Longitudinal effect of phthalates exposure on allergic diseases in children.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Environmental chemicals, such as phthalates, phenols, and parabens, may affect children's immune development and contribute to the risk of atopic diseases and asthma.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the associations between prenatal and childhood phthalate exposure and atopic diseases in children at the age of 9 years.

METHODS:

This analysis is restricted to 145 mother-child pairs from the prospective Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study. Phthalate metabolite levels were assessed in the urine samples collected from mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy and from children at age of 2 and 9 years. For the appropriate recognition of children's health status, a questionnaire was administered to the mothers and completed with information from the medical record of each child. The clinical examination was performed by a pediatrician/allergist in the presence of the mother or a relative.

RESULTS:

A higher urine concentration of mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate increased the risk of food allergy in children at the age of 9 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.19-2.57; P = .004) and decreased the risk of atopic dermatitis (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27-0.87; P = .02). For mono-2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate, an increased risk of atopic dermatitis was observed (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.18-3.05; P = .008). A higher urine concentration of mono-benzyl phthalate increased the risk of asthma in children (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.08-2.58; P = .02), but the risk of asthma decreased when the concentration of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate was higher (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 10.43-0.97; P = .04).

CONCLUSION:

Our study has not provided clear evidence of the negative effect of phthalate exposure during pregnancy and within the 9 years after birth on allergic diseases in children.

• Authors: Daniela Podlecka, Jolanta Gromadzińska, Karolina Mikołajewska, Beata Fijałkowska, Iwona Stelmach, Joanna Jerzynska
• Journal: Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol) Vol. 125 Issue 1 Pg. 84-89 (07 2020) ISSN: 1534-4436 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32244034 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Phthalic Acids
• mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate
• mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl)phthalate

Topics

• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cohort Studies
• Environmental Exposure (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypersensitivity (epidemiology, etiology, urine)
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Phthalic Acids (adverse effects, urine)
• Poland (epidemiology)
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects (chemically induced, urine)
• Prospective Studies