Abstract
BackgroundPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine-metabolic disorder that affects approximately 6-10% of women of child-bearing age. Although preliminary studies suggest that certain pollutants may act as endocrine disruptors in animals, little is known about their potential association with PCOS. The objective of this case-control pilot study is to determine whether women with PCOS have higher concentrations of specific environmental contaminants compared to women who have not developed PCOS.MethodsFifty-two PCOS case-patients (diagnosed using the National Institutes of Health 1990 definition) and 50 controls were recruited in 2007–2008, from an urban academic medical center in Los Angeles, CA. Brominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were measured in serum, and phthalates metabolites and bisphenol A (BPA) in urine.ResultsPCOS case-patients had significantly higher geometric mean (GM) serum concentrations of two PFCs: perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) (GMcases = 4.1 μg/L, GMcontrols = 2.3 μg/L; p = 0.001) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (GMcases = 8.2 μg/L, GMcontrols = 4.9 μg/L; p = 0.01), and lower urinary concentrations of monobenzyl phthalate (mBzP) (GMcases = 7.5 μg/g creatinine, GMcontrols = 11.7 μg/g creatinine; p = 0.02). Logistic regression, controlling for body mass index, age and race, identified an increased likelihood of PCOS in subjects with higher serum concentrations of PFOA and PFOS (adjusted-ORs = 5.8–6.9, p < 0.05), and with lower urine concentrations of mBzP and mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP) (aORs = 0.14–0.25, p < 0.05).ConclusionsOur data suggest that PCOS case-patients may differ from controls in their environmental contaminant profile. PCOS subjects had higher serum concentrations of two PFCs, PFOA and PFOS, and lower urine concentrations of mBP and mBzP. Future studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings and determine if these chemicals or their precursors may have a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6823-14-86) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine-metabolic disorder that affects approximately 6-10% of women of child-bearing age
We investigated whether an increase in the likelihood of being diagnosed with PCOS may be associated with exposure to 36 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 9 Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 11 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 8 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), 8 phthalates, and bisphenol A (BPA) as measured by concentrations in serum or urine
More than 50% of the samples had serum or urine concentrations < limit of detection (LOD) for 22 PCBs, 3OCPs, 2 phthalate metabolites, and 2 PFCs; no further analyses were conducted for these compounds (Additional file 2)
Summary
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine-metabolic disorder that affects approximately 6-10% of women of child-bearing age. Preliminary studies suggest that certain pollutants may act as endocrine disruptors in animals, little is known about their potential association with PCOS. The objective of this case-control pilot study is to determine whether women with PCOS have higher concentrations of specific environmental contaminants compared to women who have not developed PCOS. In vitro and animal studies have implicated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and BPA as endocrine disruptors [9,10,11,12,13,14] All of these industrial chemicals can be detected in food, water, or air, and diet is an important route of human exposure [15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
