| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4470209 | Environmental Research | 2011 | 7 Pages |
BackgroundThe role of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the immune system and allergic diseases is not well-known. This study examined the effects of pre-natal exposure to PFCs on immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and atopic dermatitis (AD).MethodsIn Taiwan Birth Panel cohort study, newborns with cord blood and peri-natal factors (i.e. birth body weight, weeks of gestation, and type of delivery) gathered at birth were evaluated. At the age of 2 years, information on the development of AD, environmental exposures, and serum total IgE were collected. The AD and non-AD children were compared for the concentration of cord blood serum PFCs measured by Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/triple–quadrupole mass (UPLC-MS/MS). Correlations among cord blood IgE, serum total IgE at 2 years of age, and cord blood PFC levels were made.ResultsOf 244 children who completed the follow-up and specimen collections, 43 (17.6%) developed AD. Concentrations of cord blood serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) were median (range) 1.71 (0.75–17.40), 5.50 (0.11–48.36), 2.30 (0.38–63.87), and 0.035 (0.035–0.420) ng/mL, respectively. PFOA and PFOS levels positively correlated with cord blood IgE levels (per ln-unit: β=0.134 KU/l, p=0.047 for PFOA; β=0.161 KU/l, p=0.017 for PFOS). Analyses stratified by gender revealed that PFOA and PFOS levels positively correlated with cord blood IgE levels only in boys (per ln-unit: β=0.206 KU/l, p=0.025 for PFOA; β=0.175 KU/l, p=0.053 for PFOS). When dividing cord blood serum PFCs into quartiles in the fully adjusted models, AD had no significant association with PFOS.ConclusionsPre-natal PFOA and PFOS exposures positively correlated with cord blood IgE levels.
► Prenatal exposures to PFOA and PFOS positively correlated with cord blood IgE levels. ► Analyses stratified by gender revealed that only boys had this positive correlation. ► Further large-scale follow-up studies are required to determine whether the findings are replicable.
