[en] The last decades have seen the increasing prevalence of thyroid disorders. These augmentations could be
the consequence of the increasing contamination of the environment by chemicals that may disrupt the
thyroid function. Indeed, in vitro studies have shown that many chemicals contaminating our environment
and highlighted in human serum, are able to interfere with the thyroid function. Given the crucial
importance of thyroid hormones on neurodevelopment in fetus and newborns, the influence of these
pollutants on newborn thyroid homeostasis is a major health concern. Unfortunately, the overall evidence
for a deleterious influence of environmental pollutants on thyroid remains poorly studied.
Therefore, we assessed the contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides
and perfluorinated compounds (PFC) in 221 cord blood samples collected in Belgium between 2013
and 2016. Our results showed that compared to previous studies performed on newborns recruited in
Belgium during the two last decades, the present pollutant contamination is declining. Multivariate
statistical analyses pointed out a decrease of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level in male newborns
with detectable level of 4,40- dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,40-DDE) in comparison with those
with no detectable level (p ¼ 0.025). We also highlighted a negative association between perfluorononanoic
acid (PFNA) concentration and TSH in male newborns (p ¼ 0.018). Logistic regression
showed increased odds ratio for presentation of hypothyroid in mother for each one unit augmentation
of log natural concentration of PFOA (OR ¼ 2.30, [1.18e4.5]) and PFOS (OR ¼ 2.03 [1.08e3.83]). Our
findings showed that the residual contamination by PFCs and organochlorine pollutants in cord blood are
correlated with thyroid hormone in the newborns and the risk of hypothyroid in mothers.
Disciplines :
Pharmacy, pharmacology & toxicology
Author, co-author :
Dufour, Patrice ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Chimie toxicologique
PIRARD, Catherine ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Service de toxicologie
Seghaye, Marie-Christine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Pédiatrie cardiologique et pneumologique
Charlier, Corinne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Chimie toxicologique
Language :
English
Title :
Association between organohalogenated pollutants in cord blood and thyroid function in newborns and mothers from Belgian population
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