title: Thyroid ultrasound volume, structure and function after long-term high exposure of large population to polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides and dioxin.
abstract: We examined 2,046 adults (834 males and 1,212 females aged 20-75 years) from polluted district in East Slovakia (POLL) and two neighboring upstream and upwind located districts of background pollution (BCGR). By ultrasound we estimated the thyroid volume (ThV), hypoechogenicity (HYE), nodules and cysts. Serum levels of thyrotropin (TSH), thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOab) and thyroglobulin were estimated by electrochemiluminiscent assay and these of 15 PCB congeners, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and hexachlorocyclohexane by high-resolution gas chromatography. In 320 subjects also selected hydroxylated and methylsulfonated PCB metabolites, polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs), -furans (PCDFs), five dioxin-like coplanar and eight mono-ortho PCB congeners were estimated. Urinary iodine was measured by automatic microplate method. Reciprocal positive association was found between three major POPs (PCBs, DDE and HCB), the levels of these and also PCDDs plus PCDFs in polluted area being considerably higher than in background pollution area. ThV in groups of males and females from POLL with high PCBs level was significantly higher (p<0.001 by t-test) then in age and sex matched groups from BCGR with low PCBs level. In 1,048 males and females aged <60 years with serum PCBs level >1,000 ng g(-1) lipid (median=1,756 ng g(-1)) a significant effect of age on ThV was found (p<0.01 by ANOVA), while in 921 respective subjects with PCBs level <1,000 ng g(-1) (median=661 ng g(-1)) it was not. These findings supported the view on the additional effect of PCBs on ThV other than that of age. Since the urinary iodine in both districts showed optimal range, any interfering effect of unsatisfactory iodine intake on ThV may be excluded. The frequency of autoimmune thyroiditis signs such as HYE, increased serum level of TPOab and TSH resulting in subclinical or overt thyroid hypofunction was positively associated with sex, age and organochlorine levels. The increase of such frequency in males with POPs levels was much more abrupt than that in females. No considerable differences in the frequency of thyroid nodules as related to PCBs level were found.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlárska 3, 833 06 Bratislava, Slovakia. pavel.langer@savba.sk
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tajtáková
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocan
authors.forename: Ján
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petrík
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koska
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ksinantová
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rádiková
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ukropec
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Imrich
authors.forename: Miloslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hucková
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chovancová
authors.forename: Beáta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drobná
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jursa
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vlcek
authors.forename: Aake
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Athanasiadou
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hovander
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shishiba
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trnovec
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seböková
authors.forename: Iwar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klimes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D007455:Iodine / Q000652:urine; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D018154:Slovakia; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D010575:Pesticides; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D007455:Iodine; C056658:TPO protein, human; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase