Plasma concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and pubertal timing: A prospective analysis in Project Viva

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Background/Aim Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may disrupt pubertal and adrenarchal timing. Animal and human studies have shown associations of prenatal PFAS exposure with delayed puberty in females; fewer studies have investigated childhood exposure. Methods We studied 636 children in Project Viva, a Boston-area prospective pre-birth cohort. We examined associations of plasma concentrations of 6 PFAS measured at mean 7.9 (SD 0.8) years (2006-2010) with markers of pubertal timing. At early adolescence (mean 13.1 (SD 0.8) years), parents reported pubertal signs (a 5-item pubertal development score) and children reported adrenarchal stage (pubic hair Tanner staging pictograph) on questionnaires. We calculated age at peak height velocity using research and clinical measures of height. We used sex-specific linear regression (for pubertal development score and age at peak height velocity) and ordinal logistic regression (for pubic hair staging) models, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results Plasma concentrations were highest for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) [median (IQR) 6.4(5.6) ng/mL], followed by perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) [4.4(3.0) ng/mL] and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) [0.3(0.3) ng/mL]. Girls had earlier pubertal development than boys [pubertal development score mean (SD) 2.9(0.7) for girls and 2.2(0.7) for boys and age at peak height velocity mean(SD) 11.2(1.0) for girls and 13.1(1.0) for boys]. Girls with greater PFAS concentrations had delayed pubertal timing [e.g., each doubling of PFOA was associated with lower pubertal development score (-0.15 units; 95% CI: -0.29, -0.02) and older age at peak height velocity (0.29 years; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.51)], with strongest associations for PFOA, PFOS, and PFDA. Plasma PFAS concentrations were not associated with pubertal timing in boys or with adrenarchal timing in girls or boys.Conclusions In a large, prospective US cohort, higher plasma PFAS concentrations in mid-childhood were associated with later onset of puberty in girls, which may be a risk factor for infertility and osteoporosis.