Correlation between maternal milk and infant serum levels of chlorinated pesticides (CP) and the impact of elevated CP on bleeding tendency and immune status in some infants in Egypt

Figures & data

Table 1A.  Clinical data for the CP-intoxicated infants and controls.

Group	Age at time of examination (months)	Sex (M/F)	Birth weight (grams)
Control	22 ± 5	110/70	3500.00 ± 340.00
CP-intoxicated neonates	24 ± 4	110/70	3283.30 ± 436.20

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group).

Table 1B.  Clinical data for the CP-intoxicated mothers and controls.

Group	Age range at time of examination (years)	Smoking status	Lactational period (months)
Control	20–39	None	17–24
CP-intoxicated mothers	21–38	None	19–24

Results are expressed as range (n = 180 in each group).

Table 2.  Chlorinated pesticide (CP) concentrations in breast milk of CP-intoxicated mothers and serum of their infants.

Group	Breast milk (mg/kg fat)	Neonatal serum (mg/L)
Control	1.3 ± 0.3	0.06 ± 0.004
CP-intoxicated mothers	14.07 ± 1.34*	1.490 ± 0.141*

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group).

*Value is significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.05, using Student’s t-test).

Table 3.  Correlation between CP content in breast milk and infant PT and bleeding time.

Correlation	Infant PT (sec)	Infant bleeding time (min)
CP content in breast milk	r = 0.662	r = 0.711
	p < 0.01	p < 0.01

The correlation analysis was assessed by Pearson correlation at p < 0.01, 99% CI.

Table 4.  Levels of different CP in breast milk of intoxicated mothers and serum of their infants.

Agents	Breast milk (mg/kg fat)		Neonatal serum (mg/l)
	Control mothers	CP-intoxicated mothers	Control neonates	CP-intoxicated neonates
HCH	0.300 ± 0.019	7.630 ± 0.610*	0.060 ± 0.007	1.050 ± 0.089*
DDT	2.100 ± 0.250	20.290 ± 2.040*	0.200 ± 0.030	3.450 ± 0.250*
Heptachloro-Epoxide	0.250 ± 0.019	4.010 ± 0.500*	0.070 ± 0.005	0.540 ± 0.042*
α-Endosulfan	0.250 ± 0.020	1.480 ± 0.140*	0.053 ± 0.007	0.100 ± 0.016*
β-Endosulfan	0.025 ± 0.002	0.830 ± 0.061*	0.013 ± 0.002	0.126 ± 0.002*
Aldrin	0.055 ± 0.004	0.460 ± 0.049*	0.020 ± 0.004	0.236 ± 0.004*
Endrin + Dieldrin	0.055 ± 0.005	0.270 ± 0.010*	0.040 ± 0.003	0.050 ± 0.004*

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group). *Value is significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.05, using Student’s t-test).

Figure 1.  Correlation between breast milk CP concentrations (in mg/kg fat) from CP-intoxicated mothers and in the serum of their infants (in mg/L). The results illustrate positive correlation (r = + 0.69, p < 0.01, 99% CI) between CP content in serum of infants and its content in breast milk.

Table 5.  Effect of CP on biochemical parameters in infant blood.

Parameters	Control infants	CP-intoxicated infants
Bleeding time (min)	3.40 ± 0.50	7.41 ± 0.70*
PT (prothrombin time; sec)	12.70 ± 0.40	16.42 ± 1.40*
ALT (U/L)	14.50 ± 1.50	38.00 ± 3.50*
AST(U/L)	34.50 ± 4.50	46.16 ± 3.30*
ALB (g/dl)	5.00 ± 0.50	3.52 ± 0.31*
Vitamin K (ng/ml)	0.45 ± 0.06	0.23 ± 0.02*
Platelet count (n x 10^3/µl)	300.03 ± 25.00	213.03 ± 21.90*

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group). *Value is significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.05, using Student’s t-test).

Table 6.  Effect of CP on hematological parameters in infant blood.

Parameters	Control infants	CP-intoxicated infants
RBC count (10^6/µl)	4.3 ± 0.8	3.8 ± 0.4
Hemoglobin (g/dl)	12.4 ± 0.4	10.1 ± 0.5*
WBC (10^3/µl)	6.3 ± 0.5	3.6 ± 0.3*
Lymphocyte (%)	52.0 ± 3.0	27.0 ± 4.0*
Esoniphil (%)	8.0 ± 2.0	13.0 ± 3.0*

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group).

*Value is significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.05, using Student’s t-test).

Table 7.  Effect of CP on TNFα and IL-10 levels in neonatal serum.

Parameters	Control infants	CP-intoxicated infants
TNFα (pg/ml)	200.00 ± 20.00	120.00 ± 15.00*
IL-10 (pg/ml)	20.80 ± 3.39	10.41 ± 2.70*

Results are expressed as mean ± SE (n = 180 in each group). *Value is significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.05, using Student’s t-test).

Table 8.  Correlation between serum CP in neonates and their serum TNFα and IL-10.

Correlation	Serum TNFα	Serum IL-10
Serum CP in neonates	r =−0.6142	r =−0.5878
	p < 0.01	p < 0.01

The correlation analysis used in this study was assessed by a Pearson correlation at p < 0.01, 99% CI.