Association of the blood levels of specific volatile organic compounds with nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events in US adults

Abstract

Background Cardio-cerebrovascular diseases constitute a major global public health burden. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure has become progressively severe, endangering human health and becoming one of the main concerns in environmental pollution. The associations of VOCs exposure with nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events have not been identified in observational study with a large sample size, so we aim to examine the association in US adult population. Methods Adults aged > 18 years with complete data regarding selected blood levels of VOCs (including benzene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene) and nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events were included in the analysis (n = 3,968, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES, 2013–2018 survey cycle). Participants were classified into low- and high-exposure based on whether above selected VOCs low limit detect concentration or median value. Weighted multivariate logistic analyses and subgroup analyses were used to detect the association between selected VOCs exposure and nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events in US adults. Results Weighted multivariate logistic analyses showed that the high-VOCs exposure group had an increased risk of nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events compared with the low-VOCs exposure group; the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events for the high-VOCs exposure group were 1.41 (0.91, 2.19), 1.37 (0.96, 1.95), 1.32 (0.96, 1.82), and 1.17 (0.82, 1.67) for benzene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene, respectively, which was not significant assuming statistical significance at a 0.05 significance level (95% CI) for a two-tailed test. Lastly, we found high-VOCs exposure was associated with increased incidence of nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events in both daily smokers an non-daily smokers (p-interaction > 0.01), but the association was not statistically significant in non-daily smokers. Conclusions This study found that VOCs (benzene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene) exposure was associated with increased incidence of nonfatal cardio-cerebrovascular events in US adults, and the results need to be confirmed by larger cohort studies.

The exposure to volatile organic compounds associate positively with overactive bladder risk in U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study of 2007–2020 NHANES

“…Akkoç et al found that post-stroke patients experienced urinary urgency in about two-thirds of patients at 6-month follow-up ( 32 ). In a recent study of U.S. adults, a positive correlation was found between exposure to VOCs and cardio-cerebrovascular events, including benzene, m-/p-xylene, o-xylene, and ethylbenzene ( 33 ). In addition, a study of 2011–2020 National Health Survey data found that exposure to VOCs may increase the risk of depression.…”

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“…Akkoç et al found that post-stroke patients experienced urinary urgency in about two-thirds of patients at 6month follow-up (32). In a recent study of U.S. adults, a positive correlation was found between exposure to VOCs and cardiocerebrovascular events, including benzene, m-/p-xylene, o-xylene, and ethylbenzene (33). In addition, a study of 2011-2020 National Health Survey data found that exposure to VOCs may increase the risk of depression.…”