed in birth size ("lower", "average", "higher") and in BMI gain velocity ("slower", "accelerated"). W…

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Epirubicin Plus Cyclophosphamide Followed by Docetaxel Versus Epirubicin Plus Docetaxel Followed by Capecitabine As Adjuvant Therapy for Node-Positive Early Breast Cancer: Results From the GEICAM/2003-10 Study

Purpose Capecitabine is an active drug in metastatic breast cancer (BC). GEICAM/2003-10 is an adjuvant trial to investigate the integration of capecitabine into a regimen of epirubicin and docetaxel for node-positive early BC. Patients and Methods Patients with operable node-positive BC (T1-3/N1-3) were eligible. After surgery, 1,384 patients were randomly assigned to receive epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide (EC; 90 and 600 mg/m2, respectively, × four cycles), followed by docetaxel (100 mg/m2 × four cycles; EC-T) or epirubicin plus docetaxel (ET; 90 and 75 mg/m2, respectively, × four cycles), followed by capecitabine (1,250 mg/m2 twice a day on days 1 to 14, × four cycles; ET-X); all regime…

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Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds and lung function during childhood

Introduction: Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs) can increase the risk of reported respiratory symptoms in children. It remains unclear whether these compounds can also impact on lung function. We assessed the association between prenatal exposure to OCs and lung function during childhood. Methods: We included 1308 mother-child pairs enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Prenatal concentrations of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [p,p′-DDT], p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [p,p′-DDE], hexachlorobenzene [HCB], and seven polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs] were measured in cord blood. Spirometry was performed in the offspring at ages 4 (n = 636) and 7 years (n = 1192…

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Prenatal perfluoroalkyl substance exposure and neuropsychological development throughout childhood: The INMA Project.

Abstract Background Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been related to neurodevelopmental toxicity in animals. However, human studies are inconclusive. Objectives To evaluate the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and neuropsychological development during childhood. Methods 1240 mother–child pairs from the Spanish INMA Project were analyzed. Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were measured in first-trimester maternal plasma. Neuropsychological development was assessed at 14 months, 4–5 and 7 years covering four domains: general cognitive, general motor, attention, and working me…

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Prenatal ambient air pollution exposure, infant growth and placental mitochondrial DNA content in the INMA birth cohort

Background: The association between prenatal air pollution exposure and postnatal growth has hardly been explored. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as a marker of oxidative stress, and growth at birth can play an intermediate role in this association. Objective: In a subset of the Spanish birth cohort INMA we assessed first whether prenatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure is associated with infant growth. Secondly, we evaluated whether growth at birth (length and weight) could play a mediating role in this association. Finally, the mediation role of placental mitochondrial DNA content in this association was assessed. Methods: In 336 INMA children, relative placental mtDNA content was measured. L…

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Prenatal exposure to PCB-153, p,p'-DDE and birth outcomes in 9000 mother-child pairs: exposure-response relationship and effect modifiers.

Low-level exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p′-DDE) can impair fetal growth; however, the exposure–response relationship and effect modifiers of such association are not well established. This study is an extension of an earlier European meta-analysis. Our aim was to explore exposure–response relationship between PCB-153 and p-p′-DDE and birth outcomes; to evaluate whether any no exposure–effect level and susceptible subgroups exist; and to assess the role of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG). We used a pooled dataset of 9377 mother–child pairs enrolled in 14 study populations from 11 European birth cohorts. General additive mode…

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Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and immune and respiratory outcomes

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be associated with impaired immune and respiratory health during childhood but the evidence is scarce and inconsistent. We studied the association between prenatal PFAS exposure and immune and respiratory health up to age 7 years in the Spanish INMA birth cohort (n=1188). We assessed perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) in maternal plasma samples. Mothers reported the occurrence (yes/no) of chest infections, lower respiratory tract infections, wheezing, asthma, and eczema in the previous 12 months at 1.5 and 4 years of the child and at 7 years. A…

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Early infancy BMI trajectories and lung function and asthma during childhood

Previous studies assessing the association of birthweight and infant weight gain with lung function and asthma have focused on the difference between two time points or on growth patterns. Body mass index (BMI) trajectories, which integrate information on multiple aspects of growth, may allow a more accurate identification of children at higher risk of future respiratory diseases. We assessed the associations of BMI trajectories from birth to 4 years with lung function and current asthma at 7 years. We included 1399 participants from the population-based INMA birth cohort study. Five BMI trajectories were previously identified: ‘average birth size-slower BMI gain’, ‘higher birth size-accele…

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Prenatal Ambient Air Pollution, Placental Mitochondrial DNA Content, and Birth Weight in the INMA (Spain) and ENVIRONAGE (Belgium) Birth Cohorts

The research leading to these results was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Health (FIS-PI11/00610, FIS-PI041436, FIS-PI081151, FIS-PI042018, and FIS-PI09/02311), the European Union (EU) (FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957 and HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red INMA G03/176, CB06/02/0041, FIS-FEDER 03/1615, 04/1509, 04/1112, 04/1931, 05/1079, 05/1052, 06/1213, 07/0314, 09/02647, 11/01007, 11/02591, CP11/00178, FIS-PI06/0867, and FIS-PS09/00090), the Conselleria de Sanitat Generalitat Valenciana, the Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT (1999SGR 00241), the Obre Social Cajastur, the Universidad de Oviedo, the Department of Health of the Basque Government (2005111093 and 2009111069),…

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Estudio de la evolución de la exposición a plomo en la población infantil española en los últimos 20 años: ¿un ejemplo no reconocido de «salud en todas las políticas»?

ResumenObjetivoDescribir la evolución temporal de las concentraciones de plomo en el aire en España, desde antes de su prohibición como aditivo de la gasolina hasta la actualidad, así como estudiar la evolución de la carga corporal de plomo en la población infantil española.MétodosSe obtuvieron las concentraciones medias anuales de plomo en el aire en diversas ciudades españolas, desde la década de 1980 hasta la actualidad. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica con el fin de identificar estudios publicados sobre concentraciones de plomo en la población infantil española.ResultadosEn general se observó una disminución de las concentraciones de plomo, de mayor magnitud entre 1991 y 1999. Esta…

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Association of placental concentrations of phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals with cognitive functioning in preschool children from the Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project.

Developmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and other phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may affect child neurodevelopment, but data on the effects of prenatal exposure to phenols on cognitive function remain sparse. Our aim was to examine the association of placental concentrations of several phenolic EDCs, including BPA, parabens (PBs), and benzophenones (BzPs), with cognitive development in preschool children from the Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project in Spain. Concentrations of BPA, four PBs (methylparaben [MePB], ethylparaben [EtPB], propylparaben [PrPB], and butylparaben [BuPB]), and six BzPs (BzP-1, BzP-2, BzP-3, BzP-6, BzP-8, and 4-hydroxybenzophenone [4-OH-BzP]) …

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First-trimester maternal concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl substances and fetal growth throughout pregnancy

Background: Several studies have investigated the possible association between prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and birth anthropometry. However, none has assessed fetal size longitudinally. We studied the possible association between PFASs and fetal biometry. Methods: In 1230 mother-child pairs of three cohorts from the Spanish INMA-Project, we analyzed perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in first-trimester maternal plasma (collection: 2003-2008). We measured abdominal circumference (AC), femur length (FL), biparietal diameter (BPD), and estimated fetal weight (EFW)…

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Exposure to Bisphenol A and Phthalates during Pregnancy and Ultrasound Measures of Fetal Growth in the INMA-Sabadell Cohort

Background: Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates may affect fetal growth; however, previous findings are inconsistent and based on few studies. Objectives: We assessed whether prenatal exposure to BPA and phthalates was associated with fetal growth in a Spanish birth cohort of 488 mother–child pairs. Methods: We measured BPA and eight phthalates [four di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (DEHPm), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and three low-molecular-weight phthalate metabolites (LMWPm)] in two spot-urine samples collected during the first and third trimester of pregnancy. We estimated growth curves for femur length (FL), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (A…

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Intrauterine and postnatal exposure to outdoor NO2 and lung function at school age

Lungs are highly vulnerable to permanent harmful effects of environmental factors during their in-utero and early life development. The detrimental effects of air pollution on lung development are well known although studies mainly focused on the postnatal exposure period. We investigated the windows of susceptibility during pregnancy and first 7 postnatal years on the association between nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and lung function at the age of 7 years in the INMA cohort in Spain. We estimated monthly average exposure to NO2 for the prenatal and postnatal period at home address of 1230 children with temporally-adjusted land use regression models. Spirometry was performed at age 7. We estimate…

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