141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

284974
Autism and gestational exposures to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen

Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 12:35 PM - 12:50 PM

Rebekah West, MSPH candidate , College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
Tina Tseng, PhD, MSPH , Department of Public Health-College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
Michael Adams, PharmD, PhD , College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
Wesley Rich, PhD , Department of Public Health-College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
Erik Hill, PhD , College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
David Tillman, PhD , Department of Public Health-College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD , Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen are commonly used during pregnancy to reduce pain and fever. Both drugs cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier. NSAIDs can inhibit cyclooxygenase, whereas acetaminophen is primarily as an analgesic/antipyretic and COX-2 inhibitor. Growing evidence links prenatal inflammation to autism and autism-spectrum (ASD) diagnosis. Northern California families were enrolled from 2003-2010 in the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks for Genetics and Environment) population-based case-control study. Children aged 24-60 months were evaluated to have autism (n=357), ASD, (n=163), or typically development (TD,n=371) at the University of California-Davis Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute using standardized clinical assessments. We used published criteria to define autism and ASD (e.g., ASD was defined as meeting criteria for autism on ADOS, and on one of the communication or social domains of the ADI-R, and scoring within 2 points of meeting the other cut-off). In preliminary analysis, we calculated unadjusted odds ratios (OR) for the association between autism and gestational exposure to NSAIDs. Mothers of children with autism or ASD were less likely than those of TD children to report having taken NSAIDs during periconception and pregnancy (OR=0.67, 95%CI0.51-0.88). Forty percent of mothers reported taking NSAIDs and acetaminophen. In further analyses we will examine confounders and the effects of drugs both separately and combined. Our preliminary results suggest a protective relationship between gestational exposure to NSAIDs and autism. Given that the exposure is common and the relevant biologic pathways are complex, these relationships deserve further elucidation.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology

Learning Objectives:
Describe the relationship between autism and gestational exposure to NSAIDs and acetaminophen

Keywords: Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am currently a candidate for a MS in Public Health at Campbell University. The growing incidence and prevalence rates of autism in our society is an issue that must be researched.I have studied autism and have done practical work with patients, both adult and children. I am working on this project under the direction of my advisor. She is one of the original authors who proposed the project to UC-Davis almost a year ago.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.