Milken Institute School of Public Health Poster Presentations (Marvin Center & Video)
Poster Number
58
Document Type
Poster
Status
Graduate Student - Masters
Abstract Category
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Keywords
Environmental pollutants; Mortality; Cancer; Heart disease; cerebrovascular disease
Publication Date
4-2017
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmentally and biologically persistent chemicals that include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine (OC) pesticides. Currently, there is limited data on the association between exposure to POPs and the risk of mortality in the general US population. The objective of this study was to determine if higher exposure to POPs are associated with greater risk of all-cause, cancer, heart/cerebrovascular disease, or other-cause mortality in persons aged 60 years and older.
Methods: The analyses included participants aged 60 years and older from the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 483 subjects were included for analyses of PBDEs, 1428 for OC pesticides, 1043 for PFASs, and 461 for PCBs. Exposures to POPs were estimated using biomarkers measured in serum. Mortality status through December 31, 2011 was obtained from public-use, linked mortality files. We used adjusted Cox proportional hazard models to quantify the associations between POPs and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
Results: Serum measurements of PBDEs, PFASs, PCBs, and most OC pesticides were not clearly associated with increased all-cause, cancer, or heart/cerebrovascular disease mortality in the US elderly population in adjusted models. Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality [HR=1.18, 95% CI=1.01, 1.38]. Oxychlordane [HR=1.15 95% CI 1.06, 1.25], p,p'-DDE [HR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02, 1.23], Trans-nonachlor [HR=1.11, 95% CI=1.04, 1.18], and Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane [HR=1.25, 95% CI=1.03, 1.52] were associated with increased risk of other-cause mortality. The associations were robust to adjustment.
Conclusion: Our study found higher exposure to four OC pesticides is associated with increased non-cancer, non-CVD mortality in adults 60 years or older in the US. The finding of adverse associations between OC pesticides and other-cause mortality will require confirmation in an independent dataset.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Open Access
1
Included in
Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Public Health Commons, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons
Persistent Organic Pollutants and Mortality in the United States
Background/Objectives: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmentally and biologically persistent chemicals that include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine (OC) pesticides. Currently, there is limited data on the association between exposure to POPs and the risk of mortality in the general US population. The objective of this study was to determine if higher exposure to POPs are associated with greater risk of all-cause, cancer, heart/cerebrovascular disease, or other-cause mortality in persons aged 60 years and older.
Methods: The analyses included participants aged 60 years and older from the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 483 subjects were included for analyses of PBDEs, 1428 for OC pesticides, 1043 for PFASs, and 461 for PCBs. Exposures to POPs were estimated using biomarkers measured in serum. Mortality status through December 31, 2011 was obtained from public-use, linked mortality files. We used adjusted Cox proportional hazard models to quantify the associations between POPs and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
Results: Serum measurements of PBDEs, PFASs, PCBs, and most OC pesticides were not clearly associated with increased all-cause, cancer, or heart/cerebrovascular disease mortality in the US elderly population in adjusted models. Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality [HR=1.18, 95% CI=1.01, 1.38]. Oxychlordane [HR=1.15 95% CI 1.06, 1.25], p,p'-DDE [HR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02, 1.23], Trans-nonachlor [HR=1.11, 95% CI=1.04, 1.18], and Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane [HR=1.25, 95% CI=1.03, 1.52] were associated with increased risk of other-cause mortality. The associations were robust to adjustment.
Conclusion: Our study found higher exposure to four OC pesticides is associated with increased non-cancer, non-CVD mortality in adults 60 years or older in the US. The finding of adverse associations between OC pesticides and other-cause mortality will require confirmation in an independent dataset.
Comments
Poster presented at GW Annual Research Days 2017.
This poster is the winner of the Judges Choice Award: Masters Students.