UC Berkeley

Background

Growing evidence suggests that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may disrupt lipid homeostasis and liver function, but data in children are limited.

Objective

We examined the association of prenatal and mid-childhood PFAS exposure with lipids and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in children.

Methods

We studied 682 mother-child pairs from a Boston-area pre-birth cohort. We quantified PFASs in maternal plasma collected in pregnancy (median 9.7weeks gestation, 1999-2002) and in child plasma collected in mid-childhood (median age 7.7years, 2007-2010). In mid-childhood we also measured fasting total (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and ALT. We then derived low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from TC, HDL-C, and TG using the Friedewald formula.

Results

Median (interquartile range, IQR) perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDeA) concentrations in child plasma were 6.2 (5.5), 4.3 (3.0), and 0.3 (0.3) ng/mL, respectively. Among girls, higher child PFOS, PFOA, and PFDeA concentrations were associated with detrimental changes in the lipid profile, including higher TC and/or LDL-C [e.g., β per IQR increment in PFOS=4.0mg/dL (95% CI: 0.3, 7.8) for TC and 2.6mg/dL (-0.5, 5.8) for LDL-C]. However, among both boys and girls, higher plasma concentrations of these child PFASs were also associated with higher HDL-C, which predicts better cardiovascular health, and slightly lower ALT, which may indicate better liver function. Prenatal PFAS concentrations were also modestly associated with improved childhood lipid and ALT levels.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that prenatal and mid-childhood PFAS exposure may be associated with modest, but somewhat conflicting changes in the lipid profile and ALT levels in children.