Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and prevalence of autoimmune disorders among members of the Michigan PBB registry

Robert B Hood; Metrecia L Terrell; Sarah Mardovich; Emily C Somers; Melanie Pearson; Hillary Barton; Martha Scott Tomlinson; M Elizabeth Marder; Dana Boyd Barr; Michele Marcus

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.117312

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and prevalence of autoimmune disorders among members of the Michigan PBB registry

Environ Res. 2023 Dec 15;239(Pt 1):117312. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117312. Epub 2023 Oct 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: rhood2@emory.edu.
² Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
³ Departments of Internal Medicine, Environmental Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁴ Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁵ Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
⁶ Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.

PMID: 37806482
PMCID: PMC10843028 (available on 2024-12-15)
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117312

Abstract

Background: Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), a class of endocrine disrupting chemicals, were the main chemicals present in one of the largest industrial accidents in the United States. We investigated the association between serum PBB-153 levels and autoimmune disorders among members of the Michigan PBB Registry.

Methods: Eight hundred and ninety-five members of the registry had both a serum PBB-153 measurement and had completed one or more questionnaires about autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disorders were examined collectively and within specific organ systems. Sex-stratified unadjusted and adjusted log-binomial models were used to examine the association between tertiles of serum PBB-153 levels and autoimmune disorders. Models were adjusted by lifestage at exposure (in utero, childhood, adulthood), smoking history (never, past, current), and total serum lipid levels (continuous). We utilized cubic spline models to investigate non-linearity between serum PBB-153 levels and the prevalence of autoimmune disorders.

Results: Approximately 12.9% and 20.7% of male and female participants reported having one or more autoimmune disorders, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, we observed no association between PBB-153 tertiles and the composite classification of 'any autoimmune disorder' in either sex. We observed some evidence for an association between serum PBB-153 levels and rheumatoid arthritis in males and females; however, this was not statistically significant in females. We also observed some evidence for an association between serum PBB-153 levels and neurological- and thyroid-related autoimmune disorders in females, but again this was not statistically significant. Additionally, we identified dose-response curves for serum PBB-153 levels and the prevalence of autoimmune disorders that differed by lifestage of exposure and sex.

Conclusions: We observed some evidence that increasing serum PBB-153 levels were associated with three specified autoimmune disorders. Studies focusing on these three autoimmune disorders and the potential non-linear trend differences by lifestage of exposure warrant further investigation.

Keywords: Autoimmune disorders; Michigan; Polybrominated biphenyls; Rheumatoid arthritis; Thyroid autoimmune disorders.

MeSH terms

Adult
Autoimmune Diseases* / chemically induced
Autoimmune Diseases* / epidemiology
Child
Female
Humans
Male
Michigan / epidemiology
Polybrominated Biphenyls*
Prevalence
Registries

Substances

2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexabromobiphenyl
Polybrominated Biphenyls

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

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