ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2020
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Effects of PCB Exposure on Human Stress Hormones in the German HELPcB Surveillance Program.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Early-life exposure to PCBs and PFAS exerts negative effects on the developing central nervous system.Journal of hazardous materials · 2025Review
- A prospective cohort study of persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals and perceived stress.American journal of epidemiology · 2024Article
- Ten years after: findings from the medical surveillance program on Health Effects in High-Level Exposure to PCB (HELPcB).Archives of toxicology · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Multiple pathological associations are attributed to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Research shows a positive association of PCBs with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) concentration but the results on the stress hormone cortisol have been inconsistent so far. This study is the first to examine not only the cross-sectional but also the longitudinal effects of PCB exposure on the stress hormones DHEAS and cortisol. Over a period of three years, 112 former employees occupationally exposed to PCBs were tested for their body burden with different types of PCBs (lower and higher chlorinated, dioxin-like and hydroxylated) and for their stress hormone concentration. Highly exposed employees showed a significantly higher risk for higher DHEAS values. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a positive relationship between the exposure to lower chlorinated PCBs and DHEAS. Mixed models also revealed a significantly positive correlation between lower chlorinated PCBs with DHEAS when controlled for a cross-section. However, an effect for cortisol was not found. These results suggest a causal pathophysiological relationship between PCB exposure and DHEAS concentration, but not with cortisol. The health consequences of high DHEAS concentrations are discussed.
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Registered trials
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