Table 1

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in relation to intake of vitamin and mineral supplements by the mother during pregnancy, and by the child before the reference date. Unmatched analyses

Supplement & details of use

Categories

No. of cases

No. of controls

Odds ratio (CI)

Adjusted for age in years and sex only

Adjusted for age, sex, and other variables *

Mother's use during the pregnancy

Folic acid (any,

No

82

268

with or without iron)

Yes

8

27

0.9 (0.4–2.2)

1.1 (0.5–2.7)

Iron (any,

No

45

151

with or without folic acid)

Yes

44

142

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

1.2 (0.7–2.1)

Iron without folic acid

No

51

177

Yes

38

116

1.2 (0.7–2.1)

1.3 (0.8–2.3)

Multivitamins

No

87

281

Yes

3

14

0.7 (0.2–2.5)

0.8 (0.2–3.1)

Other vitamin or

No

78

263

mineral supplements

Yes

13

32

1.3 (0.6–2.6)

1.5 (0.7–3.1)

Child's use before the reference date †

Folic acid (any,

No

90

288

with or without iron)

Yes

6

15

1.2 (0.4–3.2)

1.0 (0.4–2.8)

Iron (any,

No

89

286

with or without folic acid)

Yes

7

17

1.2 (0.5–3.1)

1.1 (0.4–2.8)

Iron without folic acid

No

95

301

Yes

1

2

1.3 (0.1–15.5)

1.6 (0.1–19.3)

Multivitamins

No

90

288

Yes

6

15

1.2 (0.4–3.2)

1.0 (0.4–2.8)

Other vitamin or

No

82

272

mineral supplements

Yes

14

31

1.5 (0.7–3.0)

1.6 (0.8–3.4)

* Adjusted for age, sex, marital status, and mother's education.

† Restricted to child's use of a supplement for 5 or more days, either in a row or separate days. Child's usage in the six months prior to the diagnosis or reference date was not counted.

Dockerty et al. BMC Public Health 2007 7:136   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-7-136