Barium exposure increases the risk of congenital heart defects occurrence in offspring

Several studies have investigated the association between heavy metal exposure and congenital heart defects (CHDs). However, there are limited data regarding the relationship between barium exposure and the occurrence of CHDs. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between barium exposure in mothers and the risk of CHD in offspring.

We developed a case-control study with 399 cases and 490 controls with normal live births in China. The concentrations of barium in hair of pregnant woman and fetal placenta were measured. We used a logistic regression analysis to explore the association between barium exposure and the risk of CHD.

Logistic regression analysis indicated that the median concentration of barium in maternal hair in the CHD group was 4.180 ng/mg (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.230; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.146-1.321; p < .001), which was significantly higher than that in the control group (2.740 ng/mg). Furthermore, the median concentration of barium in fetal placental tissue in the CHD group was 0.617 ng/mg, while that in the control group was 0.447 ng/mg (aOR, 1.392; 95% CI, 1.074-1.659; p = .003). Significant differences in the concentration of barium in hair were also found between the different CHD subtypes and the controls. These differences were found in cases with septal defects (p < .001), conotruncal defects (p < .001), right ventricular outflow track obstruction (p < .001), left ventricular outflow track obstruction (p < .001), and anomalous pulmonary venous return (p = .010). Significantly different barium concentrations in fetal tissue were only found in cases with septal defects (p = .010).

Maternal barium exposure was dose-dependently related to the risk of CHD in the offspring. Our findings suggest that the occurrence of some subtypes of CHD is associated with barium exposure.