Association of bone mineral density and osteoporosis with trichlorophenol: A national-representative, population-based study

Abstract

Background: Trichlorophenols (TCPs) are metabolites of several organochlorine chemicals, including chlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclohexane, and chlorophenoxy acid, present in air, surface water, soil, and sediment. However, the relationship between TCP and bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis has not been studied yet. Methods: We used data from the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). TCP were obtained from urine specimens of 3385 participants and bone mineral density was obtained by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) whole-body scanning. Multiple regression analysis, stratified analysis, curve fitting analysis, and trend tests were used to assess the relationship between TCP and BMD and osteoporosis. Result: After adjusting for confounding factors, the results of multiple regression analysis only showed that ln-2,4,5-TCP was negatively associated with BMD of lumbar spine. In stratified analyses, ln-2,4,5-TCP and ln-2,4,6-TCP was were not statistically associated with BMD in total femur, femoral neck, femoral tuberosity, intertrochanteric femur and lumbar spine, which was also confirmed by curve fitting analyses and trend tests. Multiple regression analysis and stratified analysis showed that ln-2,4,5-TCP and ln-2,4,6-TCP was were not statistically associated with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Conclusion: 2,4,5-TCP and 2,4,6-TCP were not significantly associated with BMD and osteopenia/osteoporosis in the US population.