Association between exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and blood lipid profiles in American adults: a...

Exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) has been linked to alterations in human metabolism and disease processes. However, the relationship between BFR exposure and blood lipid levels remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between BFR exposure and blood lipid profiles in American adults.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2016. Serum concentrations of twelve BFRs, PBB153 and eleven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), were quantified using isotope dilution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS). Blood lipid levels, including total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured enzymatically. The Friedewald equation was used to determine low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C): [LDL-C] = [TC] - [HDL-C] - [TG/5]. Remnant cholesterol (RC) was calculated using the formula: [RC] = [TC] - [HDL-C] - [LDL-C]. Multivariable regression analyses were applied to examine the associations between individual BFRs and TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and RC. The overall associations of BFR mixtures with blood lipids were evaluated using quantile g-computation (QGC) analyses and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. In order to identify potential gender-specific differences, stratified mixture analyses were performed by gender.

A total of 3,154 eligible participants were included. Nine BFRs with a detection rate greater than 70% were included in the analysis. Individually, PBB153, PBDE209, PBDE153, and PBDE28 were positively associated with TC and RC after adjusted all covariates. Furthermore, PBB153, PBDE209, and PBDE153 were positively associated with LDL-C. No association was found between individual BFR and HDL-C. WQS and QGC analyses confirmed that BFR mixtures were positively associated with TC, LDL-C, and RC.

This study demonstrates that BFR exposure is associated with increased levels of TC, LDL-C, and RC, indicating an elevated risk of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.