Congenital Malformations and Trace Metals: A Case-Control Study from Lubumbashi, DR Congo

Holoprosencephaly: A case series from an area with high mining‐related pollution

“…Nevertheless, it is plausible—although impossible to prove—that mining‐related pollution contributed to causing these cases of HPE. In the full case–control study from which the three HPE cases were drawn, we did not find consistently elevated concentrations of trace elements in the urine or blood of the mothers of cases compared to controls, but the risk of having a father with a mining‐related job was significantly higher for cases than controls (Kayembe Kitenge et al, ). Here, two of the three fathers had a mining‐related job (as opposed to only 8% among controls), thus suggesting that paternal rather than maternal factors were involved.…”

“…Biological samples were collected (urine and blood from the mother; umbilical blood and placental tissue, if available) for quantifying trace metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS, Agilent 7700x) in the laboratory of the Division of Soil and Water Management (Prof. E. Smolders) of the KU Leuven, Belgium. The findings of the full case–control study have been published in abstract form (Kayembe Kitenge et al, ) and will be published elsewhere.…”