%0 Journal Article
%T [Temporal analysis of the prevalence of congenital hypospadias in the municipality of Gela].
%A Tavormina EE
%A Bianchi F
%A Drago G
%A Ruggieri S
%A Usticano A
%A Cernigliaro A
%A Scondotto S
%A Pollina Addario S
%A Cosentini I
%A Cibella F
%J Epidemiol Prev
%V 48
%N 3
%D 2024 May-Jun
%M 38995134
%F 1.293
%R 10.19191/EP24.3.A678.056
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>to evaluate the risk profile of hypospadias in Gela, an Italian National Priority Contaminated Site (NPCS) located in Sicily Region (Southern Italy), characterized by a significant excess of hypospadias in newborn residents compared to data from reference on regional, national, and international basis and, until 2014, by the presence of a petrochemical plant.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>geographical analyses were conducted by comparing the prevalence of the Gela municipality to prevalence found in Sicily, in a territorial area bordering Gela (ALG), and in the NPCSs of Milazzo and Priolo. The geographical comparisons were conducted for the period 2010-2020, the trend within the Gela NPCS was evaluated by comparing two subperiods (2010-2014 and 2015-2020).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>children up to 1 year of age with hypospadias resident in the municipality of Gela in the period 2010-2020.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>crude odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to compare the prevalence observed in Gela and that detected in the comparison areas.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>excess risk for hypospadias was highlighted in 2010-2020 in Gela vs Sicily (OR 4.45; 95%CI 3.45-5.75), vs ALG (OR 4.29; 95%CI 3.02-6.10), and vs the NPCSs of Milazzo (OR 2.32; 95%CI 1.32-4.07) and Priolo (OR 2.37; 95%CI 1.55-3.62). The between-period comparisons in Gela did not show an important difference between 2010-2014 and 2015-2020 (OR 1.37; 95%CI 0.83-2.24), with a prevalence of 98.9 and 72.4 per 10,000, respectively.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>the prevalence of hypospadias in 2015-2020 remains very high, although decreasing when compared to 2010-2014 period. The Gela data, despite the refinery being closed after 2014, suggest a complex situation in which multiple risk factors may play a role.