Mateusz P Karwowski1, Catherine Stamoulis2, Larissa M Wenren3, G Mayowa Faboyede4, Nicolle Quinn4, Kathleen M Gura5, David C Bellinger6, Alan D Woolf7. 1. Pediatric Environmental Health Center, Boston, Mass; Region 1 New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Boston, Mass; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 2. Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 3. Boston Children's Primary Care at Longwood, Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. 4. Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. 5. Department of Pharmacy, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. 6. Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. 7. Pediatric Environmental Health Center, Boston, Mass; Region 1 New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Boston, Mass; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: alan.woolf@childrens.harvard.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate relationships between whole blood (B-Al) and hair aluminum (H-Al) levels in healthy infants and their immunization history and development. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 9- to 13-month-old children recruited from an urban primary care center, excluding those with a history of renal disease or receipt of either aluminum-containing pharmaceuticals or parenteral nutrition. Aluminum levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Correlation with Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID) and vaccine-related aluminum load was assessed via linear regression models. RESULTS: The median age of 85 participants was 287 days. B-Al (median, 15.4 ng/mL; range, 0.9-952 ng/mL) and H-Al (median 42,542 ng/g; range, 2758-211,690 ng/g) were weakly correlated (Spearman ρ = 0.26; P = .03). There was no significant correlation between B-Al or H-Al and estimated aluminum load from vaccines. B-Al was not correlated with BSID composite or subscale scores. Although H-Al was not correlated with BSID scores in models including all data (n = 85), it was inversely correlated with motor composite (P < .02; Wald = 5.88) and the gross motor subscale (P = .04; Wald = 4.38) in models that excluded an extreme outlying H-Al value. CONCLUSIONS: Infant B-Al and H-Al varied considerably but did not correlate with their immunization history. Likewise, there was no correlation between B-Al and infant development or between H-Al and language or cognitive development. An inverse correlation between H-Al and BSID motor scores deserves further investigation.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate relationships between whole blood (B-Al) and hair aluminum (H-Al) levels in healthy infants and their immunization history and development. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 9- to 13-month-old children recruited from an urban primary care center, excluding those with a history of renal disease or receipt of either aluminum-containing pharmaceuticals or parenteral nutrition. Aluminum levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Correlation with Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID) and vaccine-related aluminum load was assessed via linear regression models. RESULTS: The median age of 85 participants was 287 days. B-Al (median, 15.4 ng/mL; range, 0.9-952 ng/mL) and H-Al (median 42,542 ng/g; range, 2758-211,690 ng/g) were weakly correlated (Spearman ρ = 0.26; P = .03). There was no significant correlation between B-Al or H-Al and estimated aluminum load from vaccines. B-Al was not correlated with BSID composite or subscale scores. Although H-Al was not correlated with BSID scores in models including all data (n = 85), it was inversely correlated with motor composite (P < .02; Wald = 5.88) and the gross motor subscale (P = .04; Wald = 4.38) in models that excluded an extreme outlying H-Al value. CONCLUSIONS:InfantB-Al and H-Al varied considerably but did not correlate with their immunization history. Likewise, there was no correlation between B-Al and infant development or between H-Al and language or cognitive development. An inverse correlation between H-Al and BSID motor scores deserves further investigation.
Authors: Christopher R Wilcox; Rebecca Rowe; Deborah C Mobley; Merlin Willcox; Christine E Jones Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2020-02-27 Impact factor: 5.386