The Influence of Infant's Exposure to Thimerosal Containing Vaccines on the Development in the First Three Years of Life

Abstract

Background and Aims: The controversial topic of the early human exposure to mercury compounds is ethylmercury, which is present in the thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCV). The objective of this analysis was to determine the relationship between the infant's exposure to TCV and cognitive and psychomotor development of children during the first 3 years of life.

Methods: The cohort recruited prenatally in Krakow, Poland, included 310 children vaccinated against hepatitis-B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis using formula with or without thimerosal. The children development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development BSID-II (12^th, 24^th and 36^th month). Data were analyzed by multivariable linear and logistic regression, adjusted to potential confounders.

Results: Children exposed to TCV during the first year of life had lower psychomotor BSID-II scores at 12^th, 24^th and 36^th month of life than those vaccinated without TCV (β=-4.4, p=0.479; β=-13.8, p=0.014, β=-1.4, p=0.812 respectively). The risk of the delayed psychomotor development as well as results of the mental developmental tests were not associated with the TCV-related exposure. Results were similar when we analyzed exposure to TCV during first two years of life.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that TCV administration in two first years of life was associated with significantly lower infants' psychomotor scores only in 24^th month of life. However, TCV did not have an influence on children's cognitive development.

All studied children were a sample from cohort study on the susceptibility of fetus and child to environmental factors followed in Krakow with Columbia University in New York.

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