Associations between psychosocial stress, child's anxiety, and lung function in mid-childhood.

Background: Reducing the risk of respiratory disease during the plastic stages of lung development could have long-term health impacts. Psychosocial stress has been previously linked to adverse childhood respiratory outcomes, but the influence of child's anxiety and sex differences has not been completely elucidated.

Objective: To evaluate the association among maternal stress, child anxiety, and lung function in children and to explore differences by sex.

Associations of prenatal exposure to phthalates and their mixture with lung function in Mexican children.

Early life phthalates exposure has been associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. However, evidence linking prenatal phthalates exposure and childhood lung function has been inconclusive. Additionally, few studies have examined phthalates exposure as a mixture and explored sexually dimorphic associations.

Changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 in children from the PROGRESS cohort.

Background: We assessed associations between maternal stress, social support, and child resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to changes in anxiety and depression symptoms in children in Mexico City.

Methods: Participants included 464 mother-child pairs from a longitudinal birth cohort in Mexico City. At ages 8-11 (pre-COVID, 2018-2019) and 9-12 (during COVID, May-Nov 2020) years, depressive symptoms were assessed using the child and parent-reported Children's Depressive Inventory.

Prenatal lead exposure and childhood lung function: Influence of maternal cortisol and child sex.

Introduction: Maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis disruption in pregnancy may contribute to the programming of childhood respiratory disease and may modify the effect of chemical toxins, like lead (Pb), on lung development. Child sex may further modify these effects. We sought to prospectively examine associations between maternal HPA axis disruption, prenatal Pb and childhood lung function and explore potential effect modification by maternal cortisol and child sex on the association between prenatal Pb and lung function outcomes.

Association between prenatal metal exposure and adverse respiratory symptoms in childhood.

Introduction: Manganese and lead have been cross-sectionally associated with adverse respiratory outcomes in childhood but there is limited data on their combined effects starting in utero. We examined associations between in utero exposure to metals and childhood respiratory symptoms.

Methods: We assessed 633 mother-child dyads enrolled in the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment, and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) birth cohort in Mexico City.

Critical windows of perinatal particulate matter (PM) exposure and preadolescent kidney function.

Air pollution exposure, especially particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM), is associated with poorer kidney function in adults and children. Perinatal exposure may occur during susceptible periods of nephron development.

Changes in Depressive Symptoms, Stress and Social Support in Mexican Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The aim of this study was to examine changes in depression, stress and social support levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in women living in Mexico City. We studied 466 women enrolled in the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) study who completed the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) questionnaire prior (2018-2019) and during the lockdown period of the pandemic (May-November 2020). Psychosocial stress and social support for both time periods were ascertained using the Crisis in Family Systems (CRISYS) questionnaire and the Social Support Network (SSN) Scale, respectively.

Prenatal and early life exposure to particulate matter, environmental tobacco smoke and respiratory symptoms in Mexican children.

Background: Exposure to particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM) and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are associated with respiratory morbidity starting in utero. However, their potential synergistic effects have not been completely elucidated.