Chronic respiratory symptoms in children following in utero and early life exposure to arsenic in drinking water in Bangladesh

/ / Faculty Research in Asia, Research

CGPH FACULTY: Allan H. Smith, John Balmes

DATE OF PUBLICATION: August 2013

REGION: Asia (Bangladesh)

REFERENCE: Smith AH, Yunus M, Khan AF, Ercumen A, Yuan Y, Smith MH, Liaw J, Balmes J, von Ehrenstein O, Raqib R, Kalman D, Alam DS, Streatfield PK, Steinmaus C. Chronic respiratory symptoms in children following in utero and early life exposure to arsenic in drinking water in Bangladesh. Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Aug;42(4):1077-86. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyt120.

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Arsenic exposure via drinking water increases the risk of chronic respiratory disease in adults. However, information on pulmonary health effects in children after early life exposure is limited. This population-based cohort study set in rural Matlab, Bangladesh, assessed lung function and respiratory symptoms of 650 children aged 7-17 years. Children with in utero and early life arsenic exposure were compared with children exposed to less than 10 µg/l in utero and throughout childhood. Because most children drank the same water as their mother had drunk during pregnancy, we could not assess only in utero or only childhood exposure.

ACCESS: Link to Pubmed