Positive Association Between Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals and Hyperuricemia in Children

Abstract

Hyperuricemia in children is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, and future cardiovascular disease. Serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) levels have been shown to be positively associated with hyperuricemia in adults, but the association in children remains unexplored. We therefore examined the association between serum PFOA and PFOS levels and hyperuricemia in a representative sample of US children. A cross-sectional study was performed on 1,772 participants ≤18 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2000 and 2003-2008. The main outcome of interest was hyperuricemia, defined as serum uric acid levels ≥6 mg/dL. We found that serum levels of PFOA and PFOS were positively associated with hyperuricemia, independent of age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, annual household income, physical activity, serum total cholesterol, and serum cotinine levels. Compared with subjects in quartile 1 (referent), subjects in quartile 4 had multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for hyperuricemia of 1.62 (95% confidence interval: 1.10, 2.37) for PFOA and 1.65 (95% confidence interval: 1.10, 2.49) for PFOS. Our findings indicate that serum perfluoroalkyl chemical levels are significantly associated with hyperuricemia in children even at the lower "background" exposure levels of the US general population.

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFASs): Environmental challenges

“…Another study found, however, a positive association with PFHxS [309]. PFOA and/or PFOS have been associated with serum uric acid [310,311], chronic kidney disease [312], abnormal liver enzyme increases, especially in obese individuals [313], cardiovascular disease [314] and thyroid disease [315]. Different PFAAs showed different, sex and ethnicity-dependent effects on thyroid [316].…”

“…A "Navigation Guide" review of the available human and non-human evidence concluded similarly that developmental exposure to PFOA adversely affects fetal growth in mammals [333]. Serum PFOA and PFOS levels were positively associated with hyperuricemia [311] and dyslipidemia [223] in children and adolescents, even at the low exposure levels of the US general population.…”

Pediatric Exposures to Persistent Environmental Chemicals

“…15 Another study by Geiger et al confirmed the associations among children using nationally representative US data, showing an overall positive, significant association between both PFOA and PFOS, and total cholesterol and LDL-C. 16 Geiger et al also examined associations between PFCs and serum uric acid levels and results indicated a strong, significant relationship independent even after complex multivariate adjustment. 17 Finally, a cross-sectional study by Hoffman et al 18 found a modest association between PFOA (OR 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.23) and PFOS (OR 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children (n=571).…”

Study of the zinc action on the 2-chloroethyl 2-bromo-2-perfluoroalkylethanoates

“…Such compounds are used as surfactants [17][18][19][20], agrochemicals [21,22], pharmaceutical [23][24][25][26][27], biological [28] and medical agents [29,30]. While they are detected in human bodies [31,32], municipal water and solid wastes in different industrial areas around the world [33][34][35] and considered as high polluter for environment and toxic compounds [36,37], perfluoroalkyl acids are interesting compounds used as tensioactifs [38][39][40], fire-fighting foam [41][42][43], fluoropolymers [44] and other important applications.…”