title: Prepubertal organochlorine pesticide concentrations and age of pubertal onset among Russian boys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In animal studies, organochlorine pesticide (OCP) exposure alters pubertal development; however, epidemiological data are limited and inconsistent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the associations of serum OCP concentrations [hexachlorobenzene (HCB), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE)] with male pubertal onset.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Chapaevsk, Russia, a town environmentally contaminated with OCPs, 350 8-9 year old boys with measured OCPs were enrolled during 2003-2005 and were followed annually for eight years. We evaluated three measures of pubertal onset: testicular volume (TV)>3 mL in either testis, or stage 2 or greater for genitalia (G2+), or pubic hair (P2+). We used multivariable interval-censored models to evaluate associations of OCPs (quartiles) with physician-assessed pubertal onset.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In adjusted models, boys with higher HCB concentrations had later mean ages of TV>3 mL and P2+ (but not G2+). Mean age at attaining TV>3 mL was delayed 3.6 (95% CI: -2.6, 9.7), 7.9 (95% CI: 1.7, 14.0), and 4.7 months (95% CI: -1.4, 10.9) for HCB Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively, compared to Q1 (trend p: 0.06). Boys with higher HCB concentrations reached P2+ 0.1 months earlier (95% CI: -5.8, 5.6) for Q2, 4.7 months later (95% CI: -1.0, 10.3) for Q3 and 4.6 months later (95% CI: -1.1, 10.3) for Q4 compared to Q1 (trend p: 0.04). There were no associations of serum β-HCH and p,p'-DDE concentrations with age of pubertal onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher prepubertal serum HCB concentrations were associated with later age of gonadarche and pubarche.
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Quintiles, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Thuy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Paige L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrine Division, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Korrick
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Samara State Medical University, Department of Physical Education and Health, Samara, Russia; Chapaevsk Medical Association, Chapaevsk, Samara Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sergeyev
authors.affiliation: Institute for Forecasting, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Revich
authors.affiliation: Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc., Needham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Larisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Altshul
authors.affiliation: EnviroSolutions Consulting, Inc., Auburn, GA, USA; Axys Analytical Solutions, Sidney, BC, Canada; Exponent, Inc., Maynard, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Wayman E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: rhauser@hsph.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Russ
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood*; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood*; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D012426:Russia
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; C023888:beta-hexachlorocyclohexane
keywords: HCB; Male puberty; Organochlorine pesticides; p,p′-DDE; β-HCH