 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From the Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Department of Community-Based Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Objective. There is an established link between exposure to mercury and impaired childhood cognitive development and early motor skills. Thimerosal (also known as thiomersal), a preservative used in a number of children's vaccines, contains ethylmercury (an organic compound of mercury), and there has been concern that this exposure to mercury may be of some detriment to young children. The aim of this research was to test in a large United Kingdom population–based cohort whether there is any evidence to justify such concerns.
Methods. We used population data from a longitudinal study on childhood health and development. The study has been monitoring >14 000 children who are from the geographic area formerly known as Avon, United Kingdom, and were delivered in 1991–1992. The age at which doses of thimerosal-containing vaccines were administered was recorded, and measures of mercury exposure by 3, 4, and 6 months of age were calculated and compared with a number of measures of childhood cognitive and behavioral development covering the period from 6 to 91 months of age.
Results. Contrary to expectation, it was common for the unadjusted results to suggest a beneficial effect of thimerosal exposure. For example, exposure at 3 months was inversely associated with hyperactivity and conduct problems at 47 months; motor development at 6 months and at 30 months; difficulties with sounds at 81 months; and speech therapy, special needs, and "statementing" at 91 months. After adjustment for birth weight, gestation, gender, maternal education, parity, housing tenure, maternal smoking, breastfeeding, and ethnic origins, we found 1 result of 69 to be in the direction hypothesized—poor prosocial behavior at 47 months was associated with exposure by 3 months of age (odds ratio: 1.12; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.23) compared with 8 results that still supported a beneficial effect.
Conclusions. We could find no convincing evidence that early exposure to thimerosal had any deleterious effect on neurologic or psychological outcome.
Key Words: ALSPAC • cohort study • neurodevelopment • safety • thimerosal • thiomersal • mercury • vaccines
Abbreviations: wDTP, whole-cell diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis • DT, diphtheria/tetanus • ALSPAC, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children • DTP, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis • SDQ, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire • OR, odds ratio • CI, confidence interval
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  R. Schechter and J. K. Grether Continuing Increases in Autism Reported to California's Developmental Services System: Mercury in Retrograde Arch Gen Psychiatry, January 1, 2008; 65(1): 19 - 24. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. W. Thompson, C. Price, B. Goodson, D. K. Shay, P. Benson, V. L. Hinrichsen, E. Lewis, E. Eriksen, P. Ray, S. M. Marcy, et al. Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years N. Engl. J. Med., September 27, 2007; 357(13): 1281 - 1292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. B. Wolf Is Breast Really Best? Risk and Total Motherhood in the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, August 1, 2007; 32(4): 595 - 636. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. J. Woo, R. Ball, R. Landa, A. W. Zimmerman, M. M. Braun, and VAERS Working Group, Center for Biologics Evaluati Developmental regression and autism reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System Autism, July 1, 2007; 11(4): 301 - 310. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. J. Monk and D. J. Wiley Will Widespread Human Papillomavirus Prophylactic Vaccination Change Sexual Practices of Adolescent and Young Adult Women in America? Obstet. Gynecol., August 1, 2006; 108(2): 420 - 424. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. Farrow and J. Blissett Does Maternal Control During Feeding Moderate Early Infant Weight Gain? Pediatrics, August 1, 2006; 118(2): e293 - e298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Fombonne, R. Zakarian, A. Bennett, L. Meng, and D. McLean-Heywood Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations Pediatrics, July 1, 2006; 118(1): e139 - e150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Lucina Arch. Dis. Child., June 1, 2005; 90(6): 660 - 660. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. A. Offit Why Are Pharmaceutical Companies Gradually Abandoning Vaccines? Health Aff., May 1, 2005; 24(3): 622 - 630. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. H. Tanne Thiomersal doesn't cause developmental disorders BMJ, September 11, 2004; 329(7466): 588 - 588. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. S. Nolen U.K. studies refute thimerosal-autism link AAP News, September 1, 2004; 25(3): 105 - 114. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Andrews, E. Miller, A. Grant, J. Stowe, V. Osborne, and B. Taylor Thimerosal Exposure in Infants and Developmental Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study in the United Kingdom Does Not Support a Causal Association Pediatrics, September 1, 2004; 114(3): 584 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. K. Parker, B. Schwartz, J. Todd, and L. K. Pickering Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Critical Review of Published Original Data Pediatrics, September 1, 2004; 114(3): 793 - 804. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
Read all P3Rs
 |
||
|
||
Home | My Pediatrics | Journal Information | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscriptions & Services | Contact Us Click here for faster international access © 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. |
||
|
||
