Bisphenol A exposure may increase the risk of development of atopic disorders in children.

Abstract

Little is known about the effect of Bisphenol A (BPA) on atopic disorders. To investigated the associations (i) between postnatal BPA exposure and allergic diseases in children; (ii) between BPA and IgE levels for the possible disease pathogenesis; and (iii) gender-based differences. A total of 453 children from Childhood Environment and Allergic Diseases Study cohort with urine and blood samples were recruited in Taiwan. Urinary BPA glucoronide (BPAG) levels were measured by UPLC-MS/MS at ages 3 and 6 years. The associations between BPAG levels at different ages and IgE levels and the development of allergic diseases were evaluated by multivariate linear regression and logistic regression. A mediation analysis was also conducted to evaluate how much risk of allergic diseases in relation to BPA exposure is explained by IgE changes. The BPAG levels at age 3 were positively associated with IgE levels at age 3 (β=64.85kU/l per ln-unit increase BPAG level; 95% CI, 14.59-115.11kU/l). Stratified by gender, BPAG levels at age 3 were positively associated with IgE levels at age 3, particularly in girls (β=139.23kU/l; 95% CI, 57.38-221.09kU/l). Similar results were also found at age 6. Urinary BPAG levels at age 3 were significantly associated with asthma at ages 3 and 6, with OR (95%CI) of 1.29(1.08-1.55) and 1.27(1.04-1.55). We estimated that 70% of the total effect of BPA exposure on asthma is mediated by IgE levels. BPA exposures were associated with IgE levels and may increase the risk of development of allergic diseases in children particularly in girls.