Association between perfluoroalkyl acids and liver function: Data on sex differences in adolescents

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Toxicology
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent environmental contaminants with potential adverse health effects.
• Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the toxicological impacts of PFAAs due to ongoing development.
• Previous research indicates potential links between PFAA exposure and liver function, but sex-specific differences require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between serum concentrations of four specific PFAAs (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA) and liver function biomarkers (ALT, AST, GGT) in US adolescents.
• To investigate potential sex differences in these associations.
• To provide data for understanding the impact of PFAA exposure on adolescent liver health.

Main Methods:

• Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed on data from the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
• Serum levels of ALT, AST, and GGT were natural log-transformed.
• Analyses adjusted for covariates including age, race/ethnicity, body weight, education, income-to-poverty ratio, and smoking exposure.

Main Results:

• Specific PFAAs showed varying associations with liver function biomarkers in adolescents.
• The study identified significant sex differences in the relationship between PFAA exposure and liver enzyme levels.
• Results were presented as percent differences in liver enzymes comparing upper PFAA quartiles to the lowest.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to certain PFAAs is associated with altered liver function in adolescents.
• Sex is a significant factor modifying the association between PFAA exposure and liver biomarkers.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering sex-specific effects in public health assessments of PFAA exposure in young populations.