Title |
Paternal exposure to Agent Orange and spina bifida: a meta-analysis
|
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Published in |
European Journal of Epidemiology, November 2009
|
DOI | 10.1007/s10654-009-9401-4 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Anh Duc Ngo, Richard Taylor, Christine L. Roberts |
Abstract |
The objective of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies that examine the association between Agent Orange (AO) exposure and the risk of spina bifida. Relevant studies were identified through a computerized literature search of Medline and Embase from 1966 to 2008; a review of the reference list of retrieved articles and conference proceedings; and by contacting researchers for unpublished studies. Both fixed-effects and random-effects models were used to pool the results of individual studies. The Cochrane Q test and index of heterogeneity (I(2)) were used to evaluate heterogeneity, and a funnel plot and Egger's test were used to evaluate publication bias. Seven studies, including two Vietnamese and five non-Vietnamese studies, involving 330 cases and 134,884 non-cases were included in the meta-analysis. The overall relative risk (RR) for spina bifida associated with paternal exposure to AO was 2.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.48-2.74), with no statistical evidence of heterogeneity across studies. Non-Vietnamese studies showed a slightly higher summary RR (RR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.38-3.56) than Vietnamese studies (RR = 1.92 95% CI: 1.29-2.86). When analyzed separately, the overall association was statistically significant for the three case-control studies (Summary Odds Ratio = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.31-3.86) and the cross sectional study (RR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.31-2.96), but not for the three cohort studies (RR: 2.11; 95% CI: 0.78-5.73). Paternal exposure to AO appears to be associated with a statistically increased risk of spina bifida. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Canada | 2 | 3% |
United States | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 58 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 14 | 23% |
Student > Master | 9 | 15% |
Researcher | 7 | 11% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 5 | 8% |
Other | 5 | 8% |
Other | 14 | 23% |
Unknown | 7 | 11% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 17 | 28% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 13% |
Environmental Science | 5 | 8% |
Psychology | 5 | 8% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 7% |
Other | 13 | 21% |
Unknown | 9 | 15% |