Evaluation of the air pollution impact in lung function of high school students living in a ceramic industrial park zone

Introdução: Santa Gertrudes, São Paulo, está localizada em uma região produtora de cerâmicas, e as médias anuais de material particulado com diâmetro aerodinâmico menor que 10 m (MP10) estão entre as mais elevadas do Brasil. O MP10 de Santa Gertrudes é majoritariamente formado por partículas de sílica. Exposição a elevadas concentrações de MP10 está associada à redução do desenvolvimento pulmonar durante a infância e adolescência. Objetivos: avaliar função pulmonar de adolescentes morando em uma região produtora de cerâmicas expostos a elevadas concentrações de MP10 rico em sílica. Métodos: corte transversal avaliando estudantes do ensino médio de escolas públicas que moraram nos últimos 10 anos na mesma cidade. O estudo foi realizado em Santa Gertrudes (SG), Rio Claro (RC), São Pedro (SP) e Jaú (JA), no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, entre 2018 e 2019. Os estudantes foram submetidos a questionários estruturados, ao questionário da International Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) sobre asma e rinite, à avaliação clínica, e à espirometria. Foram comparadas as prevalências de sintomas de asma e rinite, diagnóstico de asma, presença de distúrbios ventilatórios na espirometria, presença de capacidade vital forçada (CVF) e volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) abaixo dos limites inferiores de normalidade (LIN) e médias de CVF e VEF1 nos estudantes de cada cidade. Foram obtidas as médias anuais de MP10 em SG, RC e JA nos anos de avaliação através de monitor fixo da CETESB, e média de MP10 convertida nos dias de avaliação em SP através de monitor portátil. Foram avaliadas as correlações entre a prevalência de CVF < LIN e MP10, e entre VEF1 < LIN e MP10. Foram realizadas análises de regressão linear univariada entre variáveis selecionadas e CVF% assim como VEF1%. A partir disso, foram realizados modelos de regressão linear múltipla. Resultados: foram incluídos 548 estudantes (JA 98, RC 153, SG 158, SP 139). As médias de CVF% foram diferentes entre as cidades (JA 94,5% ±11,1%, RC 98,8% ±12,9%, SG 95,0% ±11,8%, SP 102,4% ±13,8%) (p<0,05), assim como as médias de VEF1% (JA 96,7% ±10,9%, RC 99,7% ±12,0%, SG 95,7% ±10,4%, SP 103,2% ±12,0%) (p < 0,05). Não houve diferenças entre as prevalências de sintomas de rinite, sintomas de asma, diagnóstico de asma, distúrbios ventilatórios na espirometria, CVF < LIN ou VEF1 < LIN. Médias de MP10 no ano do estudo foram diferentes entre as cidades (JA 25,24 ±19,88g/m3, RC 42,59 ±23,46g/m3, SG 77,75 ±38,08g/m3, SP 29,52 ±9,87g/m3) (p<0,01 na comparação pareada). Prevalência de VEF1 < LIN e média de MP10 apresentaram correlação fortemente positiva (r=0,98, p=0,01). Análise de regressão linear univariada mostrou associação de IMC, desnutrição, obesidade e MP10 com CVF%; análise de regressão linear univariada mostrou associação de IMC, desnutrição, MP10, sintomas de asma e diagnóstico de asma com VEF1%. Em modelos de regressão linear múltipla, cada aumento de MP10 em 10g/m3 foi associado à redução de CVF% em 0,61% (IC 95% 0,131,08, p = 0,01) e redução de VEF1% em 0,80% (IC 95% 0,341,26, p < 0,01). Conclusões: médias de CVF% e VEF1% de estudantes moradores de SG e JA foram menores que em RC e SP. Exposição a maiores níveis de MP10 foi associada a menores valores de CVF% e VEF1%Background: Santa Gertrudes, São Paulo, is located in a ceramic industrial park zone, and its particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 m (PM10) concentration levels have been among the highest in monitored cities in Brazil in the past few years. Local PM10 is mostly composed of silica particles. Exposure to high PM10 levels is associated with impaired lung development in childhood and adolescence. Objectives: to evaluate lung function parameters of adolescents living in a ceramic industrial park zone exposed to high levels of silica-rich PM10. Methods: Cross-sectional study evaluating lung function parameters of public high school students between 15 to 19 years of age, living for the past 10 years in the towns of Santa Gertrudes (SG), Rio Claro (RC), São Pedro (SP) and Jaú (JA) at São Paulo State, Brazil in 2018. Students were screened for asthma with the International Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) asthma symptoms questionnaire, and were submitted to lung spirometry. We compared the prevalence of lung function abnormalities, asthma symptoms and diagnosis, and the mean FVC and FEV1 between locations. The mean PM10 during 2018 in SG, RC and JA were obtained by CETESB fixed monitors, and the mean PM10 in SP during study protocol days were provided by a portable PM10 monitor. We evaluated the correlation between the prevalence of FVC below the lower limit of normality (LLN) and PM10, as well as of FEV1<LLN and PM10. We performed univariate linear regression for several variables, and built multiple linear regression models. Results: 548 students were included in the analysis (SG 158, RC 153 and SP 139). The mean FVC% differed between locations (JA 94.5% ±11.1%, RC 98.8% ±12.9%, SG 95.0% ±11.8%, SP 102.4% ±13.8%) (p < 0.05), as well as the mean FEV1% (JA 96.7% ±10.9%, RC 99.7% ±12.0%, SG 95.7% ±10.4%, SP 103.2% ±12.0%) (p<0.05). The prevalence of asthma symptoms or diagnosis, lung function disorders, FVC<LLN or FEV1<LLN did not differ between groups. The mean PM10 in the year of study differed between locations (JA 25,24 ±19,88g/m3, RC 42.59 ±23.46g/m3, SG 77.75 ±38.08g/m3, SP 29.52 ±9.87g/m3) (p<0.01 for each pairwise comparison). Prevalence of FEV1<LLN correlated positively with the mean PM10 (r=0.98, p=0.01). Univariate analysis showed associations of BMI, malnutrition, obesity, and PM10, with FVC% and of BMI, malnutrition, PM10, asthma symptoms, and asthma diagnosis with FEV1%. In multiple variable regression, each increase of PM10 by 10g/m3 was associated with a decrease in FVC% by 0.61% (CI95% 0.131.08, p=0.01) and a decrease in FEV1% by 0.80% (CI95% 0.341.26, p<0.01). Conclusion: students living in SG and JA had lower mean FVC% and FEV1% than students living in RC and SP. Exposure to higher PM10 levels was associated with lower FVC% and FEV1

Associations between prenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides and thyroid hormone levels in mothers and infants : The Hokkaido study on environment and children's health

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are environmental contaminants with potentially adverse effects on neurodevelopment. Previous findings on the association between prenatal exposure to OCPs and the maternal or infant thyroid hormone system are inconsistent. Moreover, the influence of exposure to multiple OCPs and other chemical compounds is not clearly understood. Our study therefore aimed to examine the association between OCP exposure and both maternal and infant thyroid hormone systems. We also explored multiple exposure effects of OCPs and the influence of each compound using weighted quantile sum (WQS) methods. The study population included 514 participants in the Hokkaido study, recruited from 2002 to 2005 at one hospital in Sapporo, Japan. To quantify 29 OCPs, maternal blood samples were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Blood samples for measuring thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels were obtained from mothers during the early gestational stage (mean 11.4 weeks), and from infants between 7 and 43 days of age. The data of 333 mother child pairs with OCP and thyroid hormone measurements were included in the final analyses. Multivariate regression models showed a negative association between maternal FT4 and levels of o,p -dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), o,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichlomethane (DDT), and dieldrin. The WQS analysis showed that o,p '-DDT (48.6%), cis-heptachlorepoxide (22.8%), dieldrin (15.4%) were the primary contributors to the significant multiple exposure effect of OCPs on maternal FT4. For infants, we found a positive association between FT4 and cis-nonachlor and mirex. The most contributory compounds in the multiple exposure effect were trans-nonachlor (27.1%) and cis-nonachlor (13.8%), while several compounds contributed to the WQS via small weights (0.4-9.1%). These results indicate that OCPs, even at very low levels, may influence maternal and child thyroid hormone levels, which could modulate child development

Association between prenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides and the mental and psychomotor development of infants at ages 6 and 18 months : The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are environmental contaminants that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate through the food chain in humans and animals. Although previous studies have shown an association between prenatal OCP exposure and subsequent neurodevelopment, the levels of OCPs included in these studies were inconsistent. A hospital-based prospective birth cohort study was conducted to examine the associations between prenatal exposure to relatively low levels of OCPs and neurodevelopment in infants at 6 (n = 164) and 18 (n = 115) months of age. Blood samples were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques to quantify 29 OCPs. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development 2nd edition (BSID-II) was used to assess the Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Index. After controlling for confounders, we found an inverse association between prenatal exposure to cis-heptachlor epoxide and the Mental Developmental Index at 18 months of age. Furthermore, infants born to mothers with prenatal concentrations of cis-heptachlor epoxide in the highest quartile had Mental Developmental Index scores -9.8 (95% confidence interval: -16.4, -3.1) lower than that recorded for infants born to mothers with concentrations of cis-heptachlor epoxide in the first quartile (p for trend < 0.01). These results support the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to OCPs, especially cis-heptachlor epoxide, may have an adverse effect on the neurodevelopment of infants at specific ages, even at low levels

Relationships between maternal perfluoroalkyl substance levels, polymorphisms of receptor genes, and adverse birth outcomes in the Hokkaido birth cohort study, Japan

We assessed the associations between perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) levels in third trimester maternal serum, the maternal genotypes of genes encoding nuclear receptors, and birth outcomes. We studied a prospective birth cohort of healthy pregnant Japanese women (n = 372) recruited in Sapporo between July 2002 and October 2005. We analyzed PFOS and PFOA levels using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and analyzed 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of proliferator-activated receptor alpha, gamma, gamma coactivator 1A, delta, constitutive androstane receptor, liver X receptor alpha, and beta (LXRB) using real-time polymerase reaction (PCR). We employed multiple linear regression models to establish the influences of log10-transformed PFOS and PFOA levels and maternal genotypes on birth size. In female infants, we identified interactions between PFOS levels, the maternal genotype of LXRB (rs1405655), and birth weight. The estimated mean changes in birth weight in response to PFOS levels, the maternal genotype LXRB (rs1405655)-TC/CC (compared to TT), and their interactions were -502.9 g (95 % confidence interval [CI] = -247.3, -758.5 g), -526.3 g (95 % CI = -200.7, -852.0 g), and 662.1 g (95 % CI = 221.0, 1,103.2 g; pint = 0.003), respectively. Interactions between PFOS levels and the maternal genotype of LXRB (rs1405655) also significantly affected birth chest circumference and the Ponderal index (pint = 0.037 and 0.005, respectively). Thus, interactions between PFOS levels and the maternal genotype of LXRB (rs1405655) affects birth sizes in female infants. We found that certain SNPs modify the effects of PFOS levels on birth size

A methodological consideration for blood lead concentrations obtained from the earlobe in Japanese adults occupationally unexposed to lead

Abstract Background Neuropsychological effects of considerably low levels of lead exposure are observed in children, and a reliable and possibly painless technique that can detect such levels is required for the assessment of such exposure. We examined whether the blood lead (BPb) concentrations obtained from the earlobe were as valid and useful as those from the median cubital vein. Methods Paired blood samples were collected from the earlobe and cubital vein of 112 Japanese participants occupationally unexposed to lead, and the BPb levels were determined using ICP-MS. Results The limit of detection of BPb for the ICP-MS method was 0.015 μg/dL, and there was no participant with a BPb level below this limit. The median values of BPb concentrations were 0.91 (range, 0.41–2.48) μg/dL for earlobe blood using a 175-μL capillary tube and 0.85 (0.35–2.39) μg/dL for venous blood using a 5-mL vacuum tube. There was a significant correlation between the earlobe BPb levels and cubital vein BPb levels (Spearman rank correlation r S = 0.941), though the earlobe BPb levels were significantly higher than the cubital vein BPb levels. Most of the participants regarded earlobe puncture as a painless method. Conclusions These data suggest that earlobe BPb levels can be used to assess lead exposure in children. Blood collection using a capillary tube should be done carefully and promptly because slow withdrawal may lead to measurement bias

Prenatal organochlorine pesticide exposure and the disruption of steroids and reproductive hormones in cord blood : The Hokkaido study

Certain organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are designated as persistent organic pollutants and are regulated in many countries. The effects of OCPs on pediatric endocrinology are a concern; however, only limited data exist from human studies on maternal OCP exposure and its effects on infants' hormone levels. This study was conducted as part of the Hokkaido Study Sapporo Cohort, a prospective birth cohort study in Japan. Participants included 514 women who enrolled at 23-35 weeks of gestation between 2002 and 2005; maternal blood samples were collected in late pregnancy, and 29 OCPs were measured. Reproductive and steroid hormone levels in cord blood were also determined. Characteristics of mothers and their infants were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and medical records. Ultimately, 232 samples with both OCP and hormone data were analyzed. Fifteen of 29 investigated OCPs were detected in over 80% of the samples, with p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene showing the highest concentration (median value: 619 pg/g-wet). The association between OCPs and sex hormone levels varied by sex. Linear regression models after sex stratification showed that chlordanes, cis-hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor epoxide, Mirex, and toxaphenes in maternal blood were inversely associated with testosterone, cortisol, cortisone, sex hormone-binding globin, prolactin, and androstenedione-dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone-androstenediones ratios among boys. Furthermore, these OCPs were positively correlated with DHEA, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and adrenal androgen-glucocorticoid and FSH-inhibin B ratios among boys. In categorical quartile models, testosterone and DHEA were inversely and positively associated with OCPs, respectively. Estradiol-testosterone and adrenal androgen-glucocorticoid ratios tended to increase with increasing OCP concentrations in the higher quartile, while the testosterone-androstenedione ratio tended to decrease. Sex hormone-binding globulin and prolactin showed an inverse association with OCPs. Among girls, the linear regression model showed that only p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane was inversely associated with the level of DHEA and the adrenal androgen-glucocorticoid ratio, but was positively associated with cortisone levels. However, no associations were observed using the quartile categorical model. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to OCPs disrupt reproductive hormones of fetuses in utero among boys, even at relatively low levels