Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sex hormones in children and adolescents: Evidence from NHANES

Background: Evidences showed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) do harm to human body. However, the association between PAHs and sex hormones in children and adolescents remains unclear. Objectives: The study aims to investigate the associations between PAHs and sex hormones in the general children and adolescent population. Methods: 967 participants aged 6-19 with complete data of PAHs exposure biomarkers, covariates and sex hormones [total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)] were recruited from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2013-2016. Free androgen index (FAI) was calculated with TT/SHBG. Multivariate linear regression models were performed in six subgroups (male children, male adolescents, male late adolescents, female children, female adolescents and female late adolescents) to estimate the associations between sex hormone alterations and PAHs exposure. Results: In male puberty adolescents, weighted multivariate linear regression indicated that negative trends for 2-Hydroxynaphthalene, 1-Hydroxyphenanthrene, 2&3-Hydroxyphenanthrene and E2 (2-Hydroxynaphthalene: beta: -0.104, 95%CI:-0.180,-0.029, P < 0.01; 1-Hydroxyphenanthrene: beta:-0.112, 95%CI:-0.206,-0.018, P = 0.019; 2&3-Hydroxyphenanthrene: beta:-0.125, 95%CI:-0.232,-0.018, P = 0.022), while exposure to 2-Hydrox-ynaphthalene was related to TT reduction (beta:-0.099, 95%CI:-0.177,-0.020, P = 0.014). Same pattern be-tween 2&3-Hydroxyphenanthrene and E2 alteration (2&3-Hydroxyphenanthrene: beta:-0.139, 95%CI:-0.236, -0.041, P < 0.01) was also observed in male late adolescents. In male children, we determined that 1-Hydrox-yphenanthrene was negatively associated with SHBG (beta:-0.121, 95%CI:-0.205,-0.037, P < 0.01), while the same patterns were observed in male puberty children. We did not observe any significant result in female subgroups. All these results above were determined to have q value < 0.05. Conclusion: PAHs exposure was associated with the alterations of sex hormones in male adolescents and children. Considering the cross-sectional study design, further large-scale epidemiological study is necessary.

Automated summary

The study revealed that exposure to PAHs was associated with alterations in sex hormones in male adolescents and children, including effects on testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin. No significant results were observed in female subgroups. Further large-scale epidemiological studies are recommended due to the cross-sectional study design.