Matrix metalloproteinases gene variants and dental caries in Czech children.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in tooth formation and the mineralization of dental tissue. The aim of the study was to analyse Czech children with primary/permanent dentition polymorphisms in those genes encoding MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, MMP13, MMP16, and MMP20, which had been previously associated with dental caries in other populations. METHODS: In total, 782 Czech children were included in this case-control study. DNA samples were taken from 474 subjects with dental caries (with decayed/missing/filled teeth, DMFT ≥ 1) and 155 caries free children (DMFT = 0) aged 13-15 years, as well as 101 preschool children with early childhood caries (ECC, dmft ≥ 1) and 52 caries free children (dmft = 0), were analyzed for nine MMPs single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using real time polymerase chain reaction TaqMan assays. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the allele and/or genotype frequencies of all the studied MMPs SNPs among children with dental caries in primary/permanent dentition and the healthy controls (P > 0.05). In addition, similar allele or genotype frequencies of the studied MMPs SNPs were found in children with severe dental caries in their permanent teeth (children with DMFT ≥ 6) and the healthy controls (DMFT = 0, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the lack of association between the selected SNPs in candidate genes of MMPs and the susceptibility to or severity of dental caries in both primary and permanent dentitions in Czech children.

Sibling relatedness rather than father absence predicts earlier age at menarche in ELSPAC cohort.

Many studies during the past 50 years have found an association between father absence and earlier menarche. In connection with these findings, several evolutionary theories assume that father absence is a causal factor accelerating reproductive development. However, a recent study analysing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) found that father absence does not predict age at menarche when adjusted for sibling relatedness. In this study, we have replicated these results in the Czech section of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC), which used the same questionnaires as ALSPAC to study a geographically distinct population. Our results support the conclusion that sibling relatedness rather than father absence predicts age at menarche. Furthermore, our results show that age at menarche in 1990s UK and Czech cohorts is very similar despite socioeconomic differences between the two countries.

Sociodemographic and delivery risk factors for developing postpartum depression in a sample of 3233 mothers from the Czech ELSPAC study.

BACKGROUND: In the postpartum period, certain groups of women are at a higher risk for developing depressive episodes. Several studies have described risk factors for developing postpartum depression (PPD). However, these studies have used limited numbers of participants, and therefore the estimated prevalence of PPD varies greatly. METHODS: The objective of this study is to identify the main risk factors for developing PPD by using data collected via the Czech version of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC). This database provides a representative sample (n = 7589) observed prospectively and a large amount of data on depressive symptoms and on biological, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen for incidence of PPD. The affective pathology was examined at three time points: before delivery, 6 weeks after delivery, and 6 months after delivery. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms before delivery was 12.8%, 6 weeks after delivery 11.8%, and 6 months after delivery 10.1%. The prevalence rates are based on women who completed questionnaires at all three time-points (N = 3233). At all three time points, the main risk factors for developing PPD identified as significant by both univariate and multivariate analysis were personal history of depressive episodes and mothers experiencing psychosocial stressors. Other risk factors occurring in both types of analysis were: family history of depression from expectant mother's paternal side (prenatal), mothers living without partners (6 weeks postpartum) and feelings of unhappiness about being pregnant (6 months postpartum). Several protective factors were also observed: male child gender (prenatal), primiparous mothers (6 months postpartum), and secondary education (prenatal, only by multivariate analysis). Significant risk factors found solely by univariate analysis were family history of depression in both parents of the expectant mother (prenatal and 6 weeks postpartum), family history of depression from subject's maternal side (6 months postpartum), unintentional pregnancy (prenatal and 6 weeks postpartum), feelings of unhappiness about being pregnant (prenatal and 6 weeks postpartum), primary education (prenatal and 6 weeks postpartum), mothers who opted not to breastfeed (6 months postpartum) and mothers living without partners (prenatal and 6 months postpartum). Family savings were identified as protective factor (prenatal and 6 months postpartum). CONCLUSIONS: We identified significant predictors of PPD. These predictors can be easily detected in clinical practice, and systematic screening can lead to identifying potentially at risk mothers. Since the risk is linked with experience of psychosocial stressors it seems that they might benefit from increased psychosocial support to prevent affective pathology.

Association of Picky Eating with Weight and Height-The European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC-CZ).

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether preschool children identified as picky eaters showed differences in anthropometric characteristics (weight and height) from their non-picky peers at 15 years of age. DESIGN: This study was performed among the cohort members of the EL- SPAC-CZ study, a longitudinal study of pregnancy and childhood. The analysis included 2068 children (997 girls and 1071 boys) followed between births and 15 years of age. Picky eaters were identified at 1.5, 3, and 5 years of age. Anthropometric characteristics were measured at 15 years of age (15 years). RESULTS: Picky eaters (n = 346; 16.7%) had a lower weight and height than non-picky eaters (n = 1722; 83.3%) at 15 years. This difference in weight and height was maintained after controlling for sex of the child, birth weight, birth length, maternal education, family structure at 15 years, and maternal age at childbirth. The picky children were on average 2.3 kg lighter and 0.8 cm shorter than non- picky children at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent picky eating in preschool children is related to lower weight and height at 15 years of age in ELSPAC-CZ study.

Prenatal stress and its association with amygdala-related structural covariance patterns in youth.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal stress influences brain development and mood disorder vulnerability. Brain structural covariance network (SCN) properties based on inter-regional volumetric correlations may reflect developmentally-mediated shared plasticity among regions. Childhood trauma is associated with amygdala-centric SCN reorganization patterns, however, the impact of prenatal stress on SCN properties remains unknown. METHODS: The study included participants from the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) with archival prenatal stress data and structural MRI acquired in young adulthood (age 23-24). SCNs were constructed based on Freesurfer-extracted volumes of 7 subcortical and 34 cortical regions. We compared amygdala degree centrality, a measure of hubness, between those exposed to high vs. low (median split) prenatal stress, defined by maternal reports of stressful life events during the first (n = 93, 57% female) and second (n = 125, 54% female) half of pregnancy. Group differences were tested across network density thresholds (5-40%) using 10,000 permutations, with sex and intracranial volume as covariates, followed by sex-specific analyses. Finally, we sought to replicate our results in an independent all-male sample (n = 450, age 18-20) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). RESULTS: The high-stress during the first half of pregnancy ELSPAC group showed lower amygdala degree particularly in men, who demonstrated this difference at 10 consecutive thresholds, with no significant differences in global network properties. At the lowest significant density threshold, amygdala volume was positively correlated with hippocampus, putamen, rostral anterior and posterior cingulate, transverse temporal, and pericalcarine cortex in the low-stress (p(FDR) < 0.027), but not the high-stress (p(FDR) > 0.882) group. Although amygdala degree was nominally lower across thresholds in the high-stress ALSPAC group, these results were not significant. CONCLUSION: Unlike childhood trauma, prenatal stress may shift SCN towards a less amygdala-centric SCN pattern, particularly in men. These findings did not replicate in an all-male ALSPAC sample, possibly due to the sample's younger age and lower prenatal stress exposure.

Early-life exposure to household chemicals and wheezing in children.

The prevalence of the asthmatic symptoms among children increases globally over the time. Reduced exposure to pathogens in early childhood and increased exposure to anthropogenic irritants result in increased risk of wheezing in children, and all of this may be related to the usage of household chemicals. Objective of this analysis thus was to study the potential effects of overall exposure to home chemicals in the early life on the phenotypes of wheezing from birth until five years of age. 3411 mother-infant pairs from the Czech part of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC-CZ) participated in the study. The exposure was estimated by the composite household chemical score from 18 chemical-based products. Social, medical and environmental factors were taken into account as covariates in multivariable multinomial logistic regression using phenotypes of wheezing as a study outcome. We were able to determine the association between several wheezing childhood phenotypes and the frequent usage of household chemicals in the fully adjusted model. Statistically significant odds ratios (OR) for increasing exposures per 1 SD of exposure score were obtained for the intermediate onset transient (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.47), intermediated onset persistent (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.46), and early onset persistent phenotypes (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.04-1.77) in comparison to never wheezing children. Moreover, the persistent phenotypes were significantly associated with school age asthma. Our study has shown the negative role of the increased household chemicals usage on the respiratory outcomes in children up to five years of age. Overall evaluation of the household chemical exposure may be useful tool for any large epidemiological studies.

Estimated dietary iodine intake as a predictor of placental size: evidence from the ELSPAC study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between low iodine status and pregnancy-associated comorbidities has been known for decades. The relationship between iodine intake and placental pathologies is, however, far less clear. This study was designed to examine the relationship between dietary iodine intake and placental size while also focusing on typical adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHOD: The dietary iodine intake of 4711 pregnant women enrolled in the Czech part of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) in 1990-1991 was established using a 145-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the relationship between dietary iodine intake during pregnancy and placental weight. Additional models were constructed to investigate the relationship between estimated dietary iodine intake and adverse birth outcomes. RESULTS: The estimated average iodine intake in the ELSPAC cohort was 106.6 µg/day. In the fully adjusted model, estimated dietary iodine intake was found to be significantly negatively associated with placental weight (ß = -0.025, 95% CI: -0.044; -0.006, p = 0.011). Moreover, estimated dietary iodine intake was found to be significantly positively associated with the birth weight / placental weight ratio in the fully adjusted model (ß = -0.024, 95% CI: 0.004; 0.043, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of a relationship between estimated dietary iodine intake and placental weight and the birth weight / placental weight ratio. Additional research is warranted to provide more insight into the role of iodine in early as well as late placentation.

Comparison of Dietary Intakes of 7-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Observational Birth Cohort Studies on the Isle of Man and in South-west England.

There is concern regarding the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed and high sugar intakes in children's diets. Regional dietary differences in the British Isles could underlie variations in health outcomes, but little is known about these differences. Our aim was to compare diets of children enrolled in observational birth cohort studies in the Isle of Man (IoM-ELSPAC) and in south-west England (ALSPAC). Dietary intakes were assessed by 3-day food records in IoM and ALSPAC at an age of 7 years. Comparisons of mean daily nutrient, and food and food group intakes were made between the studies and with UK national dietary guidelines. Diets in both regions were adequate for most nutrients except dietary fibre, but in both groups intake of free sugars was three times higher than the UK recommended maximum. There were differences between the two regions, particularly higher energy, protein, and carbohydrate intakes in IoM. IoM children consumed greater amounts of red meat, bread, full-fat milk, and sugar-sweetened drinks. IoM children had higher intakes of energy and some nutrients and food groups than ALSPAC children, and similar low intakes of fruits and vegetables. Children's diets in both regions could be improved, particularly considering the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and the UK recommendation to lower the intake of free sugars.