Barry, JA;
Hardiman, PJ;
Siddiqui, MR;
Thomas, M;
(2011)
Meta-analysis of sex difference in testosterone levels in umbilical cord blood.
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
, 31
(8)
pp. 697-702.
10.3109/01443615.2011.614971.
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Abstract
This meta-analysis reviewed published literature comparing human male and female umbilical cord total testosterone (T) levels. A total of 18 studies using 1,229 samples from 602 male and 627 female newborns were analysed using the RevMan 5 statistical package. Analysis using the inverse variance method based on a random-effects model revealed significantly higher cord T in boys than girls at a moderate effect size (Hedges' g = 0.57). There was significant heterogeneity between the 18 studies, although the five studies using direct assays showed no heterogeneity. For studies using extraction and chromatography, those that combined T from arterial and venous cord blood found a larger sex difference than those using only cord venous samples (Hedges' g = 0.94 vs 0.32); this suggests umbilical cord venous T is of maternal/placental origin and arterial T is of fetal origin. The wide range of T values between studies suggests high cross-reactivity in the assay methods reviewed.
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