French infant total diet study: Dietary exposure to heat-induced compounds (acrylamide, furan and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and associated health risks

A total diet study (TDS) was conducted between 2010 and 2016 to assess the risk associated with chemicals in food of non-breast-fed children from 1 to 36 months living in France. Food samples were collected, prepared "as consumed", and analyzed for chemicals of public health interest. Acrylamide, furan and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed as heat-induced compounds produced mainly during thermal processing of foods. Dietary exposure was assessed for 705 representative children using food consumptions recorded through a 3-consecutive-days record. As all calculated margins of exposure (MOE) for PAHs exceeded 10 000, dietary exposure of the infant and toddler population was deemed tolerable with regard to the carcinogenic risk. Conversely, the exposure levels to acrylamide and furan were considered as of concern, requiring management measures to reduce the exposure essentially by reducing the formation of heat-induced compounds during food production or preparation processes. Efforts should mainly focus on major contributors to the exposure, i.e. sweet and savoury biscuits and bars, and potatoes and potato products for acrylamide, baby jars of vegetables, with or without meat or fish for acrylamide and furan.

Short cervix: is a follow-up measurement useful?

OBJECTIVE

To study if a repeat cervical length (CL) measurement in the patient already diagnosed with a short cervix has any additional value in the prediction of preterm delivery.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective study of singleton pregnancies with cervical lengths 1-25 mm at a gestational age of 16-28 weeks seen in our institution between 2002 and 2005. Patients who were managed expectantly and had a follow-up CL measurement within 3 weeks were included. Delivery data were obtained from the patients' computerized medical records.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria. 37% of the patients had a shorter CL on the second measurement. These patients delivered at an earlier gestational age (36+4 vs. 38+2 weeks, P=0.031) and were more likely to deliver at <37 weeks (60% vs. 26%, P=0.009). The change in the CL correlated with earlier gestational age at delivery and delivery at <37 weeks.

CONCLUSION

In patients diagnosed with a short cervix, follow-up CL measurement is a strong predictor of preterm delivery. Greater change in the CL correlates with an earlier gestational age at delivery. In the patient diagnosed with a short cervix, a repeat measurement of CL gives additional predictive value.