Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23972896›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental research2013

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers and serum markers of inflammation. A positive association that is more evident in men.

Omayma Alshaarawy, Motao Zhu, Alan Ducatman, Baqiyyah Conway, Michael E Andrew

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In one paragraph

Article in Environmental research, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
53citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

53 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 123 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The Association between Urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Metabolites and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
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  6. Urinary Pyrene Carboxylic Acid as a Novel Exposure Biomarker of Woodsmoke.Environmental science & technology letters · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Omayma AlshaarawyDepartment of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA. Electronic address: oalshaarawy@mix.wvu.edu.
Motao Zhu
Alan Ducatman
Baqiyyah Conway
Michael E Andrew
West Virginia University · USNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health · US

Funding

Intramural CDC HHS CC999999
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potent atmospheric pollutants, occurring from anthropogenic and natural sources. Several animal studies have reported a positive association of PAHs with inflammation. However, it is not clear if lower background exposure to PAHs is associated with inflammation in humans, independent of smoking, a major source of PAHs.

methodsWe examined participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2002, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006. Our exposures of interest were eight urinary monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers. Our outcomes were serum markers of inflammation; C-reactive protein (CRP) (≤10 mg/L) and total white blood cell (WBC) count (4000-12,000 cells/μL).

resultsCompared to participants with summed biomarkers of low-molecular weight (LMW) PAHs in the lowest quartile, the multivariable odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of high serum CRP (≥3 mg/L) and high total WBC count (defined as at or above the 95 percentile of total WBC distribution) among participants in the highest exposure quartile were 1.77 (1.13, 2.76) and 1.34 (1.12, 1.60) respectively. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, the biomarker of the higher molecular weight pyrene, was positively associated with total WBC count, and to lesser extent with serum CRP. In subsequent analyses, the positive association between LMW PAHs and serum CRP and total WBC count was found to be present within the stratified subgroups, independent of smoking and other potential confounders. The positive association was more evident among adult males when compared to females.

conclusionsUrinary PAH biomarkers were found to be positively associated with serum CRP and total WBC count independent of smoking and other potential confounders. The association was more evident in men.

Indexed as

AdultAgedBiomarkersCohort StudiesC-Reactive ProteinFemaleHumansInflammationLeukocyte CountMaleMiddle AgedNutrition SurveysPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsSex FactorsYoung AdultBiomarkersC-Reactive ProteinPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsInflammationNHANESPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsSerum C-reactive proteinTotal white blood cell count

Identifiers

PMID23972896
PMCPMC4610391
OpenAlexW2049380094

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.