Journal Article
Diabetes Prevalence in Relation to Serum Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Congener Groups and Three Chlorinated Pesticides in a Native American Population
Aminov, Z; Haase, R; Rej, R; Schymura, MJ; Santiago-Rivera, A; Morse, G; Decaprio, A; Carpenter, DO; Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment
Environmental Health Perspectives
ISSN: 0091-6765
EISSN: 1552-9924
BACKGROUND: Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is known to increase risk of diabetes.
OBJECTIVE: To determine which POPs are most associated with prevalence of diabetes in 601 Akwesasne Native Americans.
METHODS: Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between quartiles of concentrations of 101 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) congeners, congener groups and three chlorinated pesticides [dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and mirex] with diabetes. In Model 1 the relationship between quartiles of exposure and diabetes were adjusted only for sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and total serum lipids. Model 2 included additional adjustment for either total PCBs or total pesticides.
RESULTS: Total serum PCB and pesticide concentrations were each significantly associated with prevalence of diabetes when adjusted only for covariates (Model 1), but neither showed a significant OR for highest to lowest quartiles after additional adjustment for the other (Model 2). When applying Model 2 to PCB congener groups and individual pesticides, there were significant omnibus differences between the four quartiles (all p's <0.042) for most groups, with the exception of penta/hexachloro biphenyls, DDE and mirex. However, when comparing highest to lowest quartiles only non/mono-ortho PCBs [OR = 4.55 (1.48-13.95)], tri/tetra-chloro PCBs [OR = 3.66 (1.37-9.78)] and HCB [OR = 2.64 (1.05-6.61)] showed significant associations with diabetes. Among the non/mono-ortho congeners, highest to lowest quartile of dioxin TEQs was not significant [OR = 1.82 (0.61-5.40)] but the OR for the non-dioxin-like congeners was [OR = 5.01 (1.76-14.24)].
CONCLUSION: The associations with diabetes after adjustment for other POPs were strongest with the more volatile, non-dioxin-like, low chlorinated PCB congeners and HCB. Because low chlorined congeners are more volatile these observations suggest that inhalation of vapor-phase PCBs is an important route of exposure.
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Toxicology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; persistent organic pollutants, environmental contaminants,; insulin-resistance, cigarette-smoking, fish consumption,; national-health, dose-response, exposure, risk, mellitus