To Örebro University

BACKGROUND: Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), mainly PFOS and PFOA, and increased blood lipids have been reported primarily from cross-sectional studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between multiple PFAS and blood lipids in a longitudinal fashion.

METHODS: A total of 864 men and women aged 70 years and free from lipid medication were included from the PIVUS study, 614 and 404 of those were reinvestigated at age 75 and 80. At all three occasions, eight PFAS were measured in plasma using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were also measured in plasma at all three occasions. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between the changes in PFAS levels and changes in lipid levels.

RESULTS: Changes in plasma levels of six out of the eight investigated PFAS were positively associated with changes in plasma lipids after adjustment for sex, change in body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity, statin use (age was the same in all subjects), and correction for multiple testing. For example, changes in perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were positively associated with the changes in total cholesterol (β: 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14 to 0.32), triglycerides (β: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.04-0.12) and HDL-cholesterol (β: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.04-0.11).

CONCLUSION: In this longitudinal study with three measurements over 10 years of both plasma PFAS and lipids, changes in six out of the eight investigated PFAS were positively associated with changes in plasma lipids, giving further support for a role of PFAS exposure in human lipid metabolism.