Effects of Air Pollution on Newborn Immune Responses
Author Information
Author(s): Latzin Philipp, Frey Urs, Armann Jakob, Kieninger Elisabeth, Fuchs Oliver, Röösli Martin, Schaub Bianca
Primary Institution: University of Bern, Switzerland
Hypothesis
Does prenatal exposure to moderate levels of air pollution affect cytokine levels in cord blood of healthy infants?
Conclusion
Prenatal exposure to moderate air pollution may lead to changes in cytokine levels in newborns.
Supporting Evidence
- PM10 exposure during the last 3 days of pregnancy was significantly associated with reduced IL-10 levels.
- Maternal smoking was associated with reduced IL-6 levels in cord blood.
- Mean PM10 exposure for the last 7 days of pregnancy was 18.3 µg/m3.
Takeaway
Being around air pollution while pregnant can change how a baby's immune system works.
Methodology
The study assessed maternal exposure to PM10 and indoor air pollution during the last trimester and measured cytokine levels in cord blood.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data for exposure assessment.
Limitations
A high proportion of cytokine measurements were below the detection limit, which may underestimate associations.
Participant Demographics
Healthy term-born neonates, with a mean gestational age of 40 weeks.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.010
Confidence Interval
95%-CI 1.30–6.91
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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