US EPA

1509479 

Journal Article 

Pre-natal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and infant lower respiratory tract infections and wheeze 

Gascon, M; Vrijheid, M; Martínez, D; Ballester, F; Basterrechea, M; Blarduni, E; Esplugues, A; Vizcaino, E; Grimalt, JO; Morales, E; Sunyer, J 

2012 

Yes 

European Respiratory Journal
ISSN: 0903-1936
EISSN: 1399-3003 

39 

5 

1188-1196 

English 

22075485 

10.1183/09031936.00011711 

WOS:000304234700019 

The aim of our study was to examine whether pre-natal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and wheeze in infants. The study is based on a birth cohort of 1,455 mother-child pairs. Maternal serum concentrations of DDE, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured during pregnancy. Parental reports on LRTI and wheeze were obtained when children were 12-14 months old. 35.4% of children developed at least one LRTI episode and 33.6% at least one wheezing episode during their first 12-14 months of life. Median DDE, PCBs and HCB concentrations were 116.3, 113.7 and 46.4 ng · g(-1) lipid, respectively. DDE concentrations were associated with LRTI risk (relative risk (RR) per 10% increase 1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.22), also after adjustment for PCBs and HCB. In all quartiles of DDE exposure, the risk of LRTI was increased compared with the lowest quartile, but the increase was statistically significant only in the third quartile (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.62). No association was observed for PCBs and HCB. Results were similar for wheeze. This study suggests that pre-natal DDE exposure is associated with a higher risk of LRTI and wheeze in infants independently of exposure to other organochlorine compounds. 

Children; dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; lower respiratory tract infections; organochlorine compounds; pre-natal exposure; wheeze