title: Associations of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and endogenous hormones with diabetes in post-menopausal women previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.
abstract: There is an increasing body of literature showing associations of organochlorine exposure with risk of diabetes and insulin resistance. Some studies suggest that associations differ by gender and that diabetes risk, in turn, may be affected by endogenous steroid hormones. This report examines the relationships of serum PCBs and endogenous hormones with history of diabetes in a cohort of persons previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant. A total of 118 women were post-menopausal with complete data, of whom 93 were not using steroid hormones in 1996, at the time of examination, which included a survey of exposure and medical history, height, weight and collection of blood and urine for measurements of lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones. This analysis examines relationships of serum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), work exposure and endogenous hormones with self-reported history of diabetes after control for potential confounders. All PCB exposure groups were significantly related to history of diabetes, but not to insulin resistance as measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetics. Diabetes was also independently and inversely associated with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and triiodothyronine (T3) uptake. HOMA-IR was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and inversely associated with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and T3 uptake after control for PCB exposure. Possible biologic mechanisms are discussed. This study confirms previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggests possible hormonal pathways deserving further exploration.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois School of Public Health, 1603 West Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA. vwpersky@uic.edu
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Persky
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piorkowski
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turyk
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freels
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chatterton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimos
authors.forename: H Leon
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bradlow
authors.forename: Lin Kaatz
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chary
authors.forename: Virlyn
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burse
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Unterman
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sepkovic
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls