2025-12-16 北海道大学
<関連情報>
- https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/news/pdf/251216_pr.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969725025355
生後2年間の母体血液および尿路感染症における有害金属および微量元素:日本環境子ども調査 Toxic metals and trace elements in maternal blood and urinary tract infection during the first 2 years of life: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Keitaro Makino, Hiroyoshi Iwata, Takeshi Yamaguchi, Atsuko Ikeda, Yu Ait Bamai, Sachiko Itoh, Mariko Itoh, Maki Tojo, Naomi Tamura, Rieko Yamamoto, Rahel Mesfin Ketema, Yasuaki Saijo, Yoshiya Ito, Reiko Kishi, the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group
Science of The Total Environment Available online: 10 November 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180895
Graphical abstract
Highlights
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in young children can cause long-term renal damage.
- We examined the association between maternal toxic metals and trace elements and pediatric UTIs.
- Higher selenium levels were associated with an increased risk of UTIs in offspring.
Abstract
Background
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections in young children and can lead to long-term renal complications. While established risk factors exist, the effect of prenatal exposure to toxic metals and trace elements on UTI risk remains unclear. We examined the association between maternal blood levels of these elements and UTI risk in early childhood.
Methods
This study is based on a nationwide birth cohort, the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), which obtained data from over 100,000 pregnancies through 15 Regional Centres across Japan. Maternal blood samples were collected during mid-late pregnancy and the concentrations of selenium, manganese, lead, cadmium, and mercury were measured. Child UTI diagnoses during the first 2 years of life were assessed by caregiver questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between log2-transformed level of metals and trace elements and UTI.
Results
Overall, 79,161 mother-child pairs were analyzed. During the first 2 years, 877 (1.1 %) children were diagnosed with UTI. Higher maternal selenium levels were associated with increased UTI risk (Odds ratio for a twofold increase in selenium: 1.58, 95 % CI: 1.06–2.35) after adjusting for covariates. The adjusted odds ratios (95 % CI) of other elements were 0.97 (0.82–1.14) in manganese, 1.01 (0.88–1.15) in lead, 0.94 (0.84–1.05) in cadmium, and 1.02 (0.93–1.11) in mercury.
Conclusions
Elevated maternal selenium levels may increase susceptibility to UTIs during the first 2 years of life. Further studies are needed to investigate long-term effects, including bladder and kidney dysfunction.
