Non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of endometriosis.
BACKGROUND
Endometriosis, a gynecologic disorder affecting 8-10% of reproductive-age women in the United States, is defined as the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and is linked to pelvic pain and infertility. Environmental contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are hypothesized to contribute to endometriosis risk through effects on steroid hormones.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated serum concentrations of certain noncoplanar PCBs, which have no or only weak dioxin-like properties, as risk factors for endometriosis.


METHODS
In a case-control study of Group Health enrollees in western Washington State, 20 PCB congeners were measured in serum from surgically confirmed endometriosis cases that were newly diagnosed between 1996 and 2001 (n = 251) and from female controls matched for age and reference year (n = 538).


RESULTS
Summed and estrogenic PCB concentrations were not associated with endometriosis risk [summed: odds ratio (OR) = 1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8-2.2; estrogenic: OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.4]. Although several congener-specific ORs were statistically above or below the null (PCB 170: third quartile vs. lowest: OR = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9; PCB 196: third quartile vs. lowest: OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.7; PCB 201: second vs. lowest: OR = 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8; third quartile vs. lowest: OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.7), there were no overall consistent patterns of endometriosis risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken in context with other North American studies, our findings suggest that noncoplanar PCB concentrations consistent within the range of exposure currently observed in western Washington State do not contribute meaningfully to endometriosis risk.
Trabert
Britton
B
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. britton.trabert@nih.gov
De Roos
Anneclaire J
AJ
Schwartz
Stephen M
SM
Peters
Ulrike
U
Scholes
Delia
D
Barr
Dana B
DB
Holt
Victoria L
VL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity*; D055815:Young Adult
D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls