title: Prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and child size at 24 months of age.
abstract: Research suggests that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may result in decreased child growth, though the critical window(s) are unclear. We investigated the association between PCBs and child size at age 24 months (n=44). PCBs were measured in first trimester serum, breast milk, and child serum at age 24 months, and dichotomized at the median. Age- and gender-specific z-scores were calculated for anthropometric measures. Using linear regression, we observed no significant changes in z-scores with prenatal or postnatal serum PCB concentrations. PCB-77 in breast milk was associated with a significant decrease in z-score for length. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine child size in relation to PCBs measured early in pregnancy, as well as quantifying a far greater number of congeners. Further research is needed to clarify critical windows, congener-specific effects, and effect modification by sex in relation to PCBs and child anthropometric measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, WG37, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-4945, United States. leila.jackson@case.edu
authors.forename: Leila W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Courtney D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kostyniak
authors.forename: Bridget M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McGuinness
authors.forename: Germaine M Buck
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Louis
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D049628:Body Size / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls