There has been little study on the effect of traffic-related air pollution on the incidence and persistence of asthma in preschool children. We evaluated the association of exposure to traffic-related air pollution with the incidence/persistence of asthma during the first 3 years of life using a population-based study.
Abnormal maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of obstetric-related complications. This investigation examined the impact of GWG on infant neurodevelopmental abnormalities at 12 months of age using the data of a nationwide Japanese cohort study. Questionnaire data were obtained from the ongoing Japan Environment and Children's Study cohort study. Maternal GWG was subdivided as below, within, or above the reference values of the Institution of Medicine pregnancy weight guidelines. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, third edition (ASQ-3) is a parent-reported developmental screening instrument for children across five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to identify correlations between GWG and developmental delay defined as ASQ-3 scores of less than two standard deviations below the mean. A total of 30,694 mothers with singleton live births and partners who completed the questionnaire were analyzed. The prevalence of mothers below, within, and above the GWG guidelines was 60.4% (18,527), 32.1% (9850), and 7.5% (2317), respectively. We recorded 10,943 infants (35.7%) who were outliers in at least one ASQ-3 domain. After controlling for covariates, GWG below established guidelines was associated with a significantly higher risk of developmental delay for the communication (odds ratio [OR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.34), gross motor (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05-1.24), fine motor (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.24), problem-solving (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.18), and personal-social (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.24) domains.Conclusion: This large survey revealed a possible deleterious effect of insufficient maternal GWG on infant neurodevelopment.Trial registration: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) was registered in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry on January 15, 2018 (number UMIN000030786). What is Known: • Inappropriate maternal gestational weight gain may cause obstetric complications and adverse birth outcomes. • Excess maternal weight gain may result in gestational diabetes, hypertension, eclampsia, caesarean delivery, and macrosomia, while insufficient maternal weight gain has been associated with pre-term birth and small for gestational age. What is New: • This study provides important information on a possible adverse effect of insufficient maternal gestational weight gain on offspring neurodevelopment at 12 months of age. • Our findings indicate a need to reconsider the optimal body mass index and gestational weight gain for women desiring pregnancy.
There are few studies on the parenting of fathers with autism traits. To investigate this issue, we examined the type of parenting performed by fathers with autism traits using data from a nationwide birth cohort study, the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Paternal parenting was evaluated by mothers or caregivers when the child was 2 years old. Father's autism traits were measured using the Japanese version of the self-administered Autism Spectrum Quotient. Logistic regression analysis was performed to statistically analyze the data. Fathers with autism traits were significantly less likely to prepare meals for their child and helping them eat (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.23), to helping the child change clothes (aOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.31). However, there were no associations between some parenting behaviors and autism traits (not changing diapers, not bathing with the child, and not playing with the child). Father's communication skill difficulties by autism traits associated with a lower tendency to perform all types of parenting. Interestingly, there were association between difficulties with social skills or attention-switching and more performing change diapers. These results indicate it is important to respect the child-rearing that fathers with autistic tendencies are able to do, while supporting them in child-rearing that they are significantly less able to do than fathers without autistic tendencies.
Study Design: A prospective multicenter study. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether laminoplasty (LP) is comparable for myelopathy caused by cervical disk herniation (CDH). Summary of Background Data: Anterior decompression and fusion (ADF) has conventionally been used for myelopathy caused by CDH with stable outcomes. However, recurrence of myelopathy due to adjacent segment degeneration are its drawbacks. The efficacy of LP without discectomy has been sporadically reported, but no long-term prospective study has been conducted to verify it. Materials and Methods: Patients with cervical myelopathy caused by CDH were studied. The first 30 patients and the next 30 patients were treated with ADF and LP, respectively. The outcomes were compared between the 22 ADF patients and the 20 LP patients who had completed the follow-up examination scheduled 10 years after surgery. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the postoperative severity or recovery rate of myelopathy between the 2 groups 10 years after surgery. One patient in the ADF group underwent LP for secondary myelopathy due to adjacent segment degeneration 2 years after the surgery. Reoperation was not required for patients in the LP group. Postoperative neck pain was significantly more severe in the LP group than in the ADF group. Conclusions: ADF and LP for cervical myelopathy caused by CDH achieve similarly favorable outcomes. Recurrence of myelopathy caused by adjacent segment degeneration is a disadvantage of ADF while residual neck pain is a disadvantage of LP.
The association between delivery mode and subsequent development of diseases is a growing area of research. Cesarean delivery affects the diversity of the microbiota in the infant gut, which may be associated with gastrointestinal disorders, including functional constipation, in infants. In this study, we investigated the association between delivery mode and prevalence of functional constipation in 3-year-old Japanese toddlers.This study used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, an ongoing nationwide birth cohort study. We analyzed 71,878 toddler-mother pairs. The presence of functional constipation was determined according to the Rome III diagnostic criteria. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression analysis.The prevalence of functional constipation in 3-year-old Japanese toddlers was estimated to be 12.3%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of functional constipation was higher in toddlers born by cesarean delivery (13.1%) compared with those born by vaginal delivery (12.1%), independent of 22 confounders (adjusted odds ratios = 1.064, 95% confidence interval = 1.004-1.128).We determined the prevalence of functional constipation in 3-year-old Japanese toddlers and found that delivery mode was associated with the prevalence of functional constipation in Japanese toddlers.
