Organochlorine exposure and the risk of endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To compare mean concentrations of organochlorine in women with a new diagnosis of endometriosis and in controls.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Women attending an institutional clinic of reproductive endocrinology.


METHODS
Cases and controls were selected among women who underwent laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain, infertility, or tubal fulguration between January 1994 and December 1994. Eighty-six women with endometriosis and 70 controls, matched for the indication for laparoscopy, were recruited.


METHODS
Mean organochlorine plasma concentrations of 14 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and 11 chlorinated pesticides were compared between the cases and controls. Analysis of covariance was used to adjust means for confounding variables, and odds ratios were estimated by logistic regression.


RESULTS
Crude geometric mean concentrations did not differ significantly between cases and controls for any of the organochlorine compounds. Similarly, crude or adjusted means of the sum of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, the sum of chlordanes, or the sum of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes did not differ between the groups. There was no significant linear trend in the adjusted odds ratios for endometriosis as organochlorine concentrations increased.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated pesticides during adulthood is not associated with endometriosis in the general population.
Lebel
G
G
Environmental Health Service, Québec Public Health Center, Canada.
Dodin
S
S
Ayotte
P
P
Marcoux
S
S
Ferron
L A
LA
Dewailly
E
E
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls