Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25855124›Full record

ArticleJournal of epidemiology and community health2015

Folic acid in pregnancy and mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease: further follow-up of the Aberdeen folic acid supplementation trial.

Caroline M Taylor, Charlotte Atkinson, Chris Penfold, Sohinee Bhattacharya, Doris Campbell, George Davey Smith, Sam Leary, Andy Ness

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of epidemiology and community health, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Caroline M TaylorNIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Charlotte AtkinsonNIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Chris PenfoldNIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Sohinee BhattacharyaDugald Baird Centre for Research on Women's Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Aberdeen, UK.
Doris CampbellInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
George Davey SmithMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Sam LearyNIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Andy NessNIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSupplemental periconceptional folic acid is recommended to reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects. A previous report indicated an elevated risk of breast cancer and all cancer deaths in later life among women randomised by alternate allocation to high-dose (5 mg/day) folic acid in pregnancy compared with placebo; however, findings were based on small numbers of cases. Our aim was to extend the previous analysis by including data from an additional 10 years of follow-up.

methodsRecords of participants in a large (n=2928) trial of folate supplementation (5 or 0.2 mg folic acid, or placebo) in pregnancy in the 1960s were linked to central registries in Scotland. Unadjusted and adjusted HRs were calculated for all-cause, cardiovascular, all cancer and breast cancer mortality, and all cancer and breast cancer morbidity. Analyses were done using (1) data from the time of the previous linkage (2002) to March 2013; and (2) data from 1980 to March 2013.

resultsThere was no evidence to suggest an excess risk of morbidity or mortality in either supplementation group compared with placebo for 2002-2013 and no associations were seen for the full time period (1980-2013).

conclusionsFindings from this extended follow-up do not support our previous observation of an elevated risk of mortality from breast cancer or all cancers in later life among women who had taken 5 mg folic acid/day during pregnancy. Furthermore, there were no associations with risk of mortality from all-causes, all cancers or cardiovascular disease.

Indexed as

AdultBreast NeoplasmsCardiovascular DiseasesCause of DeathFemaleFolic AcidFollow-Up StudiesHematinicsHumansLong Term Adverse EffectsNeoplasmsNeural Tube DefectsPregnancyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRegistriesRisk FactorsFolic AcidHematinicsCANCERCANCER: BREASTEPIDEMIOLOGYMATERNAL HEALTHMORTALITY

Identifiers

PMID25855124
PMCPMC4515996

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.