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Associations and dose-response relationships between different kinds of urine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites and adult lung functions

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Abstract

Associations and dose-response relationships between different kinds of urine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) metabolites and lung functions in general American adults were unknown. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database of the 2009–2012 cycles were used. The independent variables were urine PAHs adjusted for urine creatinine, including 1-hydroxynaphthalene (1-NAP), 2-hydroxynaphthalene (2-NAP), 3-hydroxyfluorene (3-FLU), 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-FLU), 3-hydroxyphenanthrene (3-PHE), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (1-PHE), 2-hydroxyphenanthrene (2-PHE), 1-hydroxypyrene (1-PYR), and 9-hydroxyfluorene (9-FLU). The dependent variables were lung function indices including the forced vital capacity (FVC), the 1st second of a forceful exhalation (FEV1), the ratio of FEV1/FVC, the forced expiratory flow rate 25–75% (FEF25%-75%), and the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO). Multivariate linear regression analyses and the restricted cubic splines were used. Except for 1-PHE and 9-FLU, FEF25%-75% decreased in quartile (Q) 4 of all the remaining seven PAHs; FEV1 decreased in Q4 of 2-NAP, 3-PHE, 2-PHE, and 9-FLU, with β (SE) of −121.89 (45.46), −105.21 (33.57), −143.67 (40.60), and −127.71 (37.14), respectively. FVC decreased only in Q3 of 9-FLU, with β (SE) of −142.24 (56.54); FEV1/FVC decreased in Q4 of all PAHs except for 2-FLU. Besides, FENO decreased in Q4 of all PAHs in smokers, while in non-smokers, the results were opposite. The dose-response relationships were non-linear. In conclusion, we found that urine PAHs may relate to the changes in lung functions. Besides, smoking status had a significant influence on FENO; FENO decreased in smokers while increased in non-smokers, suggesting that PAHs exposure may relate to airway inflammation.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [NHANES] repository [https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/Search/DataPage.aspx?Component=Laboratory

https://wwwn.cdc.gov/Nchs/Nhanes/2009-2010/SPX_F.htm].

Abbreviations

NHANES:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

PAHs:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

1-NAP:

1-hydroxynaphthalene

2-NAP:

2-hydroxynaphthalene

3-NAP:

3-hydroxyfluorene

2-FLU:

2-hydroxyfluorene

3-PHE:

3-hydroxyphenanthrene

1-PHE:

1-hydroxyphenanthrene

2-PHE:

2-hydroxyphenanthrene

1-PYR:

1-hydroxypyrene

9-FLU:

9-hydroxyfluorene

FVC :

The forced vital capacity

FEV1 :

The 1st second of a forceful exhalation

FEF25%-75% :

The forced expiratory flow rate 25–75%

FENO:

The fractional exhaled nitric oxide

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for sharing the data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, The School of Public Health of Qingdao University, No.308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, China

    Liming Zhang, Jing Sun & Dongfeng Zhang

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  1. Liming Zhang
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  2. Jing Sun
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Contributions

Liming Zhang: conceptualization, methodology, software, formal analysis, and writing—original draft. Jing Sun: software and formal analysis. Dongfeng Zhang: writing (review and editing), supervision, and project administration. All authors provided critical revisions of the manuscript and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Dongfeng Zhang.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate

The protocol was approved by the NCHS Research Ethics Review Board (ERB) (Protocol Number: Protocol #2005-06; Protocol #2011-17). All adult participants provide written notice of consent.

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Not applicable

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Responsible Editor: Lotfi Aleya

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Zhang, L., Sun, J. & Zhang, D. Associations and dose-response relationships between different kinds of urine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites and adult lung functions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 8639–8649 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16294-z

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