title: Residential levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in California.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  House dust is a major source of exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are found at high levels in U.S. homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 167 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases 0-7 years of age and 214 birth certificate controls matched on date of birth, sex, and race/ethnicity from the Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study. In 2001-2007, we sampled carpets in the room where the child spent the most time while awake; we used a high-volume small-surface sampler or we took dust from the home vacuum. We measured concentrations of 14 PBDE congeners including penta (28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154), octa (183, 196, 197, 203), and decaBDEs (206-209). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for demographics, income, year of dust collection, and sampling method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BDE-47, BDE-99, and BDE-209 were found at the highest concentrations (medians, 1,173, 1,579, and 938 ng/g, respectively). Comparing the highest to lowest quartile, we found no association with ALL for summed pentaBDEs (OR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.3), octaBDEs (OR = 1.3; 95% CI: 0.7, 2.3), or decaBDEs (OR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.8). Comparing homes in the highest concentration (nanograms per gram) tertile to those with no detections, we observed significantly increased ALL risk for BDE-196 (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.8), BDE-203 (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.6), BDE-206 (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.9), and BDE-207 (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no association with ALL for common PBDEs, but we observed positive associations for specific octa and nonaBDEs. Additional studies with repeated sampling and biological measures would be informative.
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Joanne S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Colt
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Deziel
authors.forename: Todd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gunier
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Gary V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rappaport
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Buffler
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metayer
mesh_terms: D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers