title: Cryptorchidism at birth in Nice area (France) is associated with higher prenatal exposure to PCBs and DDE, as assessed by colostrum concentrations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since fetal exposure to anti-androgenic and/or estrogenic compounds has adverse effect on animal reproduction, such exposure could be harmful to human fetus. Data are scarce on cryptorchidism and human exposure to endocrine disruptors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective case-control study to assess the incidence of cryptorchidism and fetal exposure to selected chemicals in the Nice area. One hundred and fifty-one cord bloods (67 cryptorchid, 84 tightly matched controls) and 125 colostrums (56 for cryptorchid and 69 for controls) were screened for xenobiotics, including anti-androgenic dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dibutylphthalate (and metabolite monobutylphthalate, mBP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median concentrations in colostrum were higher, although not statistically significantly, in cryptorchid versus controls. Cryptorchid boys were more likely to be classified in the most contaminated groups in colostrum for DDE, Sigma PCBs and the composite score PCB + DDE. The same trend, but again not statistically significantly was observed for mBP. Odds ratio for cryptorchidism was increased for the highest score of Sigma PCB, with a trend only for DDE and Sigma PCB + DDE versus the lowest score of those components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support an association between congenital cryptorchidism and fetal exposure to PCBs and possibly DDE. Higher concentrations in milk could be a marker of higher exposure or for an impaired detoxification pattern in genetically predisposed individuals.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Department, Hôpital l'Archet 1, CHU Nice, 151 route de Saint-Antoine, 06200 Nice, France. brucker-davis.f@chu-nice.fr
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brucker-Davis
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wagner-Mahler
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delattre
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ducot
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bongain
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kurzenne
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fénichel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls