International journal of hygiene and environmental health最新文献

{"title":"Exploring the relationship between air pollution and telomere length: Baseline findings from a comprehensive ambispective cohort study","authors":"Dagmar Kramna ,&nbsp;Ondrej Machaczka ,&nbsp;Petra Riedlova ,&nbsp;Tereza Janulkova ,&nbsp;Silvie Ostrizkova ,&nbsp;Grzegorz Siemiatkowski ,&nbsp;Leszek Osrodka ,&nbsp;Ewa Krajny ,&nbsp;Vitezslav Jirik","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Telomere length is a biomarker of cellular aging, influenced by various environmental and lifestyle factors. Air pollution is a known environmental stressor that may impact telomere dynamics. This study aimed to investigate the effect of age, lifetime exposure to air pollution, inflammatory parameters and selected lifestyle factors on telomere length.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included 356 participants aged 35–65 living in two regions with varying pollution. Telomere length was measured using qPCR. Individual lifetime exposures to PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO₂, benzo(a)pyrene and benzene were calculated based on historical air quality data. Statistical analysis of age, pollution exposure, inflammatory parameters, and lifestyle factors on telomere length was performed using logistic regression and generalized linear models, with odds ratios calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Unexpectedly, higher air pollutants lifetime exposures were associated with longer telomeres, particularly for PM₁₀ 51–55 μg/m³ (OR = 5.67, p &lt; 0.001), PM_2.5 42–45 μg/m³ (OR = 6.56, p &lt; 0.001), B(a)P 6.9–8.3 ng/m³ (OR = 5.25, p = 0.002), NO₂ 26–27 μg/m³ (OR = 5.22, p = 0.001) and benzene 2.45–2.75 μg/m³ (OR = 6.13, p &lt; 0.001). Age significantly affected telomere length, with older individuals having shorter telomeres. Socioeconomic factors such as college education were positively associated with longer telomeres, while lifestyle factors did not show significant associations. IL-8 was identified as a significant inflammatory marker negatively associated with very long telomeres.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These baseline findings bring new perspective to the relationship between air pollution and telomere length. Contrary to traditional views, the results suggest potential adaptive responses, highlighting the need for further longitudinal research to explore telomere dynamics over time in conjunction with other factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 114577"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of coexposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and heavy metals with thyroid function across varied age pregnant women and the potential role of hemoglobin","authors":"Fang Wang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuxin Hu ,&nbsp;Gang Wang ,&nbsp;Jingbo Pi ,&nbsp;Tingyu Wang ,&nbsp;Haina Guo ,&nbsp;Mingqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Lijuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Previous studies have examined the relationship between exposure to one chemical mixture type and thyroid function in pregnant women; however, the combined impact of coexposure to two or more chemical mixture types is limited. Additionally, age-specific studies are insufficient.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to confirm the relationships between coexposure to nine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and heavy metals (HMs) mixtures and thyroid function in pregnant women in different age groups, and to explore the potential role of hemoglobin in these association.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 156 pregnant women from a cross-sectional study at one hospital in Liaoning Province, China, were included in this study. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry were used to measure the levels of PFAS and HMs, respectively, in cord blood. Generalized linear regression (GLR), quantile-based g-computation (qgcomp), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were performed to assess the individual and combined effects of PFAS and HMs on thyroid hormones levels. Furthermore, mediation analyses were used to estimate whether these combined effects were mediated by hemoglobin levels.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mixed analysis revealed that coexposure to nine PFAS and HMs was negatively correlated with FT3 in the GLR, qgcomp, WQS and BKMR models for all participants, and similar results were obtained for the nonadvanced age group. Single analysis explored significantly negative associations between exposure to Co, Ba or Pb and FT3 levels in all participants by GLR analysis. In the nonadvanced age groups, further single analysis explored that PFOA was significantly and negatively associated with FT3 by GLR and BKMR analysis, and contributed most substantially (PIP = 0.90). It also had the largest negative weight (0.36) by further qgcomp analysis. Moreover, hemoglobin masked almost 15 % of the correlation between coexposure to PFAS and HMs and FT3 in the nonadvanced age group.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our study demonstrated a negative association between PFAS and HMs coexposure and FT3 levels, which was even more pronounced and partly masked by hemoglobin in the nonadvanced age group of pregnant women. PFOA was the primary pollutant affecting this association. Focusing on hemoglobin as a potential target for reducing the harmful effects of exposure to PFAS and HMs mixtures on thyroid function in pregnant women might be valuable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114574"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143807330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occupational exposure to wildland firefighting and its effects on systemic DNA damage","authors":"Filipa Esteves ,&nbsp;Joana Madureira ,&nbsp;Carla Costa ,&nbsp;Joana Pires ,&nbsp;Bela Barros ,&nbsp;Sara Alves ,&nbsp;Josiana Vaz ,&nbsp;Marta Oliveira ,&nbsp;Klara Slezakova ,&nbsp;Adília Fernandes ,&nbsp;Maria do Carmo Pereira ,&nbsp;Simone Morais ,&nbsp;Vanessa Valdiglesias ,&nbsp;Stefano Bonassi ,&nbsp;João Paulo Teixeira ,&nbsp;Solange Costa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Portugal is among the European Union countries more devastated by forest fires. Wildland firefighters are at the forefront of this battle, facing exposure to a wide range of harmful pollutants. Epidemiological studies have highlighted a potential link between occupational firefighting exposure and several diseases, including cancer. To date, very few studies have explored the biological mechanisms associated with such exposure. The present longitudinal study aims to assess changes in early effect biomarkers following wildland firefighters’ occupational exposure to a real wildfire event.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Paired blood samples from 59 healthy Portuguese wildland firefighters were collected at two different time points: before wildfire season and after a fire event during wildfire season. Sociodemographic variables (e.g., age, sex) and work-related factors (e.g., years of service) were assessed via a self-reported questionnaire. Levels of early effect biomarkers, such as primary DNA damage and oxidative DNA damage (oxidised purines) were assessed via comet assay. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were evaluated by phosphorylated H2AX (γH2AX). Moreover, hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites (OHPAHs) and metal(loid)s were quantified in urine samples. The influence of urinary OHPAHs, urinary metal(loid)s, and other exposure-related factors (e.g., firefighting duration) on changes (Δ) in early effect biomarkers (post-vs. baseline levels) was investigated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Firefighting activities led to a significant increase in both primary DNA damage and oxidative DNA damage by 22 % (95 % CI: 1.11–1.35; p &lt; 0.05) and 23 % (95 % CI: 1.04–1.45; p &lt; 0.05), respectively. Results from linear regression revealed that per each unit increase of urinary 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-OHFlu) (μmol/mol creatinine), the risk of ⧍ oxidative DNA damage increased by 20 % [FR: 1.20 (1.09–1.32); p &lt; 0.01]. Additionally, each unit increase in urinary cesium (Cs) (μg/L) resulted in a significant 4 % increase in Δ primary DNA damage [FR: 1.04 (1.01–1.06); p &lt; 0.05] and a 3 % increase in Δ oxidative DNA damage [FR: 1.03 (1.01–1.05); p &lt; 0.05]. Post-exposure levels of γH2AX were significantly correlated with urinary 2-OHFlu levels assessed after firefighting (r = 0.30; p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, exposure duration and reported breathing difficulties during firefighting were significantly associated with increased levels of primary DNA damage.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Results obtained provide insights into the potential human health effects of wildland firefighting occupational exposure at the genetic and molecular levels, offering new and important mechanistic data. These findings are crucial for implementing health and safety measures, recommendations, and best practices to mitigate occupational risks and protect the health of wildland firefighters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114576"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Short-term and lagged effects of ambient air pollutants on CVD hospitalization: A two-decade population-based study in Tehran","authors":"Alireza Khajavi ,&nbsp;Navid Ebrahimi ,&nbsp;Soroush Masrouri ,&nbsp;Mitra Hasheminia ,&nbsp;Fereidoun Azizi ,&nbsp;Davood Khalili ,&nbsp;Farzad Hadaegh","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To evaluate the relationship between short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalizations.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A time-series analysis was conducted using data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study cohort of 3454 residents (1880 women) aged 50–70 from District 13 of Tehran. Follow-up data from January 1999 to March 2018 were analyzed. Daily mean temperatures and air pollution levels (CO, O₃, PM₁₀, NO₂, and SO₂) were recorded, and distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) assessed the lagged effects on outcome.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over a median follow-up of 14.7 years, 2200 CVD hospitalizations occurred among 3454 participants (mean age 58.7 years, women = 1880). Among the general population, the DLNM models indicated that PM10 concentrations at 73 μg/m³ was associated with a 12 % increased risk of the outcome, with an RR of 1.12 (95 % CI: 1.01–1.24), and higher PM10 levels corresponded to increasing RRs. PM10 indicated a short-term exposure effect at 1-day lag on the outcome risk. SO₂ concentrations reached significance at 24 μg/m³, with an RR of 1.06 (95 % CI: 1.04–1.07); the effect persisted up to 65 μg/m³, with an increased risk of the outcome observed at a 6-day lag. CO showed the highest RR of 1.92 (95 % CI: 1.65–2.23) for the concentration of 5 mg/m3. Exposure to CO was linked to an increased risk of the outcome with a 1-day lag. Sex as well as presence of metabolic syndrome and CKD did not modify the association between air pollutants with the outcome.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Short-term exposure to PM10, SO2 and CO significantly increased risk of CVD hospitalization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114573"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143776391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic data on infectious disease in relation to exposure to twelve perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)","authors":"Emma M. Rosen ,&nbsp;Lori Crawford ,&nbsp;Sebastian Hoffmann ,&nbsp;Becky Skidmore ,&nbsp;Anna K. Porter ,&nbsp;Scott A. Halperin ,&nbsp;Matthew P. Longnecker","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>While some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are immunosuppressants, whether they have an adverse effect on infectious disease morbidity is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic data on the association between an incremental increase in serum concentration of any of 12 PFAS and the risk or rate of infectious disease (ID).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From 25 reports representing 18 unique study populations, we conducted meta-analyses stratified on exposure type (log-transformed or absolute scale) and outcome type (risk or rate). To synthesize data that could not be combined with meta-analysis due to different exposure or outcome types, we additionally conducted vote counting and calculated combined p-values.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A small positive association between PFAS exposure and ID risk or rate was more frequently reported than not, though in the synthesized data statistical significance was present only in a few instances. The meta-analyses and combined p-value analyses had many similar findings. In the combined p-value analyses, statistically significant positive associations were noted between Perfluorononanoic acid and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) event rates, Perfluorooctanesulfonamide and LRTI event rates and LRTI risk and rates combined, Perfluorooctanoic acid and Perfluorodecanoic acid with all ID risk and rates combined, and Perfluoroundecanoic acid with all ID risk.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We identified moderate evidence of positive associations that were of variable size but usually small; the certainty of evidence was, however, generally low or very low and diminished by the possible influences of multiple testing and covariance among results not accounted for in the analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Prospero registration</h3><div>CRD42024551990.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114571"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental surveillance for Salmonella Typhi to detect the typhoid burden in Yogyakarta, Indonesia","authors":"Vicka Oktaria ,&nbsp;Indah Kartika Murni ,&nbsp;Amanda Handley ,&nbsp;Celeste M. Donato ,&nbsp;Titik Nuryastuti ,&nbsp;Endah Supriyati ,&nbsp;David T. McCarthy ,&nbsp;Emma Watts ,&nbsp;Rizka Dinari ,&nbsp;Hendri Marinda Sari ,&nbsp;Jarir At Thobari ,&nbsp;Ida Safitri Laksono ,&nbsp;Julie E. Bines","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), understanding the burden of typhoid disease has been challenging as clinical surveillance based on blood culture data alone often poorly represents the community burden. Underreported cases, unclear case definitions, the presence of a chronic carrier state and emerging antimicrobial resistance necessitate alternative approaches to assess disease prevalence and target public health interventions, such as vaccine introduction. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) in measuring the prevalence of typhoid infection in Indonesia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Between October 11, 2022, and August 31, 2023, WES was conducted in 18 locations across 3 districts in Yogyakarta province, Indonesia. Samples were collected fortnightly from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), manholes, a river, and public spaces, using grab and passive sampling methods. <em>Salmonella</em> Typhi (<em>S.</em> Typhi) detection was conducted using quantitative PCR for <em>S.</em> Typhi genes (<em>ttr, tviB,</em> and <em>staG</em> – all positive).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 406 samples collected, 13 % (51/406) tested positive for <em>S.</em> Typhi, with monthly positivity rates ranging from 2 % (1/51) in March 2023 to 47 % (16/34) in October 2022. Mean concentrations (in log10) in <em>ttr</em>, <em>tviB</em>, and <em>staG</em> in grab samples were 0.67 (SD ± 0.99), 0.23 (SD ± 1.14), and −0.11 (SD ± 1.05). The highest detection rates were observed in samples from the river compared to central WWTPs (OR 12.68; 95 % CI 2.03–79.20, <em>P</em> = 0.007). No correlation was observed between rainfall and <em>S.</em> Typhi gene detection (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05 for all genes).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>WES is feasible in Indonesia and can be used to monitor typhoid disease burden in an endemic region. High positivity rates from the river and septic tanks in traditional markets support a broad approach to sampling in LMICs where formal wastewater management systems may not accurately represent community disease prevalence due to its low population coverage. WES can be a valuable tool to inform public health responses, including vaccine introduction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114572"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of personal care product use during pregnancy and the postpartum period with markers of postpartum glycemic control – Results from the ERGO Study","authors":"Emma V. Preston ,&nbsp;Jennie Lytel-Sternberg ,&nbsp;Marlee R. Quinn ,&nbsp;Paige L. Williams ,&nbsp;Ellen W. Seely ,&nbsp;Florence M. Brown ,&nbsp;Michele R. Hacker ,&nbsp;Thomas F. McElrath ,&nbsp;David E. Cantonwine ,&nbsp;Blair J. Wylie ,&nbsp;Camille E. Powe ,&nbsp;Tamarra James-Todd ,&nbsp;the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Personal care products frequently contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including parabens and phthalates, which can alter glucose metabolism. The postpartum period is a time of rapid metabolic change, but whether EDC-associated product use impacts postpartum glucose metabolism is unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 270 participants from the Boston, MA-based Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) pregnancy cohort with data on self-reported personal care product use at ≤4 pregnancy visits (median: 11, 19, 26, 36 weeks of gestation) and 1 postpartum visit (median: 9 weeks). We quantified postpartum hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting insulin, fasting- and 2-h glucose post-75-g oral glucose tolerance test, and calculated homeostatic model assessment for insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-S) and beta-cell function (HOMA2-B). Using covariate-adjusted linear regression, we estimated visit-specific associations of product use with postpartum glycemic outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Associations of product use with postpartum glycemic measures were mixed. Users of certain hair products had lower postpartum insulin sensitivity compared to non-users (e.g., Visit1 hair gel/spray: 22.8% difference [95% CI: 39.2, −1.9] in mean HOMA2-S). Conversely, users of products like deodorant, liquid- and bar soap, had higher insulin sensitivity and lower glucose levels (e.g., postpartum deodorant: 32.1% difference [95% CI: 7.0, 63.1] in mean HOMA2-S; −3.1 mg/dL [95% CI: 6.3, −0.04] mean fasting glucose). Associations with other products were inconsistent across timepoints or null.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Use of certain personal care products during the perinatal period was associated with altered postpartum glucose metabolism. Larger studies are needed to understand the impacts of product use patterns on glycemic outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114569"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls in indoor air and asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, and respiratory tract infections in childhood","authors":"Laura Deen ,&nbsp;Karin Sørig Hougaard ,&nbsp;Harald William Meyer ,&nbsp;Camilla Sandal Sejbæk ,&nbsp;Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen ,&nbsp;Marie Frederiksen ,&nbsp;Jens Peter Bonde ,&nbsp;Marie Standl ,&nbsp;Claudia Flexeder ,&nbsp;Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114567","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114567","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are industrial chemicals commonly found in food and building materials. PCBs are immunotoxic and may disturb the fetal programming of the immune and respiratory systems. We evaluated the association between maternal PCB exposure in indoor air and asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, and respiratory infections in the offspring in the Health Effects of PCBs in Indoor Air (HESPAIR) cohort. This register-based study examined 7982 children born to mothers residing in two partially PCB contaminated residential areas in Greater Copenhagen before and/or during pregnancy. Children were included if their mothers at any point had lived in a contaminated or uncontaminated apartment in the period from 3.6 years prior to conception until the date of birth. PCB exposure was defined as mothers’ number of years in an apartment prior to birth of the child multiplied with the PCB concentration in indoor air based on air measurements. Information on the outcomes was retrieved from the Danish health registers from 1977 to 2018. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios using Cox regression. Our main analyses revealed no association between maternal exposure to PCBs in indoor air and any of the studied allergic and respiratory outcomes. Findings of sensitivity analyses were consistent with main analyses. While these findings may appear reassuring for the considerable number of people living or working in PCB contaminated indoor environments, they should be interpreted with caution due to the indirect measure of exposure, incomplete registration of diagnoses, and lack of supporting evidence from comparable studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114567"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on pregnancy loss: An environmental-wide association study in Northwest China","authors":"Ling Liu,&nbsp;Cai Liu,&nbsp;Wei Zhang,&nbsp;Fang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging environmental contaminants with potential metabolic and endocrine-disrupting properties that may affect women's reproductive health. However, their specific role in pregnancy loss remains relatively understudied.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the association between exposure to multiple PFAS and the association with pregnancy loss (PL) in a population from Northwest China using an environment-wide association study (EWAS) approach.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A case-control study was conducted at a university-affiliated reproductive center, enrolling 348 women with a history of PL and 320 controls with at least one live birth and no history of pregnancy loss. Serum concentrations of ten PFAS were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) following a standardized extraction and purification protocol. Demographic and clinical data were collected via a structured questionnaire. An elastic net regression model (ENRM) was employed for variable selection, identifying PFASs to be included in the subsequent EWAS analysis. Associations between individual PFAS and PL were then evaluated using logistic regression, and EWAS was utilized to explore the overall associations between PFAS mixture exposure and PL, accounting for potential interactions and multicollinearity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The EWAS identified five PFASs—PFPeS, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA—with significantly higher exposure odds in pregnancy loss cases versus live birth controls (adjusted ORs: 1.82 [1.31–2.62], 1.34 [1.19–1.51], 1.73 [1.46–2.07], 1.33 [1.14–1.56], and 1.73 [1.40–2.15], respectively). Subgroup analyses confirmed robust associations, with PFOA consistently linked to elevated exposure odds across demographic and clinical strata.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study demonstrates a significant association between exposure to multiple PFAS, notably PFPeS, PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA, and an increased risk of pregnancy loss in a Northwest Chinese population. The particularly robust association observed with PFOA across diverse subgroups underscores its potential as a significant environmental risk factor for PL. These findings highlight the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and to develop strategies for reducing PFAS exposure among women of reproductive age.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114568"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How air pollution and extreme temperatures affect emergency hospital admissions due to various respiratory causes in Spain, by age group: A nationwide study","authors":"C. Linares ,&nbsp;J. Díaz ,&nbsp;M.A. Navas ,&nbsp;R. Ruiz-Páez ,&nbsp;M. Saez ,&nbsp;M.A. Barceló ,&nbsp;J.A. López-Bueno","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study set out to use specifically calculated dose-response functions to analyse how air pollution and extreme temperatures affected short-term daily emergency admissions due to respiratory diseases (asthma, upper respiratory tract infections and pneumonias) in the general population, children under 14 years of age and adults over 65 years of age, in all Spanish provinces across the period January 1, 2013─December 31, 2018. The following independent variables were used: mean daily NO₂, PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and O₃ concentrations recorded at all air pollution monitoring stations situated in the respective provinces; and maximum and minimum daily temperatures measured at reference observatories. Using generalised linear models (GLM) with a Poisson link, and controlling for trend, seasonalities and the autoregressive nature of the series, we calculated the relative risks for statistically significant associations. These were then used to calculate attributable risks and attributable cases, for the purpose of drawing up an economic estimate. Overall, chemical air pollution was linked to 33063 (95 %CI: 13536–55404) respiratory-cause admissions, which accounted for 7.8 % of total admissions in Spain. Respiratory-cause admissions attributable to heat- and cold-wave temperatures totalled 5754 (95 %CI: 2506, 8611), i.e., a lower order of magnitude. Nationwide, the impact of NO₂ and O₃ was greater than that of PM. The percentage of attributable admissions was higher in the under-14 than in the 65-year age group for all pollutants except ozone. This shows that the implementation of health-prevention plans that included temperature-pollution factors would be an effective way of mitigating the impacts which extreme temperatures and pollution have on population health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"266 ","pages":"Article 114570"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143683258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}