Serviço de Imunologia Básica e Clínica, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal & Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal.
Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management (INEGI), Porto, Portugal.
Allergy. 2019 Jul;74(7):1277-1291. doi: 10.1111/all.13740. Epub 2019 Mar 5.
Indoor air contaminants may act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, to what extent these contaminants affect health is poorly known. We aimed to assess the association between EDCs exposure and asthma, respiratory symptoms and obesity in schoolchildren.
Data from a cross-sectional analysis of 815 participants from 20 schools in Porto, Portugal, were analysed. Symptoms were assessed, asthma was defined on lung function, and airway reversibility and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. The concentrations of 13 volatile organic compounds and 2 aldehydes identified as EDCs were measured in 71 classrooms throughout 1 week. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the effect of co-exposure. Associations were estimated by regression coefficients using linear and logistic regression models.
Increased individual and combined EDCs levels were found in classrooms having more children with asthma and obesity. Higher levels of hexane, styrene, cyclohexanone, butylated hydroxytoluene and 2-butoxyethanol were associated with obesity, and higher levels of cyclohexanone were associated with increased child BMI. Toluene, o-xylene, m/p-xylene and ethylbenzene were significantly associated with nasal obstruction. A positive association was found between PC1 and the risk of obese asthma (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.01, 1.98) and between PC2 and overweight (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.28, 1.79). PC1 and PC2 were also associated with nasal obstruction, and PC2 was associated with breathing difficulties and lean body mass, although EDCs concentrations were low.
Our findings further support the role of EDCs in asthma and obesity development. Moreover, even low levels of indoor exposure may influence the risk of asthma, respiratory symptoms and obesity.
室内空气污染物可能充当内分泌干扰化学物质（EDCs）。然而，这些污染物对健康的影响程度知之甚少。我们旨在评估 EDC 暴露与儿童哮喘、呼吸道症状和肥胖之间的关联。
对来自葡萄牙波尔图 20 所学校的 815 名参与者进行了一项横断面分析，评估了症状，通过肺功能定义哮喘，并计算气道可逆性和体重指数（BMI）。在整个一周内，对 71 间教室中 13 种挥发性有机化合物和 2 种醛类被确定为 EDC 的浓度进行了测量。主成分分析（PCA）用于评估共同暴露的影响。使用线性和逻辑回归模型，通过回归系数估计关联。
在有更多哮喘和肥胖儿童的教室中发现了个体和联合 EDC 水平的升高。更高的己烷、苯乙烯、环己酮、丁基化羟基甲苯和 2-丁氧基乙醇水平与肥胖有关，而更高的环己酮水平与儿童 BMI 增加有关。甲苯、对二甲苯、间二甲苯和乙苯与鼻腔阻塞显著相关。PC1 与肥胖型哮喘的风险之间存在正相关（OR=1.43，95%CI 1.01，1.98），PC2 与超重之间存在正相关（OR=1.51，95%CI 1.28，1.79）。PC1 和 PC2 也与鼻腔阻塞有关，而 PC2 与呼吸困难和瘦体重有关，尽管 EDC 浓度较低。
我们的研究结果进一步支持 EDCs 在哮喘和肥胖发展中的作用。此外，即使是低水平的室内暴露也可能影响哮喘、呼吸道症状和肥胖的风险。
