Prenatal phthalate exposure and early childhood wheeze in the SELMA study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Pediatric Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Prenatal phthalate exposure is a suspected risk factor for childhood wheeze and asthma, but evidence is inconsistent.
• Previous studies often examined late pregnancy exposure to fewer phthalates and assessed outcomes in older children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between first-trimester maternal exposure to a broader spectrum of phthalates and wheeze in early childhood.
• To identify specific phthalate metabolites linked to wheeze in 24-month-old children.

Main Methods:

• Quantified 14 phthalate metabolites from 8 phthalates and one alternative plasticizer in maternal urine from 1148 mothers in the Swedish SELMA study.
• Used logistic regression to analyze associations between log-transformed metabolite concentrations and parental-reported wheeze in children at 24 months.
• Adjusted for parental asthma/rhinitis, child's sex, maternal education, smoking, and creatinine levels.

Main Results:

• Metabolites of di-iso-decyl phthalate (DiDP) and di-2-propylheptyl phthalate (DPHP) were associated with increased wheeze risk (aOR 1.47-1.49).
• Associations for DiDP and DPHP were stronger in children without parental asthma or rhinitis.
• Butyl-benzyl phthalate (BBzP) and di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP) metabolites also linked to wheeze in this subgroup.

Conclusions:

• Maternal phthalate exposure in early pregnancy may increase the risk of wheeze in young children.
• The association between phthalate exposure and childhood wheeze is particularly notable in families without a history of asthma or rhinitis.