1. Prenatal exposure to lead, delta-aminolevulinic acid, and schizophrenia: further evidence.
- Author
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Opler MGA, Buka SL, Groeger J, McKeague I, Wei C, Factor-Litvak P, Bresnahan M, Graziano J, Goldstein JM, Seidman LJ, Brown AS, and Susser ES
- Abstract
Background: A previously conducted study of prenatal lead exposure and schizophrenia using delta-aminolevulinic acid, a biologic marker of Pb exposure, in archived maternal serum samples collected from subjects enrolled in the Childhood Health and Development Study (1959-1966) based in Oakland, California, suggested a possible association between prenatal Pb exposure and the development of schizophrenia in later life.Objectives: In the present study we extend these findings using samples collected from the New England cohort of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project (1959-1966) . Using similar methods, in this study we found results that suggest a comparable association in this cohort.Methods: We pooled matched sets of cases and controls from both the California and New England sites using a multilevel random-intercept logistic regression model, accounting for matching and site structure as well as adjusting for maternal age at delivery and maternal education.Results: The estimated odds ratio for schizophrenia associated with exposure corresponding to 15 µg/dL of blood Pb was 1.92 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.87 ; p = 0.03) .Conclusion: Although several limitations constrain generalizability, these results are consistent with previous findings and provide further evidence for the role of early environmental exposures in the development of adult-onset psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
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