Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42763106›Full record

ArticleBMJ paediatrics open2026

Prenatal urinary BTEX metabolite levels and length of gestation: preliminary results from a metropolitan Detroit birth cohort.

Homègnon A Ferréol Bah, Qiong Zhang, Yichu Wang, Emily Leydet, Mei Lu, Judy Westrick, Paul Stemmer, Christine Cole Johnson, Jennifer K Straughen, Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow

Abstract readLetter
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ paediatrics open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Homègnon A Ferréol BahDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7326-1821
Qiong ZhangDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Yichu WangDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Emily LeydetDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Mei LuDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Judy WestrickDepartment of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Paul StemmerInstitute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3315-9846
Christine Cole JohnsonDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Jennifer K StraughenHenry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences, Detroit, Michigan, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2208-524X
Andrea E Cassidy-BushrowDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA cassid55@msu.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-8272-4448

Funding

The Effect of Dog-Keeping and the Intestinal Microbiota on Immune DevelopmentP01AI089473 · NIAID · HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM · PI LUKACS, NICHOLAS W · 2012 to 2024
$25.7M
Research Experience & Training Coordination CoreP42ES030991 · NIEHS · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · PI Glen Ray Hood · 2022 to 2026
$13.9M
Pilot Project ProgramP30ES020957 · NIEHS · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · PI RUNGE-MORRIS, MELISSA A · 2014 to 2021
$10.1M
Translational Research Support CoreP30ES036084 · NIEHS · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · PI Melissa A Runge-Morris · 2024 to 2026
$5.2M
NIAID NIH HHS P01 AI089473NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES020957NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES036084NIEHS NIH HHS P42 ES030991
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

While the common volatile organic compound mixture benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) is associated with preterm birth (PTB), most evidence derives from estimated rather than direct measures of exposure. Metabolites of BTEX were measured in urine samples from pregnant participants (N=40) to conduct a preliminary association study of BTEX metabolites and length of gestation. Metabolites of ethylbenzene (phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA)) and xylene (methylhippuric acid (MHA)) were negatively correlated with gestational length; the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) for PGA and gestational length was ρ=-0.37 (p=0.018) and for MHA and gestational length was ρ=-0.35 (p=0.026). Preliminary findings suggest prenatal ethylbenzene and xylene exposure may be associated with shorter gestational length. Ongoing work in a larger sample is underway to examine associations between BTEX metabolites, measured longitudinally across pregnancy, and PTB.

Indexed as

BenzeneBenzene DerivativesGestational AgeMaternal ExposurePremature BirthXylenesAdultFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMichiganPregnancyTolueneBenzeneBenzene DerivativesethylbenzeneTolueneXylenesChild HealthEpidemiologyInfantStatistics

Identifiers

PMID42763106
PMCPMC13599953

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.