Adolescent Growth Patterns in Survivors Exposed Prenatally to the A-bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Abstract

Since 1950 approximately 1600 exposed and control subjects who were in utero at the time of the atomic bombings (ATB) in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been studied by the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC). The sample was drawn from the population of in utero children ATB who were either exposed or nonexposed (entering Hiroshima and Nagasaki between October 1945 and October 1955). Matching of subjects was carried out so that all available children exposed under 2000 m were entered into the study. For each child exposed proximally an attempt was made to include a child exposed distally and one not-in-city ATBmatched by sex, month of birth and economic status. Children at all stages of gestation were included.In this report, a four-parameter Gompertz curve is used to characterize the standing height growth during adolescence of these children. Based on maximum likelihood estimates of the four parameters, statistical analyses are performed to test for differences between sexes, cities, trimesters ATB, and exposure groups. The main findings are: (i) within each city males significantly differ from females; (ii) males and females in Nagasaki significantly differ from those in Hiroshima, respectively; (iii) differences among trimester ATB groups are, almost without exception, nonsignificant; (iv) differences among exposure groups are greater for males than for females, but no consistent findings relate growth impairment to exposure group and/or trimester ATB.

Sex differences in the canalization of child growth and development: An example of genetic regulation

“…Male adolescents exposed to prenatal radiation as a result of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bombings showed a greater growth retardation than female adolescents. 13 More recent studies published abroad showed similar results, 14 but certainly the most important anthropometric study in Argentina's auxological history (and probably one of the biggest samples used worldwide) has been conducted by Nuñez et al in 2016. 15 In the 2004-2015 period, Argentina implemented 2 health care and coverage plans: Plan Nacer and Plan Sumar (from 2005 to 2013), which protected, among others, children younger than 6 years.…”

Reflections on the Work of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in Japan

“…To predict hypertension and cardiovascular mortality, individuals were characterized on the basis of a single early blood pressure reading; most readings were not used. In a growth and development study, however, Shohoji and Pasternack (64) were able to derive a function that could be fitted to the serial data of each individual to characterize his growth pattern, the parameters of which could then be studied in relation to radiation dose or any other risk factor.…”

Diferencias de sexo en la canalización del crecimiento y del desarrollo infantil: un ejemplo de regulación genética

“…Los adolescentes varones que estuvieron expuestos a irradiación prenatal por las bombas atómicas de Hiroshima y de Nagasaki mostraron más retraso del crecimiento que las adolescentes mujeres. 13 Hay trabajos más recientes publicados en el extranjero que muestran similares resultados, 14 pero el estudio antropométrico seguramente más importante de la historia auxológica de nuestro país (y tal vez una de las muestras más grandes del mundo) ha sido el realizado por Nuñez et al, en 2016. 15 En el período 2004-2015 se implementaron en la Argentina dos planes de cobertura y asistencia de salud: el Plan Nacer y el Plan Sumar (de 2005 a 2013), que cubrieron, entre otros, a niños menores de 6 años.…”