246 results on '"McElrath TF"'
Search Results
2. Corrigendum to “Thyroid hormone parameters during pregnancy in relation to urinary bisphenol A concentrations: A repeated measures study” [Environment International 104 (2017) 33-40]
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Aung, MT, primary, Johns, LE, additional, Ferguson, KK, additional, Mukherjee, B, additional, McElrath, TF, additional, and Meeker, JD, additional
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- 2019
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3. Risk of pre‐eclampsia in patients with a maternal genetic predisposition to common medical conditions: a case–control study.
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Gray, KJ, Kovacheva, VP, Mirzakhani, H, Bjonnes, AC, Almoguera, B, Wilson, ML, Ingles, SA, Lockwood, CJ, Hakonarson, H, McElrath, TF, Murray, JC, Norwitz, ER, Karumanchi, SA, Bateman, BT, Keating, BJ, and Saxena, R
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PREECLAMPSIA ,SINGLE nucleotide polymorphisms ,CASE-control method ,BODY mass index ,ALKALINE phosphatase - Abstract
Objective: To assess whether women with a genetic predisposition to medical conditions known to increase pre‐eclampsia risk have an increased risk of pre‐eclampsia in pregnancy. Design: Case–control study. Setting and population: Pre‐eclampsia cases (n = 498) and controls (n = 1864) in women of European ancestry from five US sites genotyped on a cardiovascular gene‐centric array. Methods: Significant single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 21 traits in seven disease categories (cardiovascular, inflammatory/autoimmune, insulin resistance, liver, obesity, renal and thrombophilia) with published genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) were used to create a genetic instrument for each trait. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association of each continuous scaled genetic instrument with pre‐eclampsia. Odds of pre‐eclampsia were compared across quartiles of the genetic instrument and evaluated for significance. Main outcome measures: Genetic predisposition to medical conditions and relationship with pre‐eclampsia. Results: An increasing burden of risk alleles for elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and increased body mass index (BMI) were associated with an increased risk of pre‐eclampsia (DBP, overall OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01–1.21, P = 0.025; BMI, OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.00–1.20, P = 0.042), whereas alleles associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were protective (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82–0.97, P = 0.008), driven primarily by pleiotropic effects of variants in the FADS gene region. The effect of DBP genetic loci was even greater in early‐onset pre‐eclampsia cases (at <34 weeks of gestation, OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08–1.56, P = 0.005). For other traits, there was no evidence of an association. Conclusions: These results suggest that the underlying genetic architecture of pre‐eclampsia may be shared with other disorders, specifically hypertension and obesity. A genetic predisposition to increased diastolic blood pressure and obesity increases the risk of pre‐eclampsia. A genetic predisposition to increased diastolic blood pressure and obesity increases the risk of pre‐eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2021
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4. 1141355494 Cytokine, chemokines and integrin levels in the severely preterm placenta distinguish between preeclampsia and other preinatal complications
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McElrath, TF, primary, Allred, EN, additional, Hecht, JL, additional, Fichorova, RN, additional, and Leviton, A, additional
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- 2006
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5. Perinatal systemic inflammatory responses of growth-restricted preterm newborns.
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McElrath, TF, Allred, EN, Van Marter, L, Fichorova, RN, and Leviton, A
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SURROGATE mothers , *NEWBORN infant development , *IMMUNOLOGY of inflammation , *TREATMENT of premature infant diseases , *VENTILATION , *INFANT care , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Aim To compare the early post-natal pattern of systemic inflammation in growth-restricted infants born before the 28th week of gestation to that of appropriately grown peers. Methods We measured the concentrations of 25 inflammation-related proteins in blood spots collected from 939 newborns during the first 2 post-natal weeks. We calculated the odds ratios (99% confidence intervals) that concentrations would be in the highest quartile. Results Severely growth-restricted infants (birth weight Z-score <−2) were not at increased risk of systemic inflammation shortly after birth. On post-natal day 14, however, they were significantly more likely than their peers to have a CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, MCP-4, ICAM-1, ICAM-3, E- SEL, MMP-9, VEGF-R2 and/or IGFBP-1 concentration in the highest quartile. These increased risks could not be attributed to delivery indication, bacteremia or duration of ventilation. Conclusion Growth-restricted preterm newborns appear to be at increased risk of elevated concentrations of inflammation-associated proteins by post-natal day 14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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6. Pregnancy disorders that lead to delivery before the 28th week of gestation: an epidemiologic approach to classification.
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McElrath TF, Hecht JL, Dammann O, Boggess K, Onderdonk A, Markenson G, Harper M, Delpapa E, Allred EN, and Leviton A
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- 2008
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7. Validation of a formula that calculates the estimated risk of respiratory distress syndrome.
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Melanson SEF, Berg A, Jarolim P, Tanasijevic MJ, and McElrath TF
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- 2006
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8. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome as a function of gestational age and an assay for surfactant-to-albumin ratio.
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McElrath TF, Colon I, Hecht J, Tanasijevic MJ, and Norwitz ER
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- 2004
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9. Prolonged latency after preterm premature rupture of membranes: an evaluation of histologic condition and intracranial ultrasonic abnormality in the neonate born at <28 weeks of gestation.
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McElrath TF, Allred EN, Leviton A, Developmental Epidemiology Network Investigators, McElrath, Thomas F, Allred, Elizabeth N, Leviton, Alan, and Development Epidemiology Network Investigators
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Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether infants who were delivered at <28 weeks of gestation after prolonged latency in pregnancies that were complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes are at increased risk of histologic chorioamnionitis and intracranial ultrasound abnormalities.Study Design: A retrospective cohort analysis of 430 singleton infants born at <28 weeks of gestation in five hospitals (January 1991 through December 1993) with at least one of three protocol cranial scans read by a consensus committee and with placental pathologic evidence. Outcome variables were placental (histologic chorioamnionitis, fetal vasculitis) and neonatal (intraventricular hemorrhage, echolucencies, ventriculomegaly). Latency was divided into five intervals, and outcomes in the longer four intervals were compared with those in infants who were delivered at <1 hour after membrane rupture. Each outcome-latency relationship was evaluated in a logistic model that was controlled for confounders.Results: Odds ratios and CIs for each latency interval that was controlled for confounders that included gestational age, maternal race, antenatal steroid and antibiotic administration, and delivery mode show a statistically significant increase in the risk of histologic chorioamnionitis and fetal vasculitis. Models for intraventricular hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly, and echolucencies failed to demonstrate significant differences with increasing latency.Conclusions: Ascending transcervical infection after preterm premature rupture of membranes is documented by the increasing odds ratios of placental inflammation. The odds of ultrasonically detectable brain abnormalities, however, did not increase with increasing latency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2003
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10. Management for neonatal survival at the limits of viability.
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McElrath TF
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Survival and quality-of-life statistics for fetuses delivered earlier than 24 weeks are grim. Managing these pregnancies is an emotionally draining ordeal with few available options. A review of the literature on neonatal outcomes and an analysis of the obstetrician's role in improving outcomes will better equip clinicians to counsel the distressed parents-to-be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2002
11. Fetal lung maturity testing in diabetic mothers. Utility of TDx-FLM II surfactant-to-albumin assay, disaturated phosphatidylcholine, and logistic regression models.
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Melanson SEF, Jarolim P, McElrath TF, Berg A, and Tanasijevic MJ
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Background: An algorithm for fetal lung maturity testing in diabetic pregnancies has not been well-defined, and conflicting observations regarding the assessment of fetal lung maturity in diabetic pregnancies have been reported. Methods: In this analysis, the author sought to clarify which fetal lung maturity testing method (ie, TDx-FLM II surfactant-to-albumin, disaturated phosphatidylcholine [DSPC], or a regression model) is most informative in diabetic pregnancies to accurately predict the presence or absence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.Results: The author's results suggest that a combination of the TDx-FLM II assay and a probabilistic model is sufficient to assess fetal lung maturity in diabetic pregnancies before term. Disaturated phosphatidylcholine testing is not indicated. Conclusion: Fetal lung maturity testing does not provide additional prognostic information in term diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2007
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12. McElrath et al. respond to 'Disaggregating preterm birth'.
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McElrath TF, Hecht JL, Dammann O, Boggess K, Onderdonk A, Markenson G, Harper M, Delpapa E, Allred EN, and Leviton A
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- 2008
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13. TNF-α inhibitor use during pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia: population-based cohort study.
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Adomi M, McElrath TF, Hernández-Díaz S, Vine SM, and Huybrechts KF
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- Humans, Pregnancy, Female, Adult, Cohort Studies, Young Adult, United States epidemiology, Pregnancy Trimester, Second, Risk Factors, Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors therapeutic use, Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors adverse effects, Pregnancy Trimester, First, Pre-Eclampsia epidemiology, Pre-Eclampsia prevention & control, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha antagonists & inhibitors
- Abstract
Background: Although the clinical importance of preeclampsia is widely recognized, few treatment options are available for prevention. TNF-α inhibitors have been hypothesized to potentially prevent the disease. We aimed to examine whether exposure to TNF-α inhibitors during pregnancy reduces the risk of preeclampsia., Methods: We conducted a population-based pregnancy cohort study using nationwide samples of publicly (Medicaid data, 2000-2018) and commercially (MarketScan Research Database, 2003-2020) insured pregnant women linked to their liveborn infants. Exposure was ascertained based on a filled prescription or administration code for TNF-α inhibitors during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. The outcomes included early-onset preeclampsia, late-onset preeclampsia, and small-for-gestational age. For baseline confounding adjustment, we leveraged propensity score overlap weights to estimate risk ratios (RR)., Results: Among 4 315 658 pregnancies in the Medicaid and the MarketScan cohort, 2736 (0.063%) were exposed to TNF-α inhibitors during the first trimester and 1712 (0.040%) during the second trimester. After adjustment, the risk of early-onset preeclampsia was not decreased among mothers exposed during the first trimester compared with unexposed women with treatment indications [RR pooled : 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.67]. Similarly, the risk of late-onset preeclampsia was not decreased among mothers exposed during the second trimester compared with unexposed women (RR pooled : 0.99, 95% CI 0.81-1.22)., Conclusion: Contrary to the hypothesis, exposure to TNF-α inhibitors during pregnancy did not appear to be associated with a reduced risk of early-onset or late-onset preeclampsia. These findings do not support consideration of the use of TNF-α inhibitors for the prevention of preeclampsia., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2024
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14. Associations of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites and their mixture with thyroid hormone concentration during pregnancy in the LIFECODES cohort: A repeated measures study.
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Park S, Siwakoti RC, Ferguson KK, Cathey AL, Hao W, Cantonwine DE, Mukherjee B, McElrath TF, and Meeker JD
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Adult, Environmental Pollutants urine, Environmental Pollutants blood, Boston, Cohort Studies, Young Adult, Endocrine Disruptors urine, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons urine, Thyroid Hormones blood, Maternal Exposure adverse effects
- Abstract
Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are endocrine disruptors resulting from incomplete combustion. Pregnancy represents a particularly vulnerable period to such exposures, given the significant influence of hormone physiology on fetal growth and pregnancy outcomes. Maternal thyroid hormones play crucial roles in fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. However, limited studies have examined gestational PAH exposure and maternal thyroid hormones during pregnancy., Methods: Our study included 439 women enrolled in the LIFECODES birth cohort in Boston, aiming to explore the relationship between urinary PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones throughout pregnancy. Urine samples for PAH metabolite analysis and plasma samples for thyroid hormone were measured up to four visits throughout gestation. Single pollutant analyses employed linear mixed effect models to investigate individual associations between each PAH metabolite and thyroid hormone concentration. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess potential susceptibility windows and fetal-sex-specific effects of PAH exposure. Mixture analyses utilized quantile g-computation to evaluate the collective impact of eight PAH metabolites on thyroid hormone concentrations. Additionally, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was employed to explore potential non-linear associations and interactions between PAH metabolites. Subject-specific random intercepts were incorporated to address intra-individual correlation of serial measurements over time in both single pollutant and mixture analyses., Results: Our findings revealed positive trends in associations between PAH metabolites and thyroid hormones, both individually and collectively as a mixture. Sensitivity analyses indicated that these associations were influenced by the study visit and fetal sex. Mixture analyses suggested non-linear relationships and interactions between different PAH exposures., Conclusions: This comprehensive investigation underscores the critical importance of understanding the impact of PAH exposures on thyroid hormone physiology during pregnancy. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between environmental pollutants and human pregnancy physiology, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and public health policies to mitigate adverse outcomes associated with prenatal PAH exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2024
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15. Prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and fetal growth across pregnancy in the LIFECODES fetal growth study.
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Bommarito PA, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Meeker JD, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Adult, Young Adult, Infant, Newborn, Gestational Age, Biomarkers urine, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Cohort Studies, Male, Phenols urine, Fetal Development drug effects, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Birth Weight drug effects, Environmental Pollutants urine, Endocrine Disruptors urine
- Abstract
Introduction: Environmental phenols are endocrine disrupting chemicals hypothesized to affect early life development. Previous research examining the effects of phenols on fetal growth has focused primarily on associations with measures of size at delivery. Few have included ultrasound measures to examine growth across pregnancy., Objective: Investigate associations between prenatal exposure to phenols and ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth., Methods: Using the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (n = 900), a case-cohort including 248 small-for-gestational-age, 240 large-for-gestational age, and 412 appropriate-for-gestational-age births, we estimated prenatal exposure to 12 phenols using three urine samples collected during pregnancy (median 10, 24, and 35 weeks gestation). We abstracted ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth from medical records. We estimated associations between pregnancy-average phenol biomarker concentrations and repeated ultrasound measures of fetal growth using linear mixed effects models and associations with birthweight using linear regression models. We also used logistic regression models to estimate associations with having a small- or large-for-gestational birth., Results: We observed positive associations between 2,4-dichlorophenol, benzophenone-3, and triclosan (TCS) and multiple ultrasound measures of fetal growth. For example, TCS was associated with a 0.09 (95 % CI: 0.01, 0.18) higher estimated fetal weight z-score longitudinally across pregnancy. This effect size corresponds to a 21 g increase in estimated fetal weight at 30 weeks gestation. Associations with delivery measures of growth were attenuated, but TCS remained positively associated with birthweight z-scores (mean difference: 0.13, 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.25). Conversely, methylparaben was associated with higher odds of a small-for-gestational age birth (odds ratio: 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.06, 1.98)., Discussion: We observed associations between some biomarkers of phenol exposure and ultrasound measures of fetal growth, though associations at the time of delivery were attenuated. These findings are consistent with hypotheses that phenols have the potential to affect growth during the prenatal period., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
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- 2024
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16. Assessment of current biomarkers and interventions to identify and treat women at risk of preterm birth.
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Gravett MG, Menon R, Tribe RM, Hezelgrave NL, Kacerovsky M, Soma-Pillay P, Jacobsson B, and McElrath TF
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Preterm birth remains an important global problem, and an important contributor to under-5 mortality. Reducing spontaneous preterm birth rates at the global level will require the early identification of patients at risk of preterm delivery in order to allow the initiation of appropriate prophylactic management strategies. Ideally these strategies target the underlying pathophysiologic causes of preterm labor. Prevention, however, becomes problematic as the causes of preterm birth are multifactorial and vary by gestational age, ethnicity, and social context. Unfortunately, current screening and diagnostic tests are non-specific, with only moderate clinical risk prediction, relying on the detection of downstream markers of the common end-stage pathway rather than identifying upstream pathway-specific pathophysiology that would help the provider initiate targeted interventions. As a result, the available management options (including cervical cerclage and vaginal progesterone) are used empirically with, at best, ambiguous results in clinical trials. Furthermore, the available screening tests have only modest clinical risk prediction, and fail to identify most patients who will have a preterm birth. Clearly defining preterm birth phenotypes and the biologic pathways leading to preterm birth is key to providing targeted, biomolecular pathway-specific interventions, ideally initiated in early pregnancy Pathway specific biomarker discovery, together with management strategies based on early, mid-, and-late trimester specific markers is integral to this process, which must be addressed in a systematic way through rigorously planned biomarker trials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Gravett, Menon, Tribe, Hezelgrave, Kacerovsky, Soma-Pillay, Jacobsson and McElrath.)
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- 2024
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17. Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Plasticizers in Relation to Fetal Growth in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study.
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Bommarito PA, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Ospina M, Calafat AM, Meeker JD, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Organophosphates, Adult, Birth Weight drug effects, Infant, Newborn, Esters, Biomarkers urine, Cohort Studies, Male, Flame Retardants, Fetal Development drug effects, Plasticizers toxicity, Maternal Exposure statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used ubiquitously as flame retardants and plasticizers in consumer products, are suspected of having developmental toxicity., Objectives: Our study aimed to estimate associations between prenatal exposure to OPEs and fetal growth, including both ultrasound (head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight) and delivery [birth weight z -score, small-for-gestational age (SGA), and large-for-gestational age (LGA)] measures of growth., Methods: In the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (2008-2018), an enriched case-cohort of 900 babies born at the small and large ends of the growth spectrum, we quantified OPE biomarkers in three urine samples per pregnant participant and abstracted ultrasound and delivery measures of fetal growth from medical records. We estimated associations between pregnancy-averaged log-transformed OPE biomarkers and repeated ultrasound measures of fetal growth using linear mixed-effects models, and delivery measures of fetal growth using linear (birth weight) and logistic (SGA and LGA) regression models., Results: Most OPE biomarkers were positively associated with at least one ultrasound measure of fetal growth, but associations with delivery measures were largely null. For example, an interquartile range (IQR; 1.31 ng / mL ) increase in bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate concentration was associated with larger z -scores in head circumference [mean difference (difference): 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 0.17], abdominal circumference (difference: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.18), femur length (difference: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.19), and estimated fetal weight (difference: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.22) but not birth weight (difference: 0.04; 95% CI: - 0.08 , 0.17). At delivery, an IQR ( 1.00 ng / mL ) increase in diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) concentration was associated with an SGA birth (odds ratio: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.94)., Conclusions: In a large prospective cohort, gestational OPE exposures were associated with larger fetal size during pregnancy, but associations at delivery were null. DPHP concentrations were associated with heightened risk of an SGA birth. These findings suggest that OPE exposure may affect fetal development. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14647.
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- 2024
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18. Prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and maternal oxidative stress: Evidence from the LIFECODES study.
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Siwakoti RC, Park S, Ferguson KK, Hao W, Cantonwine DE, Mukherjee B, McElrath TF, and Meeker JD
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Adult, Male, Young Adult, Alkanesulfonic Acids blood, Fluorocarbons blood, Oxidative Stress drug effects, Maternal Exposure statistics & numerical data, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Biomarkers blood, Environmental Pollutants blood, Dinoprost analogs & derivatives, Dinoprost blood, 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
- Abstract
Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although their underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood, evidence suggests PFAS may disrupt endocrine functions and contribute to oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation., Objective: We examined associations between early pregnancy PFAS exposure and OS biomarkers, exploring potential effect modifications by fetal sex and maternal race., Methods: We used data from 469 LIFECODES participants with measured plasma PFAS (median 10 weeks gestation) and repeated measures (median 10, 18, 26, and 35 weeks gestation) of urinary OS biomarkers [8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α (8-isoprostane) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)]. Protein damage biomarkers (chlorotyrosine, dityrosine, and nitrotyrosine) were additionally measured in plasma from a subset (N = 167) during the third visit. Associations between each PFAS and OS biomarkers were examined using linear mixed-effects models and multivariable linear regressions, adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal age, race, education level, pre-pregnancy BMI, insurance status, and parity. Effect modifications were evaluated by including an interaction term between each PFAS and fetal sex or maternal race in the models., Results: We observed significant positive associations between PFOS and 8-isoprostane, with a 9.68% increase in 8-isoprostane levels (95% CI: 0.10%, 20.18%) per interquartile range increase in PFOS. In contrast, PFUA was negatively associated [9.32% (95% CI: -17.68%, -0.11%)], while there were suggestive positive associations for MPAH and PFOA with 8-isoprostane. The associations of several PFAS with 8-OHdG varied by fetal sex, showing generally positive trends in women who delivered females, but negative or null in those who delivered males. No significant effect modification by maternal race was observed., Conclusions: This study provides evidence linking PFAS exposure to OS during pregnancy, with potential sex-specific effects of certain PFAS on 8-OHdG. Further research should explore additional OS/inflammatory biomarkers and assess the modifying effects of dietary and behavioral patterns across diverse populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
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- 2024
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19. Supplementation with antioxidant micronutrients in pregnant women with obesity: a randomized controlled trial.
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Sen S, Cherkerzian S, Herlihy M, Hacker MR, McElrath TF, Cantonwine DE, Fichorova R, Oken E, and Meydani SN
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Double-Blind Method, Adult, Obesity blood, Obesity complications, Pregnancy Complications blood, Pregnancy Complications drug therapy, Biomarkers blood, Micronutrients administration & dosage, Antioxidants administration & dosage, Dietary Supplements, Oxidative Stress drug effects
- Abstract
Background/objective: Obesity increases maternal morbidity and adversely affects child health. Maternal inflammation may play a role in adverse outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine whether providing a higher dose of antioxidant micronutrients to pregnant women with obesity would raise concentrations of key antioxidant vitamins and impact inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy., Subjects/methods: This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. We recruited pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m
2 at their initial prenatal visit ( < 13 weeks gestation) and collected blood and urine samples at baseline, 24-28 weeks, and 32-36 weeks to measure micronutrient concentrations (vitamin C, E, B6 and folate), markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, 8, and 1β) and oxidative stress (8-epi-PGF2α and malondialdehyde). We collected maternal and infant health data from enrollment to delivery as secondary outcomes. We enrolled 128 participants (64 in each arm), and 98 (49 in each arm) completed follow-up through delivery., Intervention: Both groups received a standard prenatal vitamin containing the recommended daily allowance of micronutrients in pregnancy. In addition, the intervention group received a supplement with 90 mg vitamin C, 30 αTU vitamin E, 18 mg vitamin B6 , and 800 μg folic acid, and the control group received a placebo., Results: The intervention group had higher vit B6 (log transformed (ln), β 24-28 weeks: 0.76 nmol/L (95% CI: 0.40, 1.12); β 32-36 weeks: 0.52 nmol/L (95% CI: 0.17, 0.88)) than the control group. Vitamins C, E, erythrocyte RBC folate concentrations did not differ by randomization group. The intervention did not impact biomarkers of inflammation or oxidative stress. There were no differences in maternal or neonatal clinical outcomes by randomization group., Conclusions: Higher concentrations of antioxidant vitamins during pregnancy increased specific micronutrients and did not impact maternal inflammation and oxidative stress, which may be related to dosing or type of supplementation provided., Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Identification Number: NCT02802566; URL of the Registration Site: www., Clinicaltrials: gov ., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)- Published
- 2024
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20. Cohort profile: the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study (Boston, Massachusetts, USA) - a prospective pregnancy cohort study of the impacts of environmental exposures on parental cardiometabolic health.
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Preston EV, Quinn MR, Williams PL, McElrath TF, Cantonwine DE, Seely EW, Wylie BJ, Hacker MR, O'Brien K, Brown FM, Powe CE, Bellavia A, Wang Z, Tomsho KS, Hauser R, and James-Todd T
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Adult, Prospective Studies, Boston epidemiology, Endocrine Disruptors adverse effects, Endocrine Disruptors urine, Young Adult, Glucose Tolerance Test, Blood Glucose analysis, Blood Glucose metabolism, Postpartum Period, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Environmental Exposure adverse effects
- Abstract
Purpose: Pregnancy and the postpartum period are increasingly recognised as sensitive windows for cardiometabolic disease risk. Growing evidence suggests environmental exposures, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications that are associated with long-term cardiometabolic risk. However, the impact of perinatal EDC exposure on subsequent cardiometabolic risk post-pregnancy is less understood. The Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study was established to investigate the associations of environmental exposures during the perinatal period with post-pregnancy parental cardiometabolic health., Participants: Pregnant individuals aged ≥18 years without pre-existing diabetes were recruited at <15 weeks of gestation from Boston, Massachusetts area hospitals. Participants completed ≤4 prenatal study visits (median: 12, 19, 26, 36 weeks of gestation) and 1 postpartum visit (median: 9 weeks), during which we collected biospecimens, health histories, demographic and behavioural data, and vitals and anthropometric measurements. Participants completed a postpartum fasting 2-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Clinical data were abstracted from electronic medical records. Ongoing (as of 2024) extended post-pregnancy follow-up visits occur annually following similar data collection protocols., Findings to Date: We enrolled 653 unique pregnancies and retained 633 through delivery. Participants had a mean age of 33 years, 10% (n=61) developed gestational diabetes and 8% (n=50) developed pre-eclampsia. Participant pregnancy and postpartum urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and postpartum glycaemic biomarkers were quantified. To date, studies within ERGO found higher exposure to phthalates and phthalate mixtures, and separately, higher exposure to radioactive ambient particulate matter, were associated with adverse gestational glycaemic outcomes. Additionally, certain personal care products used in pregnancy, notably hair oils, were associated with higher urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations, earlier gestational age at delivery and lower birth weight., Future Plans: Future work will leverage the longitudinal data collected on pregnancy and cardiometabolic outcomes, environmental exposures, questionnaires, banked biospecimens and paediatric data within the ERGO Study., Competing Interests: Competing interests: CEP is an associate editor of Diabetes Care, receives payments from Wolters Klumer for UpToDate chapters on diabetes in pregnancy, and has received payments for consulting and speaking from Mediflix. All other authors declare no additional actual or perceived competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
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- 2024
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21. The Obstetrical Care and Delivery Experience of Women with Epilepsy in the MONEAD Study.
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McElrath TF, Druzin M, Van Marter LJ, May RC, Brown C, Stek A, Grobman W, Dolan M, Chang P, Flood-Schaffer K, Parker L, Meador KJ, and Pennell PB
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- Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Adult, Prospective Studies, Case-Control Studies, Delivery, Obstetric statistics & numerical data, Pregnancy Outcome, Young Adult, Epilepsy drug therapy, Cesarean Section statistics & numerical data, Anticonvulsants therapeutic use, Pregnancy Complications drug therapy
- Abstract
Objective: We examined mode of delivery among pregnant women with epilepsy (PWWE) versus pregnant controls (PC). We hypothesize that PWWE are more likely to deliver by cesarean., Study Design: The Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) study is an observational, prospective, multicenter investigation of pregnancy outcomes funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH). MONEAD enrolled patients from December 2012 through January 2016. PWWE were matched to PC in a case:control ratio of 3:1. This analysis had 80% power to detect a 36% increase in cesarean frequency assuming a baseline rate of 30% among PC at an α = 0.05., Results: This report analyzed 331 PWWE (76%) and 102 PC (24%) who gave birth while enrolled in the study. PWWE and PC had similar rates of cesarean delivery (34.7 vs. 28.6%; p = 0.27). Of women with cesarean, rates of cesarean without labor were similar between groups for those delivering in recruitment hospitals (48.2 vs. 50.0%) but in nonrecruitment hospitals, cesarean rates without labor were over two-fold higher among PWWE than those of PC (68.8 vs. 30.8%; p = 0.023). Receipt of a cesarean after labor did not differ for PWWE compared to PC or by type of antiepileptic drug among the PWWE., Conclusion: These findings suggest that the obstetrical experiences of PWWE and PC are similar. An interesting deviation from this observation was the mode of delivery with higher unlabored cesarean rates occurring among PWWE in nonrecruitment hospitals. As the study recruitment hospitals were tertiary academic centers and nonrecruitment hospitals tended to be community-based institutions, differences in perinatal expertise might contribute to this difference., Key Points: · Unlabored cesarean rates higher among women with epilepsy.. · Provider preference may influence delivery mode among women with epilepsy.. · Type and amount of antiepileptic drug was not associated with mode of delivery.., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)
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- 2024
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22. Progesterone use and delivery outcomes for women with a previous spontaneous preterm delivery before and after the Progestins Role in Optimizing Neonatal Gestation trial.
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Naert MN, Mecklai K, McElrath TF, Clapp MA, and Little S
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- Infant, Newborn, Female, Pregnancy, Humans, Progestins therapeutic use, Administration, Intravaginal, Progesterone therapeutic use, Premature Birth
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- 2024
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23. Predictors of upstream inflammation and oxidative stress pathways during early pregnancy.
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Welch BM, Bommarito PA, Cantonwine DE, Milne GL, Motsinger-Reif A, Edin ML, Zeldin DC, Meeker JD, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Pregnancy, Female, Humans, Infant, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated, Isoprostanes, Inflammation, Obesity, Arachidonic Acid, Oxidative Stress, Oxylipins, F2-Isoprostanes
- Abstract
Background: Inflammation and oxidative stress are critical to pregnancy, but most human study has focused on downstream, non-causal indicators. Oxylipins are lipid mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress that act through many biological pathways. Our aim was to characterize predictors of circulating oxylipin concentrations based on maternal characteristics., Methods: Our study was conducted among 901 singleton pregnancies in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study, a nested case-cohort with recruitment from 2007 to 2018. We measured a targeted panel of oxylipins in early pregnancy plasma and urine samples from several biosynthetic pathways, defined by the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) precursor and enzyme group. We evaluated levels across predictors, including characteristics of participants' pregnancy, socioeconomic determinants, and obstetric and medical history., Results: Current pregnancy and sociodemographic characteristics were the most important predictors of circulating oxylipins concentrations. Plasma oxylipins were lower and urinary oxylipins higher for participants with a later gestational age at sampling (13-23 weeks), higher prepregnancy BMI (obesity class I, II, or III), Black or Hispanic race and ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status (younger age, lower education, and uninsured). For example, compared to those with normal or underweight prepregnancy BMI, participants with class III prepregnancy obesity had 45-46% lower plasma epoxy-eicosatrienoic acids, the anti-inflammatory oxylipins produced from arachidonic acid (AA) by cytochrome P450, and had 81% higher urinary 15-series F
2 -isoprostanes, an indicator of oxidative stress produced from non-enzymatic AA oxidation. Similarly, in urine, Black participants had 92% higher prostaglandin E2 metabolite, a pro-inflammatory oxylipin, and 41% higher 5-series F2 -isoprostane, an oxidative stress indicator., Conclusions: In this large pregnancy study, we found that circulating levels of oxylipins were different for participants of lower socioeconomic status or of a systematically marginalized racial and ethnic groups. Given associations differed along biosynthetic pathways, results provide insight into etiologic links between maternal predictors and inflammation and oxidative stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Coauthor TFM reports research support to his institution and equity from NxPrenatal Inc; serving on the scientific advisory board of and equity from Mirvie Inc; and serving on the scientific advisory board of and cash payment from Hoffmann-La Roche, and Comanche Biopharma., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)- Published
- 2024
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24. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth: A Pooled Study of Sixteen U.S. Cohorts.
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Welch BM, Keil AP, Buckley JP, Engel SM, James-Todd T, Zota AR, Alshawabkeh AN, Barrett ES, Bloom MS, Bush NR, Cordero JF, Dabelea D, Eskenazi B, Lanphear BP, Padmanabhan V, Sathyanarayana S, Swan SH, Aalborg J, Baird DD, Binder AM, Bradman A, Braun JM, Calafat AM, Cantonwine DE, Christenbury KE, Factor-Litvak P, Harley KG, Hauser R, Herbstman JB, Hertz-Picciotto I, Holland N, Jukic AMZ, McElrath TF, Meeker JD, Messerlian C, Michels KB, Newman RB, Nguyen RHN, O'Brien KM, Rauh VA, Redmon B, Rich DQ, Rosen EM, Schmidt RJ, Sparks AE, Starling AP, Wang C, Watkins DJ, Weinberg CR, Weinberger B, Wenzel AG, Wilcox AJ, Yolton K, Zhang Y, and Ferguson KK
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Biomarkers, Ethnicity, Racial Groups, Premature Birth epidemiology, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Phthalic Acids adverse effects
- Abstract
Background: Phthalate exposures are ubiquitous during pregnancy and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth., Objectives: We investigated race and ethnicity in the relationship between biomarkers of phthalate exposure and preterm birth by examining: a ) how hypothetical reductions in racial and ethnic disparities in phthalate metabolites might reduce the probability of preterm birth; and b ) exposure-response models stratified by race and ethnicity., Methods: We pooled individual-level data on 6,045 pregnancies from 16 U.S. cohorts. We investigated covariate-adjusted differences in nine urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations by race and ethnicity [non-Hispanic White (White, 43%), non-Hispanic Black (Black, 13%), Hispanic/Latina (38%), and Asian/Pacific Islander (3%)]. Using g-computation, we estimated changes in the probability of preterm birth under hypothetical interventions to eliminate disparities in levels of urinary phthalate metabolites by proportionally lowering average concentrations in Black and Hispanic/Latina participants to be approximately equal to the averages in White participants. We also used race and ethnicity-stratified logistic regression to characterize associations between phthalate metabolites and preterm birth., Results: In comparison with concentrations among White participants, adjusted mean phthalate metabolite concentrations were consistently higher among Black and Hispanic/Latina participants by 23%-148% and 4%-94%, respectively. Asian/Pacific Islander participants had metabolite levels that were similar to those of White participants. Hypothetical interventions to reduce disparities in metabolite mixtures were associated with lower probabilities of preterm birth for Black [13% relative reduction; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 34 % , 8.6%] and Hispanic/Latina (9% relative reduction; 95% CI: - 19 % , 0.8%) participants. Odds ratios for preterm birth in association with phthalate metabolites demonstrated heterogeneity by race and ethnicity for two individual metabolites (mono- n -butyl and monoisobutyl phthalate), with positive associations that were larger in magnitude observed among Black or Hispanic/Latina participants., Conclusions: Phthalate metabolite concentrations differed substantially by race and ethnicity. Our results show hypothetical interventions to reduce population-level racial and ethnic disparities in biomarkers of phthalate exposure could potentially reduce the probability of preterm birth. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12831.
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- 2023
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25. A randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of nifedipine and enalapril in the postpartum period.
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Yoselevsky EM, Seely EW, Celi AC, Robinson JN, and McElrath TF
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- Pregnancy, Humans, Female, Antihypertensive Agents adverse effects, Enalapril adverse effects, Treatment Outcome, Postpartum Period, Nifedipine adverse effects, Hypertension diagnosis, Hypertension drug therapy, Hypertension epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Postpartum hypertension is a common medical complication of pregnancy and is associated with increased healthcare use, including unplanned interactions with the medical system and readmission, which can add significant stress to both a newly postpartum patient and the medical care delivery system. We currently do not know what the best antihypertensive treatment for postpartum hypertension is and tend to use antihypertensives commonly used during pregnancy. However, the mechanism of action of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors may be well suited for the pathophysiology of hypertension in the postpartum period and may help to provide better control of hypertension and, in turn, decrease healthcare use., Objective: This study aimed to determine if enalapril is superior to nifedipine in preventing prolonged hospitalizations, unplanned medical visits, and/or readmission among women with postpartum hypertension., Study Design: We performed an open-label, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registered: NCT04236258) in which patients ≥18 years with chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia were recruited to receive either 10 mg enalapril daily or 30 mg extended-release nifedipine daily as an initial antihypertensive agent in the period from delivery to 6 weeks postpartum. Recruitment occurred at a tertiary academic hospital from January 2020 to February 2021. Exclusion criteria included being on an antihypertensive when pregnancy started or requiring ≥2 daily antihypertensives during pregnancy. The antihypertensive regimen was managed by the participants' obstetrical provider after the initial randomization. The primary outcome was a composite of prolonged hospitalization, unplanned clinic visits, triage visits, and/or readmission. A total of 40 patients in each arm were needed to detect a decrease in the primary outcome rate from 70% to 40% (α=0.05; power 0.80). Analyses were performed based on the intention-to-treat principal, and each arm was oversampled because of the risk for participant dropout., Results: A total of 47 patients were randomized to each arm. Aside from the mode of delivery and twin gestation, the maternal demographics were similar between the 2 groups. The primary outcome occurred in 31 of 47 patients (66%) randomized to the nifedipine group and in 30 of 47 (64%) randomized to the enalapril group (P=.83). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome after controlling for mode of delivery and twin gestation. More patients in the enalapril arm had a second antihypertensive added during their primary hospitalization (16 vs 6) and more patients in the nifedipine arm were still on their antihypertensive at 2 weeks postpartum (42 vs 36). There were no adverse events in either group., Conclusion: Enalapril was not superior to nifedipine when used as an initial antihypertensive in the immediate postpartum period in terms of decreasing healthcare use., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2023
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26. Cord blood DNA methylation signatures associated with preeclampsia are enriched for cardiovascular pathways: insights from the VDAART trial.
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Knihtilä HM, Kachroo P, Shadid I, Raissadati A, Peng C, McElrath TF, Litonjua AA, Demeo DL, Loscalzo J, Weiss ST, and Mirzakhani H
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- Infant, Newborn, Humans, Pregnancy, Female, DNA Methylation, Vitamin D metabolism, Apelin genetics, Apelin metabolism, Fetal Blood metabolism, Pre-Eclampsia genetics, Pre-Eclampsia metabolism, Asthma metabolism
- Abstract
Background: Preeclampsia has been associated with maternal epigenetic changes, in particular DNA methylation changes in the placenta. It has been suggested that preeclampsia could also cause DNA methylation changes in the neonate. We examined DNA methylation in relation to gene expression in the cord blood of offspring born to mothers with preeclampsia., Methods: This study included 128 mother-child pairs who participated in the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART), where assessment of preeclampsia served as secondary outcome. We performed an epigenome-wide association study of preeclampsia and cord blood DNA methylation (Illumina 450 K chip). We then examined gene expression of the same subjects for validation and replicated the gene signatures in independent DNA methylation datasets. Lastly, we applied functional enrichment and network analyses to identify biological pathways that could potentially be involved in preeclampsia., Findings: In the cord blood samples (n = 128), 263 CpGs were differentially methylated (FDR <0.10) in preeclampsia (n = 16), of which 217 were annotated. Top pathways in the functional enrichment analysis included apelin signaling pathway and other endothelial and cardiovascular pathways. Of the 217 genes, 13 showed differential expression (p's < 0.001) in preeclampsia and 11 had been previously related to preeclampsia (p's < 0.0001). These genes were linked to apelin, cGMP and Notch signaling pathways, all having a role in angiogenic process and cardiovascular function., Interpretation: Preeclampsia is related to differential cord blood DNA methylation signatures of cardiovascular pathways, including the apelin signaling pathway. The association of these cord blood DNA methylation signatures with offspring's long-term morbidities due to preeclampsia should be further investigated., Funding: VDAART is funded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute grants of R01HL091528 and UH3OD023268. HMK is supported by Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Paulo Foundation, and the Pediatric Research Foundation. HM is supported by K01 award from NHLBI (1K01HL146977-01A1). PK is supported by K99HL159234 from NIH/NHLBI., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests AAL reports personal fees from UpToDate, Inc., outside the submitted work. STW reports income from UpToDate, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
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- 2023
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27. Prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in relation to preterm birth subtypes and size-for-gestational age in the LIFECODES cohort 2006-2008.
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Siwakoti RC, Cathey A, Ferguson KK, Hao W, Cantonwine DE, Mukherjee B, McElrath TF, and Meeker JD
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- Male, Humans, Pregnancy, Female, Infant, Newborn, Gestational Age, Bayes Theorem, Case-Control Studies, Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein, Placenta, Fetal Growth Retardation, Vitamins, Premature Birth chemically induced, Premature Birth epidemiology, Environmental Pollutants toxicity, Fluorocarbons toxicity, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Fatty Acids
- Abstract
Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer and industrial products. Numerous studies have linked prenatal PFAS exposures to increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA).However, limited evidence is available for the effects of PFAS on PTB subtypes and large-for-gestational age (LGA)., Objective: To examine the associations of PFAS with PTB [overall, placental (pPTB), spontaneous (sPTB)], BW Z-score, and size-for-gestational age (SGA, LGA)., Methods: Our nested case-control study included 128 preterm cases and 373 term controls from the LIFECODES cohort between 2006 and 2008 (n = 501). Plasma concentrations of nine PFAS were measured in early pregnancy samples. Logistic regression was used to assess individual PFAS-birth outcome associations, while Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) was used to evaluate the joint effects of all PFAS. Effect modification by fetal sex was examined, and stratified analyses were conducted to obtain fetal sex-specific estimates., Results: Compared to term births, the odds of pPTB were higher from an interquartile range increase in perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.00-2.56), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.06-2.61), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA) (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.00-3.12), with stronger associations observed in women who delivered males. BKMR analysis identified PFNA as the most important PFAS responsible for pPTB (conditional PIP = 0.78), with increasing ORs at higher percentiles of PFAS mixture. For LGA, positive associations were observed with PFDA and perfluorooctanoic acid in females only, and with PFUA in males only. BKMR analysis showed increasing, but null effects of PFAS mixture on LGA., Conclusions: The effect of prenatal exposure to single and multiple PFAS on PTB and LGA depended on fetal sex. Future studies should strongly consider examining PTB subtypes and sex-specific effects of PFAS on pregnancy outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2023
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28. Validation of parental recall questionnaire to classify preterm delivery subtypes: Spontaneous preterm labour, preterm premature rupture of membranes and clinician-initiated preterm delivery.
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Rich-Edwards JW, Stuart JJ, Becene IA, Largier LF, Rexrode KM, Cantonwine DE, Carpenter MO, McElrath TF, and Gray KJ
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- Pregnancy, Infant, Newborn, Female, Humans, Parents, Massachusetts epidemiology, Premature Birth diagnosis, Premature Birth epidemiology, Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture diagnosis
- Abstract
Background: Preterm delivery (PTD) includes three main presenting subtypes: spontaneous preterm labour (sPTL), preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) and clinician-initiated preterm delivery (ciPTD). PTD subtype data are rarely available from birth registries and are onerous to derive from medical records., Objectives: To develop and test the validity of a questionnaire to classify PTD subtype based on birthing parent recall of labour and delivery events., Methods: The questionnaire was sent in 2022 to 581 patients with PTD history documented in the LIFECODES study, a hospital-based birth cohort in Boston, Massachusetts. Eighty-two respondents reported 94 PTDs that could be linked to medical records. Data on PTD subtype were extracted from medical records as the reference standard., Results: Medical records indicated 47 spontaneous (24 sPTL, 23 pPROM) and 47 ciPTD deliveries occurring a median eight years earlier. The sensitivity and specificity of the recall questionnaire were 88% (95% confidence interval: 68, 97%) and 89% (79, 95%) for sPTL; 96% (78, 100%) and 94% (86, 98%) for pPROM; and 83% (69, 92%) and 100% (92, 100%) for ciPTD, respectively. Greater time since pregnancy did not degrade the sensitivity or specificity of the parental recall questionnaire., Conclusions: Although derived from a modest sample, the moderate-to-high sensitivity and specificity of the parental recall questionnaire to classify sPTL, pPROM and ciPTD demonstrates its potential for large studies of PTD and for correction of misclassification bias. Future studies are required to test the questionnaire in a variety of populations., (© 2023 The Authors. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
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- 2023
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29. Temporal trends and predictors of gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers.
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Bommarito PA, Friedman A, Welch BM, Cantonwine DE, Ospina M, Calafat AM, Meeker JD, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Pregnancy, Female, Humans, Plasticizers analysis, Ethnicity, Minority Groups, Esters, Organophosphates, Phosphates, Biomarkers, Flame Retardants analysis
- Abstract
Background: Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as flame retardants and plasticizers, are chemicals of concern for maternal and infant health. Prior studies examining temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure are primarily limited by small sample sizes., Objectives: Characterize temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure biomarkers., Methods: We determined urinary concentrations of eight biomarkers of OPE exposure at three timepoints during pregnancy for participants in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (n = 900), a nested case-cohort recruited between 2007 and 2018. We examined biomarker concentrations, their variability during pregnancy, and temporal trends over the study period. In addition, we identified sociodemographic and pregnancy characteristics associated with biomarker concentrations. Analyses were conducted using both the within-subject pregnancy geometric means and biomarker concentrations measured at individual study visits., Results: Five OPE biomarkers were detected in at least 60% of the study participants. Biomarkers were not strongly correlated with one another and intraclass correlation coefficients, measuring within-subject variability during pregnancy, ranged from 0.27 to 0.51. Biomarkers exhibited varying temporal trends across study years. For example, bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP) increased monotonically, whereas bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), displayed non-monotonic trends with concentrations that peaked between 2011 and 2014. We observed associations between sociodemographic characteristics and OPE biomarkers. In general, concentrations of most OPE biomarkers were higher among participants from racial and ethnic minority populations, participants who were younger, had higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and less than a college degree. We observed consistent results using either averaged or visit-specific biomarker concentrations., Significance: We observed widespread exposure to several OPEs and OPE biomarkers displayed varying temporal trends in pregnant people from 2007 to 2018. Concentrations of most OPE biomarkers varied according to sociodemographic factors, suggesting higher burdens of exposure among participants with higher pre-pregnancy BMI, those belonging to racial and ethnic minority populations, and lower educational attainment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
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- 2023
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30. Validation of a non-invasive prenatal test for fetal RhD, C, c, E, K and Fy a antigens.
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Alford B, Landry BP, Hou S, Bower X, Bueno AM, Chen D, Husic B, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, Carozza JA, Wynn J, Hoskovec J, and Gray KJ
- Subjects
- Pregnancy, Female, Infant, Newborn, Humans, Prenatal Diagnosis methods, Prenatal Care, Fetus, Genotype, Rh-Hr Blood-Group System, Blood Group Antigens genetics
- Abstract
We developed and validated a next generation sequencing-(NGS) based NIPT assay using quantitative counting template (QCT) technology to detect RhD, C, c, E, K (Kell), and Fy
a (Duffy) fetal antigen genotypes from maternal blood samples in the ethnically diverse U.S. population. Quantitative counting template (QCT) technology is utilized to enable quantification and detection of paternally derived fetal antigen alleles in cell-free DNA with high sensitivity and specificity. In an analytical validation, fetal antigen status was determined for 1061 preclinical samples with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 99-100%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI 99-100%). Independent analysis of two duplicate plasma samples was conducted for 1683 clinical samples, demonstrating precision of 99.9%. Importantly, in clinical practice the no-results rate was 0% for 711 RhD-negative non-alloimmunized pregnant people and 0.1% for 769 alloimmunized pregnancies. In a clinical validation, NIPT results were 100% concordant with corresponding neonatal antigen genotype/serology for 23 RhD-negative pregnant individuals and 93 antigen evaluations in 30 alloimmunized pregnancies. Overall, this NGS-based fetal antigen NIPT assay had high performance that was comparable to invasive diagnostic assays in a validation study of a diverse U.S. population as early as 10 weeks of gestation, without the need for a sample from the biological partner. These results suggest that NGS-based fetal antigen NIPT may identify more fetuses at risk for hemolytic disease than current clinical practice, which relies on paternal genotyping and invasive diagnostics and therefore is limited by adherence rates and incorrect results due to non-paternity. Clinical adoption of NIPT for the detection of fetal antigens for both alloimmunized and RhD-negative non-alloimmunized pregnant individuals may streamline care and reduce unnecessary treatment, monitoring, and patient anxiety., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)- Published
- 2023
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31. Maternal exposure to phthalates and total gestational weight gain in the LIFECODES birth cohort.
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Boyer TM, Bommarito PA, Welch BM, Meeker JD, James-Todd T, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
- Subjects
- Pregnancy, Infant, Newborn, Female, Humans, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Prospective Studies, Birth Cohort, Case-Control Studies, Weight Gain, Obesity epidemiology, Birth Weight, Gestational Weight Gain, Phthalic Acids adverse effects, Environmental Pollutants
- Abstract
Excessive gestational weight gain contributes to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Environmental exposures such as phthalates may lead to metabolic dysregulation, and studies suggest possible associations between maternal phthalate exposure and altered gestational weight gain. We assessed the association between nine maternal phthalate metabolites and measures of total gestational weight gain (pre-pregnancy to median 35.1 weeks of gestation) in a case-control study nested within LIFECODES (N = 379), a prospective birth cohort from Boston, Massachusetts (2006-2008). Our primary outcome was total gestational weight gain z score, a measure independent of gestational age that can provide a less biased estimate of this association. Our secondary outcomes were total gestational weight gain, rate of gestational weight gain, and adequacy ratio. The results were stratified by pre-pregnancy body mass index category. We found that concentrations of mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) were positively associated with total gestational weight gain z scores among participants with obesity: adjusted mean difference (95% Confidence Interval [CI]) = 0.242 (0.030 - 0.455) and 0.105 (-0.002 - 0.212) corresponding to an excess weight gain of 1.81 kg and 0.77 kg at 35 weeks of gestation per interquartile range-increase in MCPP and MBP, respectively. Also, among participants with obesity, MBP demonstrated a potential non-linear relationship with gestational weight gain in cubic spline models. These findings suggest that phthalates may be related to higher gestational weight gain, specifically, among individuals with pre-pregnancy obesity. Future research should investigate whether pregnant people with obesity represent a subpopulation with sensitivity to phthalate exposures., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)
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- 2023
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32. Temporal trends and predictors of phthalate, phthalate replacement, and phenol biomarkers in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study.
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Bommarito PA, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Weller D, Meeker JD, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Pregnancy, Female, Humans, Phenol, Phenols, Biomarkers, Fetal Development, Environmental Exposure analysis, Phthalic Acids, Environmental Pollutants
- Abstract
Background: Exposure to many phthalates and phenols is declining as replacements are introduced. There is little information on temporal trends or predictors of exposure to these newer compounds, such as phthalate replacements, especially among pregnant populations., Objective: Examine temporal trends and predictors of exposure to phthalates, phthalate replacements, and phenols using single- and multi-pollutant approaches., Methods: We analyzed data from 900 singleton pregnancies in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study, a nested case-cohort with recruitment from 2007 to 2018. We measured and averaged concentrations of 12 phthalate metabolites, four phthalate replacement metabolites, and 12 phenols in urine at three timepoints during pregnancy. We visualized and analyzed temporal trends and predictors of biomarker concentrations. To examine chemical mixtures, we derived clusters of individuals with shared exposure profiles using a finite mixture model and examined temporal trends and predictors of cluster assignment., Results: Exposure to phthalates and most phenols declined across the study period, while exposure to phthalate replacements (i.e., di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, diisononyl ester [DINCH] and di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate [DEHTP]) and bisphenol S (BPS) increased. For example, the sum of DEHTP biomarkers increased multiple orders of magnitude, with an average concentration of 0.92 ng/mL from 2007 to 2008 and 61.9 ng/mL in 2017-2018. Biomarkers of most chemical exposures varied across sociodemographic characteristics, with the highest concentrations observed in non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic participants relative to non-Hispanic White participants. We identified five clusters with shared exposure profiles and observed temporal trends in cluster membership. For example, at the end of the study period, a cluster characterized by high exposure to phthalate replacements was the most prevalent., Significance: In a large and well-characterized pregnancy cohort, we observed exposure to phthalate replacements and BPS increased over time while exposure to phthalates and other phenols decreased. Our results highlight the changing nature of exposure to consumer product chemical mixtures., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
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- 2023
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33. An application of group-based trajectory modeling to define fetal growth phenotypes among small-for-gestational-age births in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study.
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Bommarito PA, Cantonwine DE, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Davalos AD, Zhao S, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
- Subjects
- Pregnancy, Humans, Female, Infant, Newborn, Fetal Weight, Fetal Development, Infant, Small for Gestational Age, Gestational Age, Ultrasonography, Prenatal, Birth Weight, Fetal Growth Retardation diagnostic imaging, Infant, Newborn, Diseases
- Abstract
Background: Reductions in fetal growth are associated with adverse outcomes at birth and later in life. However, identifying fetuses with pathologically small growth remains challenging. Definitions of small-for-gestational age are often used as a proxy to identify those experiencing pathologic growth (ie, fetal growth restriction). However, this approach is subject to limitation as most newborns labeled small-for-gestational age are constitutionally, not pathologically, small. Incorporating repeated ultrasound measures to examine fetal growth trajectories may help distinguish pathologic deviations in growth from normal variability, beyond a simple definition of small-for-gestational age., Objective: This study aimed to characterize phenotypes of growth using ultrasound trajectories of fetal growth among small-for-gestational-age births., Study Design: This study identified and described trajectories of fetal growth among small-for-gestational-age births (<10th percentile weight for gestational age; n=245) in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study using univariate and multivariate trajectory modeling approaches. Available ultrasound measures of fetal growth (estimated fetal weight, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length) from health records were abstracted. First, univariate group-based trajectory modeling was used to define trajectories of estimated fetal weight z scores during gestation. Second, group-based multi-trajectory modeling was used to identify trajectories based on concurrent measures of head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length z scores. Last, how these trajectories were related to patient demographics, pregnancy characteristics, and birth outcomes compared with those observed among appropriate-for-gestational-age controls was described., Results: Of note, 3 univariate trajectories of estimated fetal weight and 4 multivariate trajectories of fetal growth among small-for-gestational-age births were identified. In our univariate approach, infants with the smallest estimated fetal weight trajectory throughout pregnancy had poorer outcomes, including the highest risk of neonatal intensive care unit admission. The remaining univariate trajectory groups did not have an elevated risk of adverse birth outcomes relative to appropriate-for-gestational-age controls. In our multivariate approach, 2 groups at increased or moderately increased risk of neonatal intensive care unit admission were identified, including infants that remained extremely small for all parameters throughout pregnancy and those who had disproportionately smaller femur length and abdominal circumference compared with head circumference. The remaining multivariate trajectory groups did not have an elevated risk of adverse birth outcome relative to appropriate-for-gestational-age controls., Conclusion: Latent class group-based trajectory modeling applied to ultrasound measures of fetal growth may help distinguish pathologic vs constitutional growth profiles among newborns born small-for-gestational age. Although trajectories cannot be fully characterized until delivery, limiting the direct clinical application of these methods, they may still contribute to the development of approaches for separating growth restriction from constitutional smallness., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)
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- 2023
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34. Fetal growth trajectories of babies born large-for-gestational age in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study.
- Author
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Bommarito PA, Cantonwine DE, Stevens DR, Welch BM, Davalos AD, Zhao S, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
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- Child, Humans, Female, Pregnancy, Gestational Age, Birth Weight, Ultrasonography, Prenatal methods, Fetal Development, Fetal Macrosomia epidemiology, Pediatric Obesity, Pregnancy Complications
- Abstract
Background: Babies born large-for-gestational age have an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including birth injuries, childhood obesity, and cardiometabolic disorders. However, little work has been done to characterize patterns of fetal growth among large-for-gestational age births, which may further elucidate high- and low-risk subgroups., Objective: This study aimed to identify subgroups of large-for-gestational age births based on trajectories of fetal growth derived from prenatal ultrasound measurements and explore differences in sociodemographic, pregnancy, and birth outcome characteristics across subgroups., Study Design: This study identified and described trajectories of fetal growth among large-for-gestational age births (n=235) in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study. Ultrasound measurements of fetal growth in middle to late pregnancy were abstracted from health records. Group-based multi-trajectory modeling was applied to measurements of head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length z-scores to identify multivariate trajectories of fetal growth. Moreover, sociodemographic variables, pregnancy characteristics, and birth outcomes based on trajectory membership were summarized., Results: This study identified 4 multivariate trajectories of fetal growth among large-for-gestational age births: catch-up growth (n=28), proportional abdominal circumference-to-femur length growth (n=67), disproportional abdominal circumference-to-femur length growth (n=96), and consistently large (n=44). Fetuses in the "catch-up growth" group exhibited small relative sizes in midpregnancy (ie, below average head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length z-scores) and large relative sizes in late pregnancy. Growth among these births was driven by increases in relative abdominal circumference and head circumference sizes. Participants who delivered births assigned to this group were less likely to have normal glucose control (40% vs 65%-75%) and more likely to have pregestational diabetes mellitus (36% vs 10%-17%) than other large-for-gestational age subgroups. In addition, the babies in this trajectory group were more likely to have macrosomia (86% vs 67%-73%) and to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (32% vs 14%-21%) than other large-for-gestational age subgroups. In contrast, babies in the "consistently large" group had the largest relative size for all growth parameters throughout gestation and experienced a lower risk of adverse birth outcomes than other large-for-gestational age subgroups., Conclusion: This study characterized several trajectories of fetal growth among large-for-gestational age births, which were related to different pregnancy characteristics and the distribution of adverse birth outcomes. Although the number of individuals within some trajectories was small, a subgroup that exhibited a catch-up growth phenotype during gestation was identified, which may be uniquely associated with exposure to pregestational diabetes mellitus and a higher risk of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. These results have highlighted that the risk of adverse outcomes may not be evenly distributed across all large-for-gestational age births., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)
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- 2023
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35. Big questions for a bigger data set.
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Ferguson KK, Bommarito PA, Cantonwine DE, and McElrath TF
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- 2023
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36. Circulating microparticle proteins predict pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta spectrum.
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Yu HY, Gumusoglu SB, Cantonwine DE, Carusi DA, Gurnani P, Schickling B, Doss RC, Santillan MK, Rosenblatt KP, and McElrath TF
- Subjects
- Pregnancy, Female, Humans, Case-Control Studies, Placenta, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Retrospective Studies, Placenta Accreta diagnosis, Placenta Previa
- Abstract
Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is characterized by abnormal attachment of the placenta to the uterus, and attempts at placental delivery can lead to catastrophic maternal hemorrhage and death. Multidisciplinary delivery planning can significantly improve outcomes; however, current diagnostics are lacking as approximately half of pregnancies with PAS are undiagnosed prior to delivery. This is a nested case-control study of 35 cases and 70 controls with the primary objective of identifying circulating microparticle (CMP) protein panels that identify pregnancies complicated by PAS. Size exclusion chromatography and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry were used for CMP protein isolation and identification, respectively. A two-step iterative workflow was used to establish putative panels. Using plasma sampled at a median of 26 weeks' gestation, five CMP proteins distinguished PAS from controls with a mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83. For a separate sample taken at a median of 35 weeks' gestation, the mean AUC was 0.78. In the second trimester, canonical pathway analyses demonstrate over-representation of processes related to iron homeostasis and erythropoietin signaling. In the third trimester, these analyses revealed abnormal immune function. CMP proteins classify PAS well prior to delivery and have potential to significantly reduce maternal morbidity and mortality., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
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- 2023
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37. Semiparametric analysis of a generalized linear model with multiple covariates subject to detection limits.
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Chen LW, Fine JP, Bair E, Ritter VS, McElrath TF, Cantonwine DE, Meeker JD, Ferguson KK, and Zhao S
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- Bias, Computer Simulation, Female, Humans, Limit of Detection, Pregnancy, Probability, Linear Models
- Abstract
Studies on the health effects of environmental mixtures face the challenge of limit of detection (LOD) in multiple correlated exposure measurements. Conventional approaches to deal with covariates subject to LOD, including complete-case analysis, substitution methods, and parametric modeling of covariate distribution, are feasible but may result in efficiency loss or bias. With a single covariate subject to LOD, a flexible semiparametric accelerated failure time (AFT) model to accommodate censored measurements has been proposed. We generalize this approach by considering a multivariate AFT model for the multiple correlated covariates subject to LOD and a generalized linear model for the outcome. A two-stage procedure based on semiparametric pseudo-likelihood is proposed for estimating the effects of these covariates on health outcome. Consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimators are derived for an arbitrary fixed dimension of covariates. Simulations studies demonstrate good large sample performance of the proposed methods vs conventional methods in realistic scenarios. We illustrate the practical utility of the proposed method with the LIFECODES birth cohort data, where we compare our approach to existing approaches in an analysis of multiple urinary trace metals in association with oxidative stress in pregnant women., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)
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- 2022
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38. Associations Between Prenatal Urinary Biomarkers of Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth: A Pooled Study of 16 US Cohorts.
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Welch BM, Keil AP, Buckley JP, Calafat AM, Christenbury KE, Engel SM, O'Brien KM, Rosen EM, James-Todd T, Zota AR, Ferguson KK, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Barrett ES, Bush NR, Nguyen RHN, Sathyanarayana S, Swan SH, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, Aalborg J, Dabelea D, Starling AP, Hauser R, Messerlian C, Zhang Y, Bradman A, Eskenazi B, Harley KG, Holland N, Bloom MS, Newman RB, Wenzel AG, Braun JM, Lanphear BP, Yolton K, Factor-Litvak P, Herbstman JB, Rauh VA, Drobnis EZ, Sparks AE, Redmon JB, Wang C, Binder AM, Michels KB, Baird DD, Jukic AMZ, Weinberg CR, Wilcox AJ, Rich DQ, Weinberger B, Padmanabhan V, Watkins DJ, Hertz-Picciotto I, and Schmidt RJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Biomarkers, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Odds Ratio, Pregnancy, Pregnant Women, Phthalic Acids urine, Premature Birth epidemiology
- Abstract
Importance: Phthalate exposure is widespread among pregnant women and may be a risk factor for preterm birth., Objective: To investigate the prospective association between urinary biomarkers of phthalates in pregnancy and preterm birth among individuals living in the US., Design, Setting, and Participants: Individual-level data were pooled from 16 preconception and pregnancy studies conducted in the US. Pregnant individuals who delivered between 1983 and 2018 and provided 1 or more urine samples during pregnancy were included., Exposures: Urinary phthalate metabolites were quantified as biomarkers of phthalate exposure. Concentrations of 11 phthalate metabolites were standardized for urine dilution and mean repeated measurements across pregnancy were calculated., Main Outcomes and Measures: Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between each phthalate metabolite with the odds of preterm birth, defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation at delivery (n = 539). Models pooled data using fixed effects and adjusted for maternal age, race and ethnicity, education, and prepregnancy body mass index. The association between the overall mixture of phthalate metabolites and preterm birth was also examined with logistic regression. G-computation, which requires certain assumptions to be considered causal, was used to estimate the association with hypothetical interventions to reduce the mixture concentrations on preterm birth., Results: The final analytic sample included 6045 participants (mean [SD] age, 29.1 [6.1] years). Overall, 802 individuals (13.3%) were Black, 2323 (38.4%) were Hispanic/Latina, 2576 (42.6%) were White, and 328 (5.4%) had other race and ethnicity (including American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, >1 racial identity, or reported as other). Most phthalate metabolites were detected in more than 96% of participants. Higher odds of preterm birth, ranging from 12% to 16%, were observed in association with an interquartile range increase in urinary concentrations of mono-n-butyl phthalate (odds ratio [OR], 1.12 [95% CI, 0.98-1.27]), mono-isobutyl phthalate (OR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.00-1.34]), mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (OR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.00-1.34]), and mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (OR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.01-1.29]). Among approximately 90 preterm births per 1000 live births in this study population, hypothetical interventions to reduce the mixture of phthalate metabolite levels by 10%, 30%, and 50% were estimated to prevent 1.8 (95% CI, 0.5-3.1), 5.9 (95% CI, 1.7-9.9), and 11.1 (95% CI, 3.6-18.3) preterm births, respectively., Conclusions and Relevance: Results from this large US study population suggest that phthalate exposure during pregnancy may be a preventable risk factor for preterm delivery.
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- 2022
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39. Increase in short telomeres during the third trimester in human placenta.
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Edelson PK, Sawyer MR, Gray KJ, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Phillippe M
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- Animals, Female, Gestational Age, Humans, Infant, Mice, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Telomere genetics, Placenta, Telomere Shortening
- Abstract
An increase in telomere shortening in gestational tissues has been proposed as a mechanism involved in the timing for the initiation of parturition. An increase in very short telomeres with increasing gestational age has been observed in mice; this study sought to explore this phenomenon in human pregnancies. Specifically, this study addressed the hypothesis that prior to labor, the quantity of very short telomeres (<3 kilobase (kb) lengths) increases in human placental tissue as term gestation approaches. The primary outcome was the quantity of very short telomeres present in placental tissue. Quantitative measurements of very short telomeres were performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) adaptation of the telomere restriction fragment technique. Placental tissue from 69 pregnant individuals were included. Mean gestational age was 39.1 weeks (term) and 36.2 weeks (preterm). For term versus preterm placentas, the observed increase in very short telomeres were as follows: 500 bp telomeres increased by 1.67-fold (p < 0.03); 1 kb telomeres increased 1.67-fold (p < 0.08); and 3 kb telomeres increased 5.20-fold (p < 0.001). This study confirms a significant increase in very short telomeres in human placental tissue at term; thereby supporting the hypothesis that telomere shortening at term contributes to the mechanism that determine the length of pregnancy thereby leading to onset of parturition., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Published
- 2022
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40. Point-of-care assessment of combined umbilical arterial and venous lactate: A potential screening test for neonatal acidosis.
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Torres Yordán NC, Lewis AG, McElrath TF, Tolan NV, and Greenberg JA
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- Cross-Sectional Studies, Fetal Blood, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Infant, Newborn, Lactic Acid, Pilot Projects, Point-of-Care Systems, Acidosis diagnosis, Infant, Newborn, Diseases
- Abstract
Objective: To examine the relationship between point-of-care (POC) measurement of combined umbilical arterial and venous (CUAV) lactate and umbilical artery (UA) lactate to determine whether POC assessment of this sample could be an alternative screening modality for neonatal acidosis and aid prediction of neonatal morbidity., Methods: In this cross-sectional pilot study, UA and CUAV cord blood samples were collected from live, singleton neonates delivered between June and August 2019, at a tertiary care center. UA samples were analyzed for pH and lactate using a blood gas analyzer. CUAV lactate was also assessed on a blood gas analyzer and at the POC. Linear regression was used to determine the correlation between these samples., Results: A total of 152 neonates were included. There was a statistically significant correlation between CUAV lactate concentrations and UA lactate concentrations (R
2 = 0.744). Additionally, CUAV lactate concentration measured at the POC was significantly correlated with that measured on a traditional blood gas analyzer (R2 = 0.928)., Conclusion: POC testing of CUAV lactate is reliable and closely correlated with UA lactate concentrations, making POC testing of CUAV lactate a potential screening test for neonatal acidosis. More data are needed to establish standardization of this test relative to its predictive value in clinical neonatal outcomes., (© 2021 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)- Published
- 2022
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41. Urinary phthalate metabolite mixtures in pregnancy and fetal growth: Findings from the infant development and the environment study.
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Stevens DR, Bommarito PA, Keil AP, McElrath TF, Trasande L, Barrett ES, Bush NR, Nguyen RHN, Sathyanarayana S, Swan S, and Ferguson KK
- Subjects
- Birth Weight, Child Development, Female, Fetal Development, Humans, Male, Pregnancy, Prospective Studies, Maternal Exposure adverse effects, Phthalic Acids toxicity, Phthalic Acids urine
- Abstract
Background: Prenatal phthalate exposure has been linked to reductions in fetal growth in animal and laboratory studies, but epidemiologic evidence is equivocal., Objective: Examine the association between prenatal phthalate metabolite mixtures and fetal growth and evaluate whether that association is modified by fetal sex or omega-3 intake during pregnancy., Methods: Analyses included 604 singleton pregnancies from TIDES, a prospective pregnancy cohort with spot urine samples and questionnaires collected in each trimester. Pregnancy-averaged phthalate exposure estimates were calculated as the geometric means of specific-gravity corrected phthalate metabolites. Fetal growth outcomes included birthweight and length, and ultrasound-derived size and velocity of estimated fetal weight, femur length, abdominal and head circumferences in the second and third trimesters. We used a novel application of quantile g-computation to estimate the joint association between pregnancy-averaged phthalate exposure and fetal growth, and to examine effect modification of that association by infant sex or omega-3 intake during pregnancy., Results: There were few statistically significant differences in birth size and fetal growth by exposure. A one-quartile increase in the phthalate mixture was modestly associated with reduced birthweight(β [95% confidence interval)]: -54.6 [-128.9, 19.7] grams; p = 0.15) and length (-0.2 [-0.6, 0.2] centimeters; p = 0.40). A one-quartile increase in the phthalate mixture was associated with reduced birth length in males (-0.5 [-1.0, 0.0] centimeters) but not for females (0.1 [-0.2, 0.3] centimeters); interaction p = 0.05. The phthalate metabolite mixture was inversely associated with ultrasound-derived fetal growth among those with adequate omega-3 intake. For example, a one-quartile increase in the phthalate mixture was associated with reduced abdominal circumference in the third trimesters in those with adequate omega-3 intake (-3.3 [-6.8, 0.1] millimeters) but not those with inadequate omega-3 intake (1.8 [-0.8, 4.5] millimeters); interaction p = 0.01., Conclusion: Prenatal phthalate exposure was not significantly associated with fetal growth outcomes, with some exceptions for certain subgroups., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
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- 2022
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42. Prenatal Phthalate Exposure and Child Weight and Adiposity from in Utero to 6 Years of Age.
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Ferguson KK, Bommarito PA, Arogbokun O, Rosen EM, Keil AP, Zhao S, Barrett ES, Nguyen RHN, Bush NR, Trasande L, McElrath TF, Swan SH, and Sathyanarayana S
- Subjects
- Adiposity, Adult, Birth Weight, Child, Environmental Exposure, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Obesity, Pregnancy, Prospective Studies, Environmental Pollutants metabolism, Environmental Pollutants toxicity, Phthalic Acids urine, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Prenatal phthalate exposure has been associated with lower birth weight but also higher weight in childhood. Few studies have examined weight or adiposity from birth to childhood and thus cannot assess growth trajectories associated with exposure., Objective: We assessed associations between maternal phthalate exposures in pregnancy and child weight and adiposity measured prenatally through childhood (3-6 years of age)., Methods: Within The Infant Development and the Environment Study (TIDES), a prospective pregnancy cohort, we analyzed a panel of phthalate metabolites in urine collected at two visits from early and late gestation ( N = 780 ). We estimated average phthalate metabolite associations with child weight z -scores from ∼ 20 wk gestation (estimated by ultrasound), birth, and 1, 3, 4, and 6 years of age using linear mixed-effects (LME) models. We also modeled associations with adiposity z -scores from birth (weight for length) and 1, 3, 4, and 6 years of age [body mass index (BMI)] using LME models., Results: For weight, we observed inverse associations between several phthalate metabolites and birth weight z -scores, but no associations were observed with postnatal weight z -scores in LME models. Regarding adiposity, we observed inverse associations between phthalate metabolites and weight-for-length z -scores at birth, but positive associations were observed with BMI z -scores at 3-4 years of age in LME models. For example, mono-ethyl phthalate was associated with a 0.17-unit decrease in birth weight-for-length z -score [95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.29 , - 0.05 ] and a 0.18-unit increase in 4-years-of-age BMI z -score (95% CI: 0.04, 0.32)., Discussion: We observed associations between prenatal exposure to phthalates and lower weight at birth but not at childhood follow-up visits. However, for adiposity, we observed an interesting pattern of association with low adiposity at delivery as well as high adiposity at 3-4 years of age. Although it is not clear from our results whether these associations occur within the same children, such a pattern of adiposity in early life has been linked to cardiometabolic disease in adulthood and deserves special attention as an outcome in the study of prenatal exposures in the developmental origins of health and disease. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10077.
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- 2022
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43. Urinary phthalate and DINCH metabolite concentrations and gradations of maternal glucose intolerance.
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James-Todd T, Ponzano M, Bellavia A, Williams PL, Cantonwine DE, Calafat AM, Hauser R, Quinn MR, Seely EW, and McElrath TF
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- Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, First urine, Diabetes, Gestational urine, Environmental Pollutants urine, Glucose Intolerance urine, Phthalic Acids urine
- Abstract
Background: Studies suggest a link between pregnancy phthalate exposures and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Few studies have evaluated associations between phthalate biomarkers (individual or mixtures) with gradations of maternal glucose intolerance., Methods: In a subset of 606 women participating in LIFECODES pregnancy cohort, a combination of 50-gram 1-h non-fasting glucose load test (GLT) and 100-gram 3-h fasting oral glucose tolerance test was used to determine pregnancy glycemic status (median: 27 weeks gestation): normoglycemia (n = 136), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (n = 296), and GDM (n = 174). Nineteen metabolites of phthalates and their replacements were measured during each trimester. We used multivariable logistic regression models to evaluate associations between biomarkers (in quartiles) and maternal glycemic status (GDM v. normoglycemia and IGT v. normoglycemia), adjusting for potential confounders. We also used principal component analysis to evaluate associations jointly accounting for metabolites as chemical mixtures., Results: Higher 1st trimester mono-3-carboxypropyl phthalate (MCPP) was associated with decreased odds of GDM (Q4 v. Q1: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.67) and IGT (Q4 v. Q1 OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.79). Higher 2nd trimester mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) was associated with increased IGT (Q4 v. Q1 OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.06, 4.07), and 2nd trimester mono-3-hydroxybutyl phthalate (MHBP) was non-monotonically associated with increased GDM (Q2 v. Q1 OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.54, 6.87). Mixture analyses showed similar associations (Q4 v. Q1 for 2nd trimester dibutyl phthalates metabotlites mixtures OR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.04, 4.22)., Conclusion: Some phthalate biomarkershad trimester-specific associations with glycemic outcomes, with long and short term health implications., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2022
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44. The Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure and Cone Conundrum: The Role of Cumulative Excised Depth in Predicting Preterm Birth.
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Panelli DM, Wood RL, Elias KM, Growdon WB, Kaimal AJ, Feldman S, and McElrath TF
- Abstract
Objective The objective was to determine factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks in a cohort of patients who underwent a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or cone prior to pregnancy. Study Design This was a nested case-control study within a cohort of patients who underwent at least one LEEP or cone and had care for the next singleton pregnancy at either of two institutions between 1994 and 2014. Cases had spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks. Exposures included potential risk factors for preterm birth such as cumulative depth of excised cervix and time since excision. Reverse stepwise selection was used to identify the covariates for multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 134 patients were included. Eighteen (13%) had a spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks. Median second-trimester cervical lengths were similar between those who delivered preterm and term (3.9-cm preterm and 3.6-cm term, p = 0.69). Patients who delivered preterm had a significantly greater median total excised depth of cervix (1.2 vs. 0.8 cm, p = 0.04). After adjustment for confounders, total excised depth remained significantly associated with preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-3.8). Conclusion Total excised depth should be considered in addition to cervical length screening when managing subsequent pregnancies. Key Points A history of a LEEP or cone excision has been associated with spontaneous preterm birth.A two-fold increase in spontaneous preterm birth was seen per cumulative centimeter excised.There was no difference in second-trimester cervical length between the term and preterm groups., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors report no conflicts of interest nor financial disclosures., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)
- Published
- 2022
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45. RNA profiles reveal signatures of future health and disease in pregnancy.
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Rasmussen M, Reddy M, Nolan R, Camunas-Soler J, Khodursky A, Scheller NM, Cantonwine DE, Engelbrechtsen L, Mi JD, Dutta A, Brundage T, Siddiqui F, Thao M, Gee EPS, La J, Baruch-Gravett C, Santillan MK, Deb S, Ame SM, Ali SM, Adkins M, DePristo MA, Lee M, Namsaraev E, Gybel-Brask DJ, Skibsted L, Litch JA, Santillan DA, Sazawal S, Tribe RM, Roberts JM, Jain M, Høgdall E, Holzman C, Quake SR, Elovitz MA, and McElrath TF
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Predictive Value of Tests, Pregnancy, Retrospective Studies, Sensitivity and Specificity, Cell-Free Nucleic Acids blood, Pre-Eclampsia diagnosis, Pre-Eclampsia genetics, RNA blood
- Abstract
Maternal morbidity and mortality continue to rise, and pre-eclampsia is a major driver of this burden
1 . Yet the ability to assess underlying pathophysiology before clinical presentation to enable identification of pregnancies at risk remains elusive. Here we demonstrate the ability of plasma cell-free RNA (cfRNA) to reveal patterns of normal pregnancy progression and determine the risk of developing pre-eclampsia months before clinical presentation. Our results centre on comprehensive transcriptome data from eight independent prospectively collected cohorts comprising 1,840 racially diverse pregnancies and retrospective analysis of 2,539 banked plasma samples. The pre-eclampsia data include 524 samples (72 cases and 452 non-cases) from two diverse independent cohorts collected 14.5 weeks (s.d., 4.5 weeks) before delivery. We show that cfRNA signatures from a single blood draw can track pregnancy progression at the placental, maternal and fetal levels and can robustly predict pre-eclampsia, with a sensitivity of 75% and a positive predictive value of 32.3% (s.d., 3%), which is superior to the state-of-the-art method2 . cfRNA signatures of normal pregnancy progression and pre-eclampsia are independent of clinical factors, such as maternal age, body mass index and race, which cumulatively account for less than 1% of model variance. Further, the cfRNA signature for pre-eclampsia contains gene features linked to biological processes implicated in the underlying pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia., (© 2022. The Author(s).)- Published
- 2022
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46. Longitudinal exposure to consumer product chemicals and changes in plasma oxylipins in pregnant women.
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Welch BM, Keil AP, Bommarito PA, van T' Erve TJ, Deterding LJ, Williams JG, Lih FB, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, and Ferguson KK
- Subjects
- Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Phenols, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Oxylipins, Pregnant Women
- Abstract
Background: Exposure to consumer product chemicals during pregnancy may increase susceptibility to pregnancy disorders by influencing maternal inflammation. However, effects on specific inflammatory pathways have not been well characterized. Oxylipins are a diverse class of lipids that act as important mediators and biomarkers of several biological pathways that regulate inflammation. Adverse pregnancy outcomes have been associated with circulating oxylipin levels in pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to determine the longitudinal associations between plasma oxylipins and urinary biomarkers of three classes of consumer product chemicals among pregnant women., Methods: Data come from a study of 90 pregnant women nested within the LIFECODES cohort. Maternal plasma and urine were collected at three prenatal visits. Plasma was analyzed for 61 oxylipins, which were grouped according to biosynthetic pathways that we defined by upstream: 1) fatty acid precursor, including linoleic, arachidonic, docosahexaenoic, or eicosapentaenoic acid; and 2) enzyme pathway, including cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX), or cytochrome P450 (CYP). Urine was analyzed for 12 phenol, 12 phthalate, and 9 organophosphate ester (OPE) biomarkers. Linear mixed effect models were used for single-pollutant analyses. We implemented a novel extension of quantile g-computation for longitudinal data to examine the joint effect of class-specific chemical mixtures on individual plasma oxylipin concentrations., Results: We found that urinary biomarkers of consumer product chemicals were positively associated with pro-inflammatory oxylipins from several biosynthetic pathways. Importantly, these associations depended upon the chemical class of exposure biomarker. We estimated positive associations between urinary phenol biomarkers and oxylipins produced from arachidonic acid by LOX enzymes, including several important pro-inflammatory hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). On average, mean concentrations of oxylipin produced from the arachidonic acid/LOX pathway were 48%-71% higher per quartile increase in the phenol biomarker mixture. For example, a simultaneous quartile increase in all urinary phenols was associated with 53% higher (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11%, 111%) concentrations of 12-HETE. The positive associations among phenols were primarily driven by methyl paraben, 2,5-dichlorophenol, and triclosan. Additionally, we observed that phthalate and OPE metabolites were associated with higher concentrations of oxylipins produced from linoleic acid by CYP enzymes, including the pro-inflammatory dihydroxy-octadecenoic acids (DiHOMEs). Associations among DiHOME oxylipins were driven by metabolites of benzylbutyl and di-isodecyl phthalate, and by the metabolite of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate among OPEs. We also observed inverse associations between phthalate and OPE metabolites and oxylipins produced from other pathways; however, adjusting for a plasma indicator of dietary fatty acid intake attenuated those results., Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that consumer product chemicals may have diverse impacts on inflammation processes in pregnancy. Certain pro-inflammatory oxylipins were generally higher among participants with higher urinary chemical biomarker concentrations. Associations varied by class of chemical and by the biosynthetic pathway of oxylipin production, indicating potential specificity in the inflammatory effects of these environmental chemicals during pregnancy that warrant investigation in larger studies., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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47. A hierarchical integrative group least absolute shrinkage and selection operator for analyzing environmental mixtures.
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Boss J, Rix A, Chen YH, Narisetty NN, Wu Z, Ferguson KK, McElrath TF, Meeker JD, and Mukherjee B
- Abstract
Environmental health studies are increasingly measuring multiple pollutants to characterize the joint health effects attributable to exposure mixtures. However, the underlying dose-response relationship between toxicants and health outcomes of interest may be highly nonlinear, with possible nonlinear interaction effects. Existing penalized regression methods that account for exposure interactions either cannot accommodate nonlinear interactions while maintaining strong heredity or are computationally unstable in applications with limited sample size. In this paper, we propose a general shrinkage and selection framework to identify noteworthy nonlinear main and interaction effects among a set of exposures. We design hierarchical integrative group least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (HiGLASSO) to (a) impose strong heredity constraints on two-way interaction effects (hierarchical), (b) incorporate adaptive weights without necessitating initial coefficient estimates (integrative), and (c) induce sparsity for variable selection while respecting group structure (group LASSO). We prove sparsistency of the proposed method and apply HiGLASSO to an environmental toxicants dataset from the LIFECODES birth cohort, where the investigators are interested in understanding the joint effects of 21 urinary toxicant biomarkers on urinary 8-isoprostane, a measure of oxidative stress. An implementation of HiGLASSO is available in the higlasso R package, accessible through the Comprehensive R Archive Network.
- Published
- 2021
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48. Association of Epilepsy and Severe Maternal Morbidity.
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Panelli DM, Leonard SA, Kan P, Meador KJ, McElrath TF, Darmawan KF, Carmichael SL, Lyell DJ, El-Sayed YY, Druzin ML, and Herrero TC
- Subjects
- Adult, Blood Transfusion statistics & numerical data, California epidemiology, Comorbidity, Epilepsy mortality, Female, Hospitalization statistics & numerical data, Humans, Logistic Models, Maternal Mortality, Morbidity, Odds Ratio, Postpartum Period, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications mortality, Retrospective Studies, Severity of Illness Index, Young Adult, Epilepsy epidemiology, Pregnancy Complications epidemiology
- Abstract
Objective: To evaluate severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among patients with epilepsy and patients without epilepsy., Methods: We retrospectively examined SMM using linked birth certificate and maternal hospital discharge records in California between 2007 and 2012. Epilepsy present at delivery admission was the exposure and was subtyped into generalized, focal and other less specified, or unspecified. The outcomes were SMM and nontransfusion SMM from delivery up to 42 days' postpartum, identified using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicators. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for confounders, which were selected a priori. We also estimated the association between epilepsy and SMM independent of comorbidities by using a validated obstetric comorbidity score. Severe maternal morbidity indicators were then compared using the same multivariable logistic regression models., Results: Of 2,668,442 births, 8,145 (0.3%) were to patients with epilepsy; 637 (7.8%) had generalized, 6,250 (76.7%) had focal or other less specified, and 1,258 (15.4%) had unspecified subtypes. Compared with patients without epilepsy, patients with epilepsy had greater odds of SMM (4.3% vs 1.4%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.91, 95% CI 2.61-3.24) and nontransfusion SMM (2.9% vs 0.7%, aOR 4.16, 95% CI 3.65-4.75). Epilepsy remained significantly associated with increased SMM and nontransfusion SMM after additional adjustment for the obstetric comorbidity score, though the effects were attenuated. When grouped by organ system, all SMM indicators were significantly more common among patients with epilepsy-most notably those related to hemorrhage and transfusion., Conclusion: Severe maternal morbidity was significantly increased in patients with epilepsy, and SMM indicators across all organ systems contributed to this., Competing Interests: Financial Disclosure Kimford J. Meador disclosed that money was paid to his institution by Eisai Inc. and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals. The Epilepsy Study Consortium pays Kimford J. Meador's university for his research consultant time related to Eisai, GW Pharmaceuticals, NeuroPace, Novartis, Supernus, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, UCB Pharma, and Vivus Pharmaceuticals. Thomas F. McElrath disclosed receiving compensation from Hoffman—LaRoche, NxPreatal, Comanche Biopharma, and Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for serving on their scientific advisory boards in work that is unrelated to the present analysis. Deirdre J. Lyell disclosed receiving funds from Bloomlife (stock options for consulting, unrelated to this work). She also received payment from SMFM and UCSF for lectures. The other authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2021
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49. First- and Third-Trimester Urinary Phthalate Metabolites in the Development of Hypertensive Diseases of Pregnancy.
- Author
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Bedell SM, Lyden GR, Sathyanarayana S, Barrett ES, Ferguson KK, Santilli A, Bush NR, Swan SH, McElrath TF, and Nguyen RHN
- Subjects
- Child, Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Prospective Studies, Environmental Pollutants, Hypertension epidemiology, Phthalic Acids
- Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations are associated with the development of higher blood pressure or pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Participants were women without chronic hypertension who enrolled in The Infant Development and the Environment Study, a prospective pregnancy cohort conducted at four U.S. academic medical centers from 2010-2012. Prenatal records were reviewed to obtain blood pressure measurements and diagnoses of PIH (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome, defined as hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count). Complete-case analyses used multivariable linear and logistic regression for analysis of blood pressure measurements and PIH diagnoses, respectively. In the final dataset (N = 668), higher concentrations of first-trimester monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and mono-3-carboxypropyl phthalate (MCPP) and third-trimester mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) were significantly associated with a medical chart diagnosis of PIH. First-trimester mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) and MEP along with the sum of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (∑DEHP) were each associated with increased systolic blood pressure across pregnancy. In conclusion, several phthalate metabolite concentrations were significantly associated with PIH and greater increases in systolic blood pressure across pregnancy.
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- 2021
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50. Maternal Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) during Early Pregnancy in Relation to Preeclampsia Subtypes and Biomarkers of Preeclampsia Risk.
- Author
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Bommarito PA, Ferguson KK, Meeker JD, McElrath TF, and Cantonwine DE
- Subjects
- Biomarkers, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Placenta Growth Factor, Pregnancy, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1, Fluorocarbons, Pre-Eclampsia epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been previously associated with preeclampsia, although findings are mixed with respect to the direction and magnitude of effect. To our knowledge, no studies have examined associations between PFAS and preeclampsia subtypes, which may have distinct etiologies., Objective: We examined associations between PFAS, any preeclampsia diagnosis, and early- and late-onset preeclampsia. In addition, we estimated associations between PFAS and the angiogenic biomarkers soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT-1) and placental growth factor (PlGF), which provide an estimate of pro- and anti-angiogenic activity within the placenta., Methods: This case-control study ( n = 75 cases, n = 75 controls) was sampled from the LIFECODES birth cohort. Nine legacy PFAS were quantified in maternal plasma from early pregnancy ( median = 10 wk) and angiogenic biomarkers were quantified in maternal plasma from four study visits ( median = 10, 18, 26, and 35 wk). Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between an interquartile range (IQR)-increase in PFAS and preeclampsia outcomes. Linear regression was used to estimate associations between an IQR-increase in PFAS and concentrations of angiogenic biomarkers., Results: Both perfluorodecanoic acid ( OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.47) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid ( OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.43) were associated with higher odds of late-onset preeclampsia. Associations tended to be below the null for early-onset preeclampsia, although findings were imprecise. Few associations were noted between PFAS and angiogenic biomarkers., Discussion: Maternal PFAS concentrations were associated with higher odds of late-onset preeclampsia. Heterogeneity of preeclampsia should be considered in future studies because populations may have different distributions of disease subtypes. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9091.
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- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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