Phthalate exposure linked to high blood pressure in Chinese children

  • Environ Int. 2020 Oct:143:105958. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105958.
Yao Yao  1 ,  Ding-Yan Chen  2 ,  Jiang-Wei Yin  3 ,  Li Zhou  4 ,  Jin-Quan Cheng  5 ,  Shao-You Lu  6 ,  Hong-Hua Li  3 ,  Ying Wen  2 ,  Yu Wu  2
Affiliations
  • 1. Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
  • 2. Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China.
  • 3. Baoan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518101, China.
  • 4. Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5. Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6. School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
PMID: 32688158 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105958
Abstract

Background: Exposure to phthalate esters may be linked to the risk of high blood pressure (HBP), but limited evidence is available in Chinese children.

Objective: To investigate the associations between nine phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) and systolic/diastolic BP, pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the risk of HBP.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1044 primary school children (6-8 years old) were enrolled from Shenzhen, China, between 2016 and 2017. Nine mPAEs were analyzed from urine using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. A multivariable linear regression model was used to explore the associations between phthalate exposure and systolic/diastolic BP, PP, and MAP. A binary logistic regression model was used to examine the associations between phthalate exposure and the risk of HBP.

Results: Monomethyl phthalate (MMP) concentrations were significantly higher in HBP children than normal BP children. MMP, monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP), monobutyl phthalate (MnBP), mono(5-carboxy-2-ethylpentyl) phthalate, mono-[(2-carboxy methyl)hexyl] phthalate (MCMHP), the sum of four short-chain mPAEs (∑LMW), and the sum of all nine mPAEs (∑9mPAEs) were significantly positively associated with increases in systolic BP z-score, while only MMP was significantly positively associated with diastolic BP z-score. MMP, MiBP, MnBP, MCMHP, ∑LMW, and ∑9mPAEs were significantly associated with increases in PP, while MMP and MnBP were significantly associated with increases in MAP. MMP was significantly associated with the risk of HBP, with an odds ratio of 1.87 (95% CI: 1.23, 2.85).

Conclusions: The present study suggests that dimethyl phthalate exposure increases the risk of HBP. And some types of phthalates are associated with elevations in systolic/diastolic BP z scores, PP, and MAP in Chinese children.

Keywords
Blood pressure; Children; Exposure; Hypertension; Phthalate metabolites.
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