title: Prepubertal Serum Concentrations of Organochlorine Pesticides and Age at Sexual Maturity in Russian Boys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few human studies have evaluated the impact of childhood exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCP) on pubertal development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated associations of serum OCP concentrations [hexachlorobenzene (HCB), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (βHCH), and p,p-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p´-DDE)] with age at attainment of sexual maturity among boys.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2003 through 2005, 350 8- to 9-year-old boys from Chapaevsk, Russia, with measured OCPs were enrolled and followed annually for 8 years. We used multivariable interval-censored models to evaluate associations of OCPs (quartiles) with three physician-assessed measures of sexual maturity: Tanner stage 5 for genitalia growth, Tanner stage 5 for pubic hair growth, or testicular volume (TV) ≥ 20 mL in either testis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In adjusted models, boys with higher HCB concentrations achieved sexual maturity reflected by TV ≥ 20 mL a mean of 3.1 months (95% CI: -1.7, 7.8), 5.3 months (95% CI: 0.6, 10.1), and 5.0 months (95% CI: 0.2, 9.8) later for quartiles Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively, compared with Q1 (p trend = 0.04). Tanner stage 5 for genitalia growth was attained a mean of 2.2 months (95% CI: -3.1, 7.5), 5.7 months (95% CI: 0.4, 11.0), and 3.7 months (95% CI: -1.7, 9.1) later for quartiles Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively, of βHCH compared with Q1 (p trend = 0.09). Tanner stage 5 for pubic hair growth occurred 6-9 months later on average for boys in the highest versus lowest quartile for HCB (p trend < 0.001), βHCH (trend p = 0.01), and p,p´-DDE (p trend = 0.04). No associations were observed between p,p´-DDE and Tanner stage 5 for genitalia growth or TV ≥ 20 mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher prepubertal serum HCB and βHCH concentrations were associated with a later age at attainment of sexual maturity. Only the highest quartile of serum p,p´-DDE was associated with later pubic hair maturation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Lam T, Williams PL, Lee MM, Korrick SA, Birnbaum LS, Burns JS, Sergeyev O, Revich B, Altshul LM, Patterson DG Jr, Hauser R. 2015. Prepubertal serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and age at sexual maturity in Russian boys. Environ Health Perspect 123:1216-1221; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409022.
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Thuy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Paige L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Korrick
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sergeyev
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Revich
authors.forename: Larisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Altshul
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Russ
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000097:blood*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012741:Sexual Maturation
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; C023888:beta-hexachlorocyclohexane