Serum PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs and PCAs: Associations with metabolic syndrome risk factors in the Flemish Gut Flora Project cohort.

The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the FGFP cohort was 16.5% in males and 8.0% in females.

• Study included 403 adults from the Flemish Gut Flora Project (FGFP), a Belgian population-based cohort.
• MetS prevalence was 16.5% (n=23) for males and 8.0% (n=21) for females.
• MetS and its components were defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria.
• Components assessed included central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and impaired fasting glucose.

Detection frequencies for measured POPs were generally high, with 13 of 21 POPs including PCBs and OCPs present in at least 40% of samples.

• Serum concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs were measured using GC-ECNI/MS.
• PCAs were quantified using LC/MS.
• 13 of the 21 POPs, including PCBs and OCPs, were present in 40% of the samples.
• Detection frequencies for PCAs in pooled serum extracts were 44% for ΣPCA(C10-C13), 68% for ΣPCA(C14-C17), and 5% for ΣPCA(C18-C20).

Females showed significantly increased odds of elevated blood pressure associated with POP mixtures in multi-pollutant models.

• The odds ratio for elevated blood pressure in females was 2.29 (FDR <0.05).
• Multi-pollutant models were used to assess associations between POPs and MetS indicators stratified by sex.
• This finding suggests a potential differential susceptibility to POP-associated cardiometabolic effects in females compared to males.

Multi-pollutant models revealed significant associations between POP mixtures and several metabolic syndrome indicators when analyses were stratified by sex.

• Analyses were stratified by sex to account for potential differential susceptibility.
• Associations were found between POP mixtures and several MetS indicators beyond blood pressure.
• The study used multi-pollutant models rather than single-pollutant approaches to capture mixture effects.
• The findings underscore the need for targeted public health considerations regarding sex-specific POP effects.

The study provides evidence of ongoing exposure to persistent organic pollutants in the Belgian adult population.

• The cohort consisted of 403 Belgian adults from the FGFP population-based cohort.
• Multiple classes of POPs were detected: PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and PCAs.
• High detection frequencies across multiple POP classes indicate widespread ongoing exposure in Belgium.
• Both legacy POPs (PCBs, OCPs) and more recently regulated compounds (PBDEs, PCAs) were detectable in serum samples.