Human adipose tissue levels of persistent organic pollutants and metabolic syndrome components: Combining a cross-sectional with a 10-year longitudinal study using a multi-pollutant approach. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mustieles, Vicente; Fernández, Mariana F.; Martin-Olmedo, Piedad; González-Alzaga, Beatriz; Fontalba-Navas, Andrés; Hauser, Russ; Olea, Nicolás; Arrebola, Juan P.
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 104(2017)
• Page Start: 48
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Metabolic syndrome -- Metabolic disruption -- Persistent organic pollutants -- Organochlorine pesticides -- Polychlorinated biphenyls; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.04.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: We aimed to assess the influence of long-term exposure to POPs on the risk of metabolic syndrome, combining a cross-sectional with a 10-year longitudinal follow-up design. Residues of eight POPs were quantified in adipose tissue samples from 387 participants recruited between 2003 and 2004 in Granada province (Spain). The outcome ("metabolically compromised") was defined as having ≥ 1 diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and/or low HDL cholesterol. The cross-sectional analysis was conducted in the initial cohort, while the 10-year longitudinal analysis was conducted in those 154 participants free of any of the so-mentioned metabolic diseases and classified as "metabolically healthy" at recruitment. Statistical analyses were performed using single and multi-pollutant approaches through logistic and Cox regression analyses with elastic net penalty. After adjusting for confounders, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were independently associated with an increased risk of being metabolically compromised (unpenalized ORs = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.01–1.36 and 1.17, 95% CI = 0.99–1.38, respectively). Very similar results were found in the 10-year longitudinal analysis [HRs = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.01–1.61 (β-HCH); 1.26, 95% CI = 1.00–1.59 (HCB)] and were in line with those obtained using elastic net regression. Finally, when the arithmetic sum of both compounds was used as independent variable, risk estimates increased to OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03–1.52 and HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.02–1.70. Our results suggest that historical exposure to HCB and β-HCH is consistently associated with the risk of metabolic disorders, and that these POPs might be partly responsible for the morbidity risk traditionally attributed to age and obesity. Graphical abstract: Highlights: We studied the influence of POPs in adipose tissue on metabolic syndrome components. We combined a cross-sectional with a 10-year longitudinal follow-up design. Analyses included a multi-pollutant approach using elastic net penalty. β-HCH & HCB levels were associated with both an increased prevalence and incidence. POPs might be partly responsible for the morbidity attributed to age and obesity.