Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 1;19(15):9423. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159423.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may interfere with hormonal processes. Knowledge about the effects of prenatal exposure to PCBs and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) on pubertal development is limited. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine whether prenatal environmental PCB and OH-PCB exposure are associated with reproductive hormone levels and pubertal characteristics in 13- to 15-year-old children. In this Dutch observational cohort study, 194 mother-infant pairs were included (1998-2002). Maternal pregnancy serum levels of PCBs, OH-PCBs, and other POPs were measured. At follow-up (2014-2016), we measured serum or plasma levels of reproductive hormones in their children. We assessed Tanner stages and testicular volume (by clinician or standardized self-assessment), and participants completed questionnaires on pubertal onset. In total, 101 adolescents (14.4 ± 0.8 years; 53.7% of invited) participated, and 55 were boys. In boys, higher prenatal PCB levels were associated with higher testosterone levels, higher pubic hair stage, larger testicular volume, and younger age at onset of growth spurt and voice break. In girls, higher prenatal PCB levels were associated with higher stages for breast development. In conclusion, higher prenatal PCB exposure could be associated with more advanced pubertal development in 13- to 15-year-old children.
持久性有机污染物（POPs），如多氯联苯（PCBs），可能会干扰激素过程。关于产前暴露于 PCBs 及其羟基代谢物（OH-PCBs）对青春期发育的影响的知识有限。因此，本研究的目的是确定产前环境 PCB 和 OH-PCBs 暴露是否与 13 至 15 岁儿童的生殖激素水平和青春期特征有关。在这项荷兰观察性队列研究中，纳入了 194 对母婴对（1998-2002 年）。测量了母亲妊娠血清中的 PCBs、OH-PCBs 和其他 POPs 水平。在随访（2014-2016 年）中，我们测量了他们孩子的生殖激素血清或血浆水平。我们评估了 Tanner 分期和睾丸体积（由临床医生或标准化自我评估），参与者完成了关于青春期开始的问卷。共有 101 名青少年（14.4±0.8 岁；受邀者的 53.7%）参加了研究，其中 55 名是男孩。在男孩中，较高的产前 PCB 水平与较高的睾丸激素水平、较高的阴毛阶段、较大的睾丸体积以及青春期开始和声音变化的年龄较小有关。在女孩中，较高的产前 PCB 水平与乳房发育的较高阶段有关。总之，较高的产前 PCB 暴露可能与 13 至 15 岁儿童更先进的青春期发育有关。
