Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and dyslipidemia, hypertension and obesity in adolescents. The Fit Futures study

• Published in: Environmental research 2021-04, Vol.195, p.110740, Article 110740
• Main Authors: Averina, Maria, Brox, Jan, Huber, Sandra, Furberg, Anne-Sofie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Basale medisinske, odontologiske og veterinærmedisinske fag: 710; Basic medical, dental and veterinary science disciplines: 710; Cardiovascular risk factors; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dyslipidemia; Dyslipidemias - chemically induced; Dyslipidemias - epidemiology; Environmental Pollutants; Fluorocarbons; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - chemically induced; Hypertension - epidemiology; Medical disciplines: 700; Medisinske Fag: 700; Norway; Obesity; Obesity - chemically induced; Obesity - epidemiology; PFAS; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; VDP
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110740

Prevalence of obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia has been increasing in children and adolescents worldwide. Exposure to environmental pollutants may contribute to this development. Our aim was to study associations between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and dyslipidemia, hypertension and obesity in a population-based sample of adolescents. Serum PFAS concentrations were measured in 940 adolescents, mean age 16.4 (SD 1.3) years, from the cross-sectional Fit Futures study by the UHPLC-MS/MS method. The following endpoints were used: hypertension (systolic blood pressure over 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure over 80 mmHg); obesity (body mass index over 2 z-score, WHO charts for adolescents); dyslipidemia (total cholesterol ≥ 5.17 mmol/L, and/or LDL-cholesterol ≥ 3.36 mmol/l, and/or apolipoprotein B ≥ 1.10 g/L). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA) serum concentrations were positively associated with apolipoprotein B, total- and LDL cholesterol. The highest vs. lowest quartiles of total PFAS (∑PFAS), PFNA and PFDA concentrations were positively associated with the risk of dyslipidemia: OR 2.24 (95% CI 1.10–4.54), OR 2.30 (95% CI 1.16–4.57) and 2.36 (95% CI 1.08–5.16), respectively. The highest vs. lowest quartiles of ∑PFAS, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), PFOS, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) concentrations were positively associated with the risk of hypertension: OR 1.91 (95% CI 1.12–3.26), OR 2.06 (95% CI 1.16–3.65), 1.86 (95% CI 1.08–3.19) and 2.08 (95% CI 1.17–3.69) respectively. PFHxS and perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS) concentrations were positively associated with obesity. This cross-sectional study showed a possible link between several PFAS and dyslipidemia, hypertension and obesity in Norwegian adolescents. •18 PFAS were measured in serum of Norwegian adolescents in the cross-sectional study.•PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA were positively associated with apo B, total and LDL cholesterol.•∑PFAS, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA were positively associated with the risk of dyslipidemia.•∑PFAS, PFHxS, PFOS, PFOA and were positively associated with the risk of hypertension.•PFHpS and PFHxS concentrations were positively associated with the risk of obesity.