In utero pyrethroid pesticide exposure in relation to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental outcomes at 3 years in the MARBLES longitudinal cohort

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jacqueline M Barkoski, University of California Davis; Claire Philippat, University Grenoble Alpes; Daniel Tancredi, University of California Davis; Rebecca J Schmidt, University of California Davis; Sally Ozonoff, University of California Davis; Dana Barr, Emory University; William Elms, University of California Davis; Deborah H Bennett, University of California Davis; Irva Hertz-Picciotto, University of California Davis
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-01-12
• Publisher: ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110495
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
• Volume: 194
• Start Page: 110495
• End Page: 110495
• Grant/Funding Information: The project described was supported by NIEHS [grant numbers R01ES020392, R24ES028533, P30ES023513, P01ES11269, and P30ES019776], U.S EPA STAR [grant number 83543201], NICHD [grant number U54HD079125], the Autism Science Foundation, and the University of California, Davis MIND Institute.
• Keywords: MATERNAL USE; Pesticide; PRENATAL EXPOSURE; Pregnancy; Neurodevelopment; MARBLES; Environmental Sciences; Autism; ASSOCIATION; Science & Technology; Pyrethroid; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; DEVELOPMENTAL-DISABILITIES; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; METABOLITE CONCENTRATIONS; PREGNANCY; FOLIC-ACID; INSECTICIDE EXPOSURE; CHILDREN; RISK

Abstract

Background: We assessed the relationships between prenatal pyrethroid pesticide exposure and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or non-typical development (non-TD) at 3 years. Methods: Participants were mother-child pairs (n = 201) in the MARBLES (Markers of Autism Risk in Babies-Learning Early Signs) cohort. Because familial recurrence risk is high, MARBLES enrolls pregnant women with a family history of ASD. Children from these pregnancies were clinically assessed at 3 years of age and classified into 3 outcome categories: ASD, typically developing (TD), or non-TD (neither TD or ASD). Repeated maternal second and third trimester urine samples were analyzed for pyrethroid metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA). Multinomial logistic regression was used to obtain relative risk ratios (RRR) linking 3-PBA concentrations averaged across each trimester and over pregnancy with child's outcome: ASD or non-TD vs. TD. Models were adjusted for specific gravity, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, prenatal vitamin use, birth year, home-ownership, and pregnancy concentrations of TCPy (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, a metabolite of chlorpyrifos). Results: The median specific gravity corrected 3-PBA concentration of all samples was 1.46 ng/mL. Greater second trimester 3-PBA concentrations were associated with a relative risk ratio (RRR) for ASD of (RRR: 1.50 (95% CI 0.89 to 2.51), p = 0.12). There were no differences between non-TD and TD. Conclusions: This study found no evidence for differences in 3-PBA comparing non-TD with TD. A modestly elevated RRR was found comparing second trimester urinary 3-PBA concentrations for ASD versus TD; however, the confidence interval was wide and hence, these findings cannot be considered definitive.