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Citation

Olshan, Andrew F.; Baird, Patricia A.; & Teschke, Kay (1989). Paternal Occupational Exposures and the Risk of Down Syndrome. American Journal of Human Genetics, 44(5), 646-651. PMCID: PMC1715649

Abstract

An exploratory case-control study of paternal occupation as a risk factor for Down syndrome was conducted. With the use of the British Columbia Health Surveillance Registry, 1,008 cases of live-born Down syndrome were identified for the period 1952-73. Two controls were matched to each case by using the birth files of British Columbia. Paternal occupation was obtained from the birth notice. Elevated maternal age-adjusted relative risks of Down syndrome were found for fathers employed as janitors (odds ratio [OR] = 3.26; 95% confidence interval [C.I.] = 1.02-10.44); mechanics (OR = 3.27; C.I. = 1.57-6.80); farm managers/workers (OR = 2.03; C.I. = 1.25-3.03); material-moving equipment operators (OR = 1.88; C.I. = 0.93-3.82); food processors (OR = 1.79; C.I. = 0.96-3.31); sheet-metal workers, iron workers, and other metalworkers (OR = 1.57; C.I. = 0.92-2.69); and sawmill workers (OR = 1.43; C.I. = 0.90-2.66). This large study provides new leads for further evaluation of the role of paternal exposures in the etiology of Down syndrome.

URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=2523192

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

1989

Journal Title

American Journal of Human Genetics

Author(s)

Olshan, Andrew F.
Baird, Patricia A.
Teschke, Kay

PMCID

PMC1715649

ORCiD

Olshan - 0000-0001-9115-5128