title: Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in newborns and early life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals: analysis of three European mother-child cohorts.
abstract: BackgroundVarious studies have reported interactions between thyroid hormones and early life chemical exposure. Our objective was to analyze the associations between markers of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure and thyroid function in newborns, determined through heel prick blood spots.MethodsThree European mother-child cohorts (FLEHSI-Belgium, HUMIS-Norway, and the PCB cohort-Slovakia. Total n=1,784) were pooled for the purpose of this study. Data on thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were obtained from national neonatal screening registries, and samples of cord plasma and/or breast milk were collected to determine exposure to various chemicals. Multiple regression models were composed with exposure and cohort as fixed factors, and adjustments were made for a priori defined covariates.ResultsMedian TSH concentrations were 1, 1.10, and 2.76 mU/l for the Belgian, Norwegian, and Slovak cohorts, respectively. For polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-153 and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), children in the third exposure quartile had a 12-15% lower TSH at birth. Results remained unchanged after additional adjustment for birth weight and gestational weight gain. No effect on TSH was observed for the other compounds.ConclusionEarly life exposure to PCB-153 and p,p'-DDE impacts newborn TSH levels. Higher exposure levels were associated with 12-15% lower TSH levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Cock
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michiel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.affiliation: Unit Environmental Risk and Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Govarts
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iszatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Lubica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palkovicova
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marja H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lamoree
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Greet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoeters
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eggesbø
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trnovec
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University, London, UK.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Legler
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van de Bor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D013972:Thyrotropin