Bupropion is a unique drug that is used both to treat depression and as an aid in smoking cessation. In 2008, the final report from the Bupropion pregnancy registry described 24 congenital malformations among the 675 women exposed to bupropion in the first trimester of pregnancy. Of these, 9 had congenital heart disease of varying severity, including a number of infants with ventricular septal defects (VSDs); of note, 2 of these 9 had coarctation of the aorta. More recently, Alwan et al, in an analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's case-control National Birth Defects Prevention Study, reported an increased risk of left outflow tract heart defects, a subgroup of cardiac malformations that includes coarctation of the aorta and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study will be used to test these observations. The outcomes of primary interest will include those hypothesized to be associated with bupropion in recent studies: left outflow tract defects considered as a group. Coarctation of the aorta and hypoplastic left heart syndrome will also be examined separately. All infants with congenital heart defects are further classified into subgroups that are embryologically meaningful, including left outflow tract defects. In secondary analyses, other heart defect classes for which there are adequate numbers of cases will be evaluated.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
1
The primary exposure group will be: any exposure to bupropion during the time period from 28 days prior to the last menstrual period through the fourth lunar month. The use of bupropion in combination with other anti-depressants, exposure to SSRI anti-depressants, and exposure to non-SSRI anti-depressants, including tricyclic anti-depressants, during this time period will be explored. Mothers of identified infants are contacted within 6 months of delivery and invited to participate in the study by completing a telephone interview, conducted by trained study nurses. The interview addresses demographic, reproductive, and medical factors; medication and vitamin use; cigarette smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, occupational exposures, and dietary intake. Exposure information is obtained directly from the mother in response to questions that focus both on indications for medication use and on medications themselves.
The secondary exposure group will be: bupropion exposure alone during the time period from 28 days prior to the last menstrual period through the fourth lunar month. Mothers of identified infants are contacted within 6 months of delivery and invited to participate in the study by completing a telephone interview, conducted by trained study nurses. The interview addresses demographic, reproductive, and medical factors; medication and vitamin use; cigarette smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, occupational exposures, and dietary intake. Exposure information is obtained directly from the mother in response to questions that focus both on indications for medication use and on medications themselves.
The referent group will be defined as no exposure to any anti-depressant or anti-smoking drug at any time from 28 days prior to the last menstrual period through the end of pregnancy. Mothers of identified infants are contacted within 6 months of delivery and invited to participate in the study by completing a telephone interview, conducted by trained study nurses. The interview addresses demographic, reproductive, and medical factors; medication and vitamin use; cigarette smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, occupational exposures, and dietary intake. Exposure information is obtained directly from the mother in response to questions that focus both on indications for medication use and on medications themselves.
Diagnosis of left outflow tract defects
Time frame: Within 6 months of delivery
Diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta
Time frame: Within 6 months of delivery
Diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Time frame: Within 6 months of delivery
Diagnosis of other congenital heart defects
Time frame: Within 6 months of delivery
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