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Grantee Research Project Results

2006 Progress Report: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Thyroid Outcomes

EPA Grant Number: R830254
Title: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Thyroid Outcomes
Investigators: Anderson, Henry A.
Institution: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: March 1, 2003 through February 28, 2007 (Extended to February 28, 2009)
Project Period Covered by this Report: March 1, 2006 through February 28,2007
Project Amount: $2,288,208
RFA: Endocrine Disruptors: Epidemiologic Approaches (2001) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Justice , Endocrine Disruptors , Human Health , Safer Chemicals

Objective:

Measure polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels, thyroid parameters, reproductive hormone levels, urinary iodine and hormone concentrations, and Hemoglobin A1C in 500 frequent and infrequent sport-fish consumers.  Based on the study findings, determine whether there is an interaction between fish consumption and endocrine function.

Approach:

Fish consumption habits, other exposures to PBDEs and PCBs, diagnosed thyroid disease, medication use and demographic information will be assessed in the full cohort in a telephone interview. Biologic characterization of the major, endocrine disruptors known for this cohort will be conducted in 300 banked blood samples remaining from the original biologic sampling and in the newly selected 500 members. Eligibility for the new biomonitoring sample will be determined from the telephone interview. A more detailed survey and the blood and urine sampling will be conducted at field clinics. Urinary iodine, thyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, hemoglobin A1C (an index of integrated glucose concentration) and congener specific serum concentrations of PCBs, DDE and PBDEs (unadjusted and lipid adjusted) will be determined. Menstrual history and information on other potential confounds will be collected from women of reproductive age at the time of biologic specimen collection.

Progress Summary:

Data collection and laboratory analyses of blood serum and urine samples are complete.  A screener questionnaire was mailed to a sample cohort of 3,865.  Due to a low response rate of 49%, a non-responders survey was developed and a sample of 524 non-responders was drawn in 2005 (this survey had a 50% response rate).  Comparison of demographic variables and fish consumption prevalence among participants and non-responders revealed that these two groups were comparable.
 
Over 600 respondents volunteered to participate by providing blood and urine samples and completing a more detailed health status and fish consumption questionnaire.  Five hundred twenty-six (526) respondents completed this phase of the study.  Lab analyses of the samples were conducted by three labs contracted to analyze the serum and urine.  The labs conducting analyses included Quest Diagnostics, responsible for testing lipid levels; Northwestern University, responsible for endocrine and thyroid function; and Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, responsible for chemical contaminant levels.  Thyroid and hormone levels were measured for 93 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Repeat Biomarker samples as well.  These participants in the ATSDR study were also members of the original Endocrine cohort but did not opt to participate in the Endocrine follow-up study so their stored samples were analyzed instead.  Chemical contaminants were already measured as part of the ATSDR study.
 
The majority of follow-up participants have received lab result letters providing DDE and PCB levels and several thyroid and hormone function levels with reference ranges.  Survey datasets have been cleaned and quality assurance measures have been applied to the data.  Preliminary results have been reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by presentation at a Science To Achieve Results (STAR) grantees meeting and also in a presentation and poster presented at the International Workshop on Brominated Flame Retardants (2007).

Expected Results:

Age-adjusted prevalence rates of diabetes and thyroid conditions will be determined in the entire cohort and compared with age-adjusted rates for this population using standard statistical techniques. Cases of disease with onset since the previous data collection (1994) will be identified and the associations with sport fish consumption and with serum PBDE, PCB and DDE concentrations examined. The impact of possible confounding variables on these associations will also be determined.

Future Activities:

A subset of lab results will be sent to approximately 100 participants who have not yet received their results.
 
Analysis of survey data and blood serum and urine analyses will continue, as well as comparisons of fish consumption and health status data with the original 1993–94 study.  More detailed analysis of follow-up participants and comparisons with earlier studies such as the original 1993–94 study and the ATSDR Original and Repeat Biomarker Studies will begin.  Further testing and analysis of unidentified peaks found in the contaminant chromatograms may be conducted by the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene.


Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other project views: All 59 publications 31 publications in selected types All 30 journal articles
Publications
Type Citation Project Document Sources
Journal Article Turyk ME, Anderson HA, Freels S, Chatterton Jr. R, Needham LL, Patterson Jr. DG, Steenport DN, Knobeloch L, Imm P, Persky VW, Great Lakes Consortium. Associations of organochlorines with endogenous hormones in male Great Lakes fish consumers and nonconsumers. Environmental Research 2006;102(3):299-307. R830254 (2005)
R830254 (2006)
R830254 (2007)
R830254 (Final)
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Full-text: ScienceDirect
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  • Abstract: ScienceDirect
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  • Journal Article Turyk M, Anderson HA, Hanrahan LP, Falk C, Steenport DN, Needham LL, Patterson Jr. DG, Freels S, Persky V, Great Lakes Consortium. Relationship of serum levels of individual PCB, dioxin, and furan congeners and DDE with Great Lakes sport-caught fish consumption. Environmental Research 2006;100(2):173-183. R830254 (2004)
    R830254 (2005)
    R830254 (2006)
    R830254 (2007)
    R830254 (Final)
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Full-text: Science Direct
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  • Abstract: Science Direct
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  • Other: Science Direct PDF
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  • Journal Article Weisskopf MG, Anderson HA, Hanrahan LP, Kanarek MS, Falk CM, Steenport DM, Draheim LA, Great Lakes Consortium. Maternal exposure to Great Lakes sport-caught fish and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene, but not polychlorinated biphenyls, is associated with reduced birth weight. Environmental Research 2005;97(2):149-162. R830254 (2005)
    R830254 (2006)
    R830254 (2007)
    R830254 (Final)
  • Abstract from PubMed
  • Full-text: ScienceDirect
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  • Abstract: ScienceDirect
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  • Other: ScienceDirect PDF
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  • Supplemental Keywords:

    endocrine, PCB, PBDE, thyroid, sport-fish, hormone, reproductive, groundwater, human health effects, age, race, sex, diet, epidemiology, monitoring, analytical techniques,, RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, HUMAN HEALTH, Exposure, Health Risk Assessment, Chemicals, Endocrine Disruptors - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Epidemiology, Risk Assessments, endocrine disruptors, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Endocrine Disruptors - Human Health, chemical exposure, pesticide exposure, fish, endocrine disrupting chemicals, altered sexual development, bioavailability, exposure studies, PCBs, hormone degradation, fish consumption, human exposure, PCB, DDT, human growth and development, groundwater contamination, thyroid, reproductive processes, thyroid function, dietary exposure, agrochemicals, biochemical research, human health risk, epidemiologic studies

    Progress and Final Reports:

    Original Abstract
  • 2003 Progress Report
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  • 2007 Progress Report
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    The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

    Project Research Results

    • Final Report
    • 2007 Progress Report
    • 2005 Progress Report
    • 2004 Progress Report
    • 2003 Progress Report
    • Original Abstract
    59 publications for this project
    30 journal articles for this project

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