Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41942918›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2026

Association of maternal multiple serum metal/metalloid concentrations and metabolic gene polymorphisms with offspring skeletal defects: a multicenter case-control study.

Cechuan Deng, Lu Li, Meixian Wang, Hong Kang, Ying Deng, Yuting Li, Zhen Liu, Yanping Wang, Jun Zhu, Nana Li and 1 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Cechuan DengKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Lu LiKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Meixian WangKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Hong KangKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Ying DengKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Yuting LiKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Zhen LiuKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Yanping WangKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Jun ZhuKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Nana LiKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. linanana_2000@163.com.
Ping YuKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, No.17, Section 3, People's South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. yup@scu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC2703300National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFC2703700
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSkeletal defects (SDs) can be caused by various factors, including genetic and environmental factors, as well as gene-environment interactions. This study aimed to investigate the association of maternal serum concentrations of metals/metalloids and metabolic gene polymorphisms with offspring SDs risk, including their potential interactions.

methodsIn this multicenter case-control study, 316 pregnant women with offspring SDs and 361 healthy controls were recruited from 49 hospitals in China. Serum concentrations of aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), molybdenum (Mo), and cadmium (Cd) were measured. Genotyping of 63 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 30 metal/metalloid metabolism-related genes was performed on first- and second-trimester blood samples. Associations were assessed using logistic regression and generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction.

resultsMedian maternal serum concentrations of Fe, Zn, Sr, and Mo were significantly lower in cases than controls (all P < 0.001), while Cd was higher (P = 0.017). Higher (second/third tertile) concentrations of Fe, Zn, Sr, and Mo were associated with a decreased risk of offspring SDs. Notably, the protective association was strongest for Mo (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 0.10–0.15). In contrast, higher concentrations of Se and Cd were associated with an increased risk (aOR = 2.04–2.43). No significant associations were found between maternal metabolic SNPs and offspring SDs risk after false discovery rate correction, and no significant gene-metal/metalloid interactions were observed.

conclusionsThe lowered maternal serum concentrations of the essential trace elements Fe, Zn, and Mo, as well as of the non-essential element Sr, were associated with an increased risk of offspring SDs, with Mo showing a particularly strong protective association. Cd showed a positive association, though its interpretation warrants caution. Larger-scale and prospective cohort studies on the effects of maternal serum concentrations of metals/metalloids and genetic polymorphisms on offspring SDs are warranted.

Indexed as

MetalsMusculoskeletal AbnormalitiesPolymorphism, Single NucleotidePrenatal Exposure Delayed EffectsAdultCadmiumCase-Control StudiesChinaFemaleGene-Environment InteractionHumansPregnancyCadmiumMetalsGene-metal/metalloid interactionPregnancySerum metal/metalloid concentrationsSingle nucleotide polymorphismSkeletal defects

Identifiers

PMID41942918
PMCPMC13188513

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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.