Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds and lung function until early adulthood

Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs) can increase the risk of adverse respiratory symptoms in children and adolescents, but evidence is mainly based on reported symptoms. We assessed the association between prenatal exposure to OCs and lung function until early adulthood.We included 1146 participants belonging to the Spanish INMA (Childhood and Environment) birth cohort in Menorca, Valencia, Gipuzkoa, and Sabadell regions. Prenatal concentrations of hexachlorobenzene [HCB], dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT], dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [DDE], and four polychlorinated biphenyls [PCB-118, -138, -153, and -180] were measured in maternal or cord serum. Lung function was measured by spirometry at 4 and 7 years in Valencia, Gipuzkoa, and Sabadell (n=1150) and at 11, 14, and 18 years in Menorca (n=296).High percentage of samples presented quantifiable levels of all the analyzed OCs. DDE, HCB, and PCB-153 were the compounds with higher median concentrations. Prenatal exposure to the second tertile of DDE concentrations was associated with reduced forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at 4 and 7 years of age when compared to the lowest tertile (e.g. FEV1 at 7 years= -0.15 L; 95%CI= -0.30 to -0.01). Prenatal exposure to the second tertile of PCB-153 concentrations was associated with reduced FVC and FEV1 when compared to the lowest tertile at 11 and 14 years, although not all associations were statistically significant (e.g....
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Paediatric respiratory epidemiology Source Type: research