Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Environ Res. 2021 Jan;192:110178. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110178. Epub 2020 Sep 28.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA), are common persistent environmental organic pollutants. Animal studies have indicated that PFAS influence inflammatory responses and lung development. However, whether prenatal or childhood PFAS exposure affects children's lung function remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate both in utero exposure and childhood exposure to PFAS and the relationships between them and lung function development in childhood.
In total, 165 children were recruited from the Taiwan Birth Panel Study (TBPS). Cord blood plasma and children's serum were collected when they were eight years old. PFAS levels were analysed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. When these children reached eight years of age, we administered detailed questionnaires and lung function examinations.
The mean concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFUA in cord blood among the 165 study children were 2.4, 6.4, 6.0, and 15.4 ng/mL, respectively. The mean concentrations in serum from eight-year-olds were 2.7, 5.9, 0.6, and 0.3 ng/mL, respectively. At eight years of age, the mean FEV1 (forced expiratory volume per sec), FVC (forced vital capacity), PEF (peak expiratory flow) and FEV1/FVC values were 1679 mL, 1835 mL, 3846 mL/s and 92.0%, respectively. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFUA levels in cord blood were inversely associated with FEV1, FVC and PEF values. The PFOS concentration in cord blood was the most consistently correlated with decreasing lung function before and after adjusting for confounding factors. The PFOS concentration was also significantly inversely correlated with lung function in subgroups with lower birth weight and allergic rhinitis.
Our cohort study revealed that the concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFUA were higher in cord blood than in serum from eight-year-olds. Some trends were also noted between intrauterine PFOS exposure and children's decreasing FEV1, FVC and PEF, especially in subgroups with lower birth weight and allergic rhinitis. Therefore, intrauterine PFAS exposure, especially PFOS, may play a vital role in lung development.
全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFAS），如 全氟辛酸（PFOA）、全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）、全氟壬酸（PFNA）和全氟癸酸（PFUA），是常见的持久性环境有机污染物。动物研究表明，PFAS 会影响炎症反应和肺部发育。然而，产前或儿童时期接触 PFAS 是否会影响儿童的肺功能仍不清楚。本研究旨在探讨宫内暴露和儿童时期接触 PFAS 及其与儿童期肺功能发育的关系。
共招募了 165 名来自台湾出生队列研究（TBPS）的儿童。当他们 8 岁时采集脐带血血浆和儿童血清。通过超高效液相色谱/串联质谱法分析 PFAS 水平。当这些孩子 8 岁时，我们进行了详细的问卷调查和肺功能检查。
165 名研究儿童脐带血中 PFOA、PFOS、PFNA 和 PFUA 的平均浓度分别为 2.4、6.4、6.0 和 15.4ng/mL。8 岁儿童血清中的平均浓度分别为 2.7、5.9、0.6 和 0.3ng/mL。8 岁时，FEV1（用力呼气量）、FVC（用力肺活量）、PEF（峰流速）和 FEV1/FVC 值的平均值分别为 1679mL、1835mL、3846mL/s 和 92.0%。脐带血中的 PFOA、PFOS、PFNA 和 PFUA 水平与 FEV1、FVC 和 PEF 值呈负相关。在调整混杂因素后，PFOS 在脐带血中的浓度与肺功能下降最为一致。PFOS 浓度与出生体重较低和过敏性鼻炎亚组的肺功能也呈显著负相关。
本队列研究显示，PFOA、PFOS、PFNA 和 PFUA 在脐带血中的浓度高于 8 岁儿童血清中的浓度。在宫内 PFOS 暴露与儿童 FEV1、FVC 和 PEF 下降之间也观察到一些趋势，尤其是在出生体重较低和过敏性鼻炎亚组中。因此，宫内 PFAS 暴露，尤其是 PFOS，可能在肺发育中发挥重要作用。
