Fetal exposure to perfluorinated compounds and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood.
BACKGROUND
The association between exposure to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis has been sparsely investigated in humans and the findings are inconsistent.


OBJECTIVE
A matched case-control study was conducted to investigate the association between fetal exposure to PFCs and ADHD diagnosis in childhood.


METHODS
The study base comprised children born in Malmö, Sweden, between 1978 and 2000 that were followed up until 2005. Children with ADHD (n = 206) were identified at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Controls (n = 206) were selected from the study base and were matched for year of birth and maternal country of birth. PFC concentrations were measured in umbilical cord serum samples. The differences of the PFC concentrations between cases and controls were investigated using Wilcoxon's paired test. Possible threshold effects (above the upper quartile for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and above limit of detection [LOD] for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)) were evaluated by conditional logistic regression.


RESULTS
The median umbilical cord serum concentrations of PFOS were 6.92 ng/ml in the cases and 6.77 ng/ml in the controls. The corresponding concentrations of PFOA were 1.80 and 1.83 ng/ml. No associations between PFCs and ADHD were observed. Odds ratios adjusted for smoking status, parity, and gestational age were 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50 to 1.32) for PFOS, 1.07 (95% CI 0.67 to 1.7) for PFOA, and 1.1 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.7) for PFNA.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study revealed no support for an association between fetal exposure to PFOS, PFOA, or PFNA and ADHD.
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Amanda
A
Ode
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Karin
K
Källén
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Peik
P
Gustafsson
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Lars
L
Rylander
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Bo A G
BA
Jönsson
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Per
P
Olofsson
Department of Clinical Sciences, Unit of Pediatric Endocrinology, Lund University/Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Malmö, Sweden.
Sten A
SA
Ivarsson
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Christian H
CH
Lindh
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Anna
A
Rignell-Hydbom
D000293:Adolescent; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D002210:Caprylates; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C101816:perfluoro-n-nonanoic acid; C023036:perfluorooctanoic acid; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid