Exposure to dietary polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, and its relationship with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis: The Aragon Workers' Health Study

• Published in: Environment international 2020-03, Vol.136, p.105433, Article 105433
• Main Authors: Donat-Vargas, Carolina, Moreno-Franco, Belén, Laclaustra, Martín, Sandoval-Insausti, Helena, Jarauta, Estibaliz, Guallar-Castillon, Pilar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dietary polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Nutritional and environmental epidemiology; Subclinical coronary atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105433

•Fish and related products was the leading food group responsible for dietary PCBs exposure.•Dietary dioxin exposure was small and spread across different foods.•Dietary PCBs are directly associated more intense subclinical coronary atherosclerosis.•Dietary dioxins were not associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Experimental evidence has revealed that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins directly impairs endothelial function and induces atherosclerosis progression. In the general population, despite a small number of recent studies finding a link between PCBs, and stroke and myocardial infraction, the association with early coronary atherosclerosis has not been examined yet. To examine whether dietary exposure to PCBs and dioxins is associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in a middle-aged men. Cross-sectional analysis comprising 1844 men in their 50 s and free of cardiovascular disease, who participated in the Aragon Workers' Health Study (AWHS). Individual dietary exposures to PCBs and dioxins were estimated by the contaminant’s concentration in food coupled with the corresponding consumption and then participants were classified into quartiles of consumption. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) was assessed by computerized tomography. We conducted ordered logistic regressions to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for progression to the categories of more coronary artery calcium, adjusting for potential confounders. Among the participants, coronary calcium was not shown in 60.1% (n = 1108), 29.8% had a CACS > 0 and