Table 3.
Findings from univariable general linear models that assess associations of various independent variables with blood Pb concentrations (344 matched pairs) of Jamaican children (total n = 688).
| Variables | Category | Yes | No | p Value ** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Pb * (μg/dL) | N | Mean Pb * (μg/dL) | N | |||||
| Child | ASD status | ASD | 1.74 | 344 | 2.27 | 344 | <0.01 | |
| Age | Age > 48 (months) | 2.29 | 504 | 1.35 | 184 | 0.02 | ||
| Sex | Male | 1.99 | 572 | 1.99 | 116 | 0.97 | ||
| Place of birth (Parish) | Kingston | 2.39 | 318 | 1.70 | 370 | <0.01 | ||
| Socioeconomic status (SES) | Own a car | 1.72 | 330 | 2.28 | 358 | <0.01 | ||
| Mother’s age (at child’s birth) a | ≥35 years | 1.73 | 107 | 2.04 | 574 | 0.08 | ||
|
Parental education levels
(at child’s birth) b |
At least one of the two parents had education beyond high school | 1.75 | 368 | 2.26 | 296 | <0.01 | ||
| Fruit and vegetable consumption c | Root vegetables | Yam, sweet potato, or dasheen | 2.11 | 437 | 1.79 | 250 | 0.03 | |
| Carrot or pumpkin | 2.07 | 554 | 1.66 | 133 | 0.01 | |||
| Leafy vegetables | Lettuce | 2.02 | 358 | 1.95 | 329 | 0.65 | ||
| Callaloo, broccoli, or pak choi | 2.06 | 520 | 1.77 | 167 | 0.07 | |||
| Cabbage | 2.06 | 376 | 1.90 | 311 | 0.29 | |||
| Fruits | Tomatoes | 2.16 | 445 | 1.71 | 242 | <0.01 | ||
| Ackee | 2.26 | 388 | 1.68 | 299 | <0.01 | |||
| Avocado | 2.20 | 336 | 1.80 | 351 | <0.01 | |||
| Green banana | 2.10 | 442 | 1.80 | 245 | 0.05 | |||
| Fried plantains | 2.09 | 539 | 1.65 | 148 | <0.01 | |||
| Seafood consumption | Salt water fish | 2.10 | 449 | 1.80 | 239 | 0.05 | ||
| Fresh water fish (pond fish, tilapia) | 2.28 | 208 | 1.88 | 480 | 0.02 | |||
| Sardine, mackerel (canned fish) | 2.13 | 542 | 1.55 | 146 | <0.01 | |||
| Tuna (canned fish) | 2.01 | 224 | 1.98 | 464 | 0.83 | |||
| Salted fish (pickled mackerel) | 2.14 | 491 | 1.66 | 197 | <0.01 | |||
| Shellfish (lobsters, crabs) | 2.69 | 64 | 1.93 | 624 | 0.01 | |||
| Shrimp | 2.18 | 94 | 1.96 | 594 | 0.29 | |||
|
Genes
GSTT1 (n = 337 pairs) GSTM1 (n = 337 pairs) GSTP1 (n = 340 pairs) |
GSTT1 (I *) d | 1.96 | 509 | 2.07 | 172 | 0.52 | ||
| GSTM1 (I *) d | 2.03 | 496 | 1.90 | 185 | 0.40 | |||
| GSTP1 (Ile/Ile) | 1.96 | 177 | 2.00 | 511 | 0.77 | |||
| GSTP1 (Val/Val) | 2.00 | 365 | 1.98 | 323 | 0.87 | |||
| GSTP1 (Ile/Val) | 2.02 | 142 | 1.98 | 546 | 0.85 | |||
* Mean Pb indicates the geometric mean of Pb = Exp. [Mean (ln Pb)]; ** p values are based on GLMs that compare geometric mean blood Pb concentrations between children in the two groups; a Mother’s age was missing for 7 participants; b Parental education level was missing for 24 participants; c Fruit and vegetable consumption was missing for one participant; d I* indicates the homozygote (I/I) or a heterozygote (I/D) for GSTT1 and GSTM1.