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Published on: August 7, 2017
Bisphenol a exposure and the development of wheeze and lung function in children through age 5 years
Adam J Spanier1, Robert S Kahn2, Allen R Kunselman3
1Department of Pediatrics, Penn State University Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania2Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State University Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania3currently with the Department of Pediatrics, University.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) is linked to reduced lung function and persistent wheeze in children. Postnatal BPA exposure did not show similar associations in this study.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Respiratory Health
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical with potential respiratory effects.
- Previous studies suggest a link between BPA and wheezing in children, but effects on lung function and wheeze patterns in older children are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and lung function (FEV1).
- To examine the relationship between BPA exposure and the occurrence and pattern of wheeze in children up to 5 years of age.
Main Methods:
- A birth cohort study involving 398 mother-infant dyads.
- Maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy and child urine samples annually to measure BPA exposure.
- Parent-reported wheeze assessed every 6 months; lung function (FEV1) measured at ages 4 and 5.
Main Results:
- Prenatal BPA exposure was associated with a significant decrease in predicted FEV1 at age 4.
- Maternal BPA levels showed a marginal association with increased odds of wheezing and a significant association with persistent wheeze.
- Childhood BPA exposure was not associated with FEV1 or wheeze.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) is associated with impaired lung function and the development of persistent wheeze in children.
- These findings highlight the potential impact of early-life environmental exposures on respiratory health.
Importance:
Bisphenol A (BPA), a prevalent endocrine-disrupting chemical, has been associated with wheezing in children, but few studies have examined its effect on lung function or wheeze in older children.
Objectives:
To test whether BPA exposure is associated with lung function, with wheeze, and with pattern of wheeze in children during their first 5 years.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
A birth cohort study, enrolled during early pregnancy in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area among 398 mother-infant dyads. We collected maternal urine samples during pregnancy (at 16 and 26 weeks) and child urine samples annually to assess gestational and child BPA exposure.
Main Outcomes And Measures:
We assessed parent-reported wheeze every 6 months for 5 years and measured child forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV1) at age 4 and 5 years. We evaluated associations of BPA exposure with respiratory outcomes, including FEV1, child wheeze, and wheeze phenotype.
Results:
Urinary BPA concentrations and FEV1 data were available for 208 children and urinary BPA concentrations and parent-reported wheeze data were available for 360 children. The mean maternal urinary BPA concentration ranged from 0.53 to 293.55 µg/g of creatinine. In multivariable analysis, every 10-fold increase in the mean maternal urinary BPA concentration was associated with a 14.2% (95% CI, -24.5% to -3.9%) decrease in the percentage predicted FEV1 at 4 years, but no association was found at 5 years. In multivariable analysis, every 10-fold increase in the mean maternal urinary BPA concentration was marginally associated with a 54.8% increase in the odds of wheezing (adjusted odds ratio, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.91-2.63). While the mean maternal urinary BPA concentration was not associated with wheeze phenotype, a 10-fold increase in the 16-week maternal urinary BPA concentration was associated with a 4.27-fold increase in the odds of persistent wheeze (adjusted odds ratio, 4.27; 95% CI, 1.37-13.30). Child urinary BPA concentrations were not associated with FEV1 or wheeze.
Conclusions And Relevance:
These results provide evidence suggesting that prenatal but not postnatal exposure to BPA is associated with diminished lung function and the development of persistent wheeze in children.
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