Exposure to Phthalates and Alternative Plasticizers in Patients with Impaired Kidney Function in Korea: Temporal Trend during 2011–2020 and Its Association with Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract

Phthalates are chemical risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, little is known about temporal trends of phthalate exposure and associated health risks among CKD patients. Such information is even scarce for alternative plasticizers. CKD patients were recruited from 2011 to 2020 in Korea (n = 200) and assessed for the temporal changes of both traditional and alternative plasticizer exposure. Their associations with kidney dysfunction were also investigated. In CKD patients, urinary levels of DEP, BBzP, and DEHP metabolites declined significantly during this period, while those of the DEHTP metabolite increased. The level of DEHP metabolites showed a negative association with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in multiple association models, but additional eGFR subgroup analysis failed to show consistent results. Associations between phthalate exposure and eGFR were influenced by the severity of kidney dysfunction: DEHP and BBzP exposure showed negative associations with eGFR only among the patients with moderate kidney dysfunction (eGFR 30–59 mL/min/1.73 m²). Changing associations by CKD severity may be explained by negative correlations between eGFR and both urinary creatinine concentration and specific gravity. Our observations show that DEHTP has rapidly replaced DEHP and exposure to several phthalates adversely influences kidney function even among CKD patients.