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Fetal exposure to perfluorinated compounds and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood

Amanda Ode1, Karin Källén1, Peik Gustafsson2

  • 1Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Plos One
|April 25, 2014
PubMed

Insights

This study found no link between prenatal exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), or perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Psychiatry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Limited and inconsistent human data exist on perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Investigating prenatal exposure to specific PFCs and childhood ADHD is crucial for understanding environmental health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between fetal exposure to specific PFCs and ADHD diagnosis in childhood.
  • To determine if prenatal exposure to PFOS, PFOA, or PFNA is linked to ADHD.

Main Methods:

  • A matched case-control study in Malmö, Sweden, included 206 children with ADHD and 206 matched controls.
  • Umbilical cord serum samples were analyzed for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) concentrations.
  • Conditional logistic regression and Wilcoxon's paired test were used to analyze PFC levels and ADHD association.

Main Results:

  • Median cord serum PFOS concentrations were 6.92 ng/ml in cases and 6.77 ng/ml in controls; PFOA levels were 1.80 ng/ml and 1.83 ng/ml, respectively.
  • No statistically significant associations were found between fetal exposure to PFOS, PFOA, or PFNA and ADHD diagnosis.
  • Adjusted odds ratios for ADHD were 0.81 for PFOS, 1.07 for PFOA, and 1.1 for PFNA.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides no evidence supporting a link between prenatal exposure to PFOS, PFOA, or PFNA and the development of ADHD.
  • Findings suggest that these specific PFCs may not be significant risk factors for ADHD in the studied population.
Abstract

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