Clubfoot affects approximately one in 1000 births, but little is known about its causes. Clinical and epidemiologic evidence suggests that it originates in early gestation, during limb development. This population-based case-control study of clubfoot will study events and exposures during pregnancy. The study will include subjects from Massachusetts, New York, and North Carolina. Within each state, newly diagnosed cases with clubfoot will be identified from the birth defect registry and a random sample of controls will be identified from birth certificate or hospital records. Over a four year period, 680 cases and 1700 controls will be enrolled. Mothers of cases and controls will be interviewed by telephone within 12 months after delivery about pregnancy. Saliva samples will be collected from cases, controls, and their mothers. DNA will be extracted and stored for the purpose of studying genetic risk factors in future studies.
Investigators:
Martha M. Werler, Sc.D., Principal Investigator
Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University
Allen A. Mitchell, M.D., Co-Investigator
Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University
Marlene Anderka, Sc.D., M.P.H., Co-Investigator
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Charlotte Druschel, M.D., M.P.H., Co-Investigator
New York State Department of Health
Robert E. Meyer, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
North Carolina Division of Public Health
Andrew F. Olshan, Ph.D., Consultant
Chair of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina
James R. Kasser, M.D., Consultant
Orthopedic Surgeon, Children’s Hospital Boston
Study Staff:
Mahsa Yazdy, M.P.H., Research Coordinator
Lisa Crowell, R.N., Nurse Interviewer
Beth Pender, R.N., Nurse Interviewer
Michelle Heinz, B.S., EMT-B , Research Assistant
Source of funding:
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Study Period:
September 2006-2011
Publications:
None to date
Projected Data File:
680 children with clubfoot and 1700 children with no orthopedic anomalies
Contact information:
Contact Mahsa Yazdy via email at mahsa@bu.edu or telephone at 617-734-6006
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