Abstract
BackgroundThere is increasing evidence that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may contribute to pre-eclampsia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as POPs with pre-eclampsia.MethodsThis case–control study was performed in the three general university hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Serum samples were collected from cases (n = 45) who had diagnosed with preeclampsia and from control samples (n = 70) with normal pregnancy and attended the same hospital for a routine prenatal visit at the third trimester of pregnancy. Pollutants levels were analyzed by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).ResultsMean participant age was 27.3 ± 5.39 with median 27. As the main independent variable, total POPs manifested with adjusted OR equal to 1.54 (95 % CI: 1.26–1.87, p-value <0.0001), which was significantly associated with pre-eclampsia. The adjusted OR proved a statistically significant association between total PCBs 1.77 (95 % CI: 1.34–2.32) and total PBDEs (OR = 2.19; 95 % CI: 1.39–3.45, p-value = 0.001) with pre-eclampsia considering confounding variables (maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational age, weight gain during pregnancy and total lipids in maternal serum). Finally, pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy had a positive association with pre-eclampsia and gestational age yielded a negative association with pre-eclampsia in all analysis.ConclusionOur data indicate the association between total POPs, total PBDEs, and total PCBs with pre-eclampsia, even after controlling for the effects of a number of potentially confounding factors. Further investigation about route of exposure and the trend of POPs especially in pregnant women is needed.
Highlights
There is increasing evidence that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may contribute to pre-eclampsia
As the main independent variable, total POPs manifested with Odds ratio (OR) equal to 1.54, which was significantly associated with pre-eclampsia
Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and weight gain during pregnancy had a positive association with pre-eclampsia and gestational age yielded a negative association with pre-eclampsia in all analysis (Table 4)
Summary
There is increasing evidence that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may contribute to pre-eclampsia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as POPs with pre-eclampsia. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are characterized by their ability to persist in the environment, low water and high lipid solubility, slow degradation and their bio-magnification in the food chain [1]. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) are classified as POPs. PCB have been widely used in heat exchange fluids, in electronic transformers and capacitors and used as an additive in paint, carbonless copy paper, sealants and plastics [2]. The ability of POPs to co-distil, volatilize from landfills into the atmosphere and resist degradation, makes atmospheric transport of these chemicals as the primary
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