Author/Authors :
LIU, Yu-bin Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , ZHAO, Li Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , DING, Jing Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , ZHU, Jie Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , XIE, Cheng-long Department Neurology - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , WU, Zhen-kai Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , YANG, Xuan Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China , LI, Hai Department Pediatric Orthopedics - Xin-Hua Hospital - Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Abstract :
Background and purpose — Results from case-control studies of
maternal age at conception and risk of idiopathic clubfoot have
been inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine
whether there is any association between maternal age at concep-
tion and the morbidity of idiopathic clubfoot.
Methods — We searched PubMed-MEDLINE, EMBASE,
and the Cochrane Library up to June 2015 and supplemented
the search with manual searches of the reference lists of the
articles identifi ed. 11 studies published between 1990 and 2015
were pooled. We investigated heterogeneity in maternal age and
whether publication bias might have affected the results.
Results — Compared to a control group, maternal age at con-
ception of between 20 and 24 years old was associated with an
increased risk of occurrence of clubfoot (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1–
1.4). No such association was found for the age groups of 35,
30–34, 25–29, and < 20 years. There was no heterogeneity in the
age groups of 35, 30–34, and 20–24 years, moderate heterogene-
ity in the 25- to 29-year age group, and a large degree of hetero-
geneity in the group that was < 20 years of age. The prediction
intervals for the age groups of 25–29 and < 20 years were 0.56 to
1.3 and −0.39 to 2.4, respectively. We found no evidence of signifi -
cant publication bias.
Interpretation — From the results of this meta-analysis of 11
studies, maternal age at conception between 20 to 24 years of age
appears to be associated with an increased risk of occurrence of
clubfoot.
