Non-linear associations between exposure to a mixture of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and thyroid hormone levels in Korean adults.

BACKGROUND

This study investigated how exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) influence the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (fT4) and the risk of thyroid disease in euthyroid adults.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 181 euthyroid Korean adults (59.4 ± 8.8 years, 33.1 % male) from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Serum concentrations of four PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS) were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and a relative potency factor-based cumulative PFAS exposure (Cmix) was calculated. Linear regression and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were used to assess the associations between PFAS exposure and thyroid hormone levels. Cox regression analysis was conducted to assess the risk of thyroid disease during a 3.6 ± 1.3-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Serum PFOS levels were negatively correlated with TSH, showing a reverse J-shaped dose-response relationship. PFOS and PFNA exhibited inverse J-shaped positive associations with fT4. Mixed PFAS exposure (lnCmix) significantly reduced TSH levels in females (adjusted linear regression coefficient -0.56, 95 % CI -1.03 ∼ -0.09, p = 0.021) but had no significant effect on fT4. In the BKMR analysis, PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA were identified as factors that influenced TSH levels, exhibiting a non-significant decreasing pattern of TSH upon mixed exposure. During follow-up, mixed PFAS exposure increased the risk of thyroid disease (adjusted HR 9.53, 95 % CI 1.29-70.6, p = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

Mixed PFAS exposure decreases TSH levels, particularly in women, and increases the risk of thyroid disease. Further research is needed to assess the nonlinearity between exposure and outcomes, as well as to evaluate mixed exposures.