title: Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure, diabetes and endogenous hormones: a cross-sectional study in men previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown associations of diabetes and endogenous hormones with exposure to a wide variety of organochlorines. We have previously reported positive associations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and inverse associations of selected steroid hormones with diabetes in postmenopausal women previously employed in a capacitor manufacturing plant.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper examines associations of PCBs with diabetes and endogenous hormones in 63 men previously employed at the same plant who in 1996 underwent surveys of their exposure and medical history and collection of bloods and urine for measurements of PCBs, lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCB exposure was positively associated with diabetes and age and inversely associated with thyroid stimulating hormone and triiodothyronine-uptake. History of diabetes was significantly related to total PCBs and all PCB functional groupings, but not to quarters worked and job score, after control for potential confounders. None of the exposures were related to insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetic men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Associations of PCBs with specific endogenous hormones differ in some respects from previous findings in postmenopausal women employed at the capacitor plant. Results from this study, however, do confirm previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggest that these associations are not mediated by measured endogenous hormones.
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 W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Sepkovic
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006728:Hormones; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls