The Hg-values of n = 5 children analyzed by the authors were recorded with an incorrect unit, and should instead have been 1000 times higher. The authors have now updated all results based on the new, correct values. The authors apologize for this error and confirm that the main results remain when calculated based on the correct Hg-values.
Please see an updated version of Table 4 here, which displays the final adjusted associations.
Table 4. Main risk factors for mercury exposure above the 75th percentile (0.177 μg/g).
Descriptive data, pre imputation (adjusted) and post imputation (unadjusted and adjusted) logistic regression models with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). N = 288.
| Risk factor | Pre imputation 1 | Post imputation 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) > 75th Hg-percentile | Adjusted OR 95% CI | Unadjusted OR 95% CI | Adjusted OR 95% CI | |
| Sex: | ||||
| Male | 43 (27.6) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Female | 29 (22.0) | 0.71 (0.36–1.38) | 0.73 (0.36–1.49) | 0.74 (0.38–1.46) |
| Fish consumption: | ||||
| <1 times/week | 19 (21.3) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–4 times/week | 37 (27.2) | 1.62 (0.71–3.70) | 1.18 (0.59–2.33) | 1.15 (0.59–2.23) |
| >4 times/week | 16 (25.4) | 1.25 (0.45–3.49) | 0.81 (0.47–1.40) | 0.68 (0.40–1.14) |
| Father working in: | ||||
| Industrial gold mine | 5 (26.3) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Industrial copper mine | 10 (18.5) | 0.65 (0.10–4.23) | 0.45 (0.07–2.86) | 0.52 (0.08–3.13) |
| Traditional gold mining | 20 (36.3) | 2.50 (0.40–15.75) | 1.31 (0.23–7.53) | 2.05 (0.39–10.70) |
| Outside mining | 37 (23.1) | 0.70 (0.13–3.91) | 0.68 (0.14–3.29) | 0.93 (0.23–3.73) |
| Mother in contact with Hg during pregnancy: | ||||
| No | 41 (20.8) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Yes | 31 (34.1) | 1.68 (0.83–3.43) | 1.92 (1.06–3.48) | 1.08 (0.47–2.46) |
| Hg work in household and child playing inside: | ||||
| No | 55 (21.7) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Yes | 17 (48.6) | 5.55 (1.98–15.56) | 3.11 (1.35–7.19) | 3.32 (1.26–8.73) |
1 Pre imputation adjusted odds ratios (for all variables in table).
2 Post imputation unadjusted and adjusted (for all variables in table) odds ratios based on all seven imputed datasets combined.
The main changes include:
A slightly smaller OR of the main association between 'Hg work in household and child playing inside' and Hg-values > the 75th percentile (new OR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.26–8.73) vs. (old OR = 3.49, 95% CI 1.23–9.89).
Traditional gold mining is now a risk factor of having Hg-values > the 75th percentile, when compared with industrial gold mining (OR = 2.05, 95% CI 0.39–10.70).
The updated Hg-value corresponding to the 75th percentile is 0.177 ug/g (old value = 0.165 ug/g).
Reference
- 1. Ohlander J, Huber SM, Schomaker M, Heumann C, Schierl R, Michalke B, et al. (2013) Risk Factors for Mercury Exposure of Children in a Rural Mining Town in Northern Chile. PLoS ONE 8(11): e79756 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079756 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]