Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37806482›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental research2023

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and prevalence of autoimmune disorders among members of the Michigan PBB registry.

Robert B Hood, Metrecia L Terrell, Sarah Mardovich, Emily C Somers, Melanie Pearson, Hillary Barton, Martha Scott Tomlinson, M Elizabeth Marder, Dana Boyd Barr, Michele Marcus

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 23% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Mortality of individuals in a long-term cohort exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs).Environmental health : a global access science source · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
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

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Robert B HoodDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: rhood2@emory.edu.
Metrecia L TerrellDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Sarah MardovichDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Emily C SomersDepartments of Internal Medicine, Environmental Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Melanie PearsonGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Hillary BartonDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Martha Scott TomlinsonGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
M Elizabeth MarderDepartment of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Dana Boyd BarrGangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Michele MarcusDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Emory University · USUniversity of California, Davis · USUniversity of Michigan · US

Funding

Pilot Project ProgramP30ES019776 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI William Michael Caudle · 2013 to 2026
$22.6M
Graduate and Postdoctoral Training in ToxicologyT32ES012870 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Carmen Joseph Marsit · 2004 to 2026
$9.1M
Collaborative Research and Action: Empowering an Exposed CommunityR01ES025775 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI MARCUS, MICHELE · 2016 to 2022
$3.9M
The Michigan PBB Cohort: A unique, highly exposed community followed for 50 years and three generationsR24ES028528 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI MICHELE MARCUS, Melanie Alice PEARSON · 2018 to 2026
$2.2M
Genetic Biomarkers of Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB)R01ES024790 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI CONNEELY, KAREN, SMITH, ALICIA K · 2015 to 2018
$1.7M
The Michigan PBB Cohort: A unique, highly exposed community followed for 50 years and three generationsU24ES028528 · NIEHS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI MARCUS, MICHELE, PEARSON, MELANIE ALICE · 2024 to 2025
$758k
NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES019776NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES024790NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES025775NIEHS NIH HHS R24 ES028528NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES012870NIEHS NIH HHS U24 ES028528
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPolybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), a class of endocrine disrupting chemicals, were the main chemicals present in one of the largest industrial accidents in the United States. We investigated the association between serum PBB-153 levels and autoimmune disorders among members of the Michigan PBB Registry.

methodsEight hundred and ninety-five members of the registry had both a serum PBB-153 measurement and had completed one or more questionnaires about autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disorders were examined collectively and within specific organ systems. Sex-stratified unadjusted and adjusted log-binomial models were used to examine the association between tertiles of serum PBB-153 levels and autoimmune disorders. Models were adjusted by lifestage at exposure (in utero, childhood, adulthood), smoking history (never, past, current), and total serum lipid levels (continuous). We utilized cubic spline models to investigate non-linearity between serum PBB-153 levels and the prevalence of autoimmune disorders.

resultsApproximately 12.9% and 20.7% of male and female participants reported having one or more autoimmune disorders, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, we observed no association between PBB-153 tertiles and the composite classification of 'any autoimmune disorder' in either sex. We observed some evidence for an association between serum PBB-153 levels and rheumatoid arthritis in males and females; however, this was not statistically significant in females. We also observed some evidence for an association between serum PBB-153 levels and neurological- and thyroid-related autoimmune disorders in females, but again this was not statistically significant. Additionally, we identified dose-response curves for serum PBB-153 levels and the prevalence of autoimmune disorders that differed by lifestage of exposure and sex.

conclusionsWe observed some evidence that increasing serum PBB-153 levels were associated with three specified autoimmune disorders. Studies focusing on these three autoimmune disorders and the potential non-linear trend differences by lifestage of exposure warrant further investigation.

Indexed as

Autoimmune DiseasesPolybrominated BiphenylsAdultChildFemaleHumansMaleMichiganPrevalenceRegistries2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexabromobiphenylPolybrominated BiphenylsAutoimmune disordersMichiganPolybrominated biphenylsRheumatoid arthritisThyroid autoimmune disorders

Identifiers

PMID37806482
PMCPMC10843028
OpenAlexW4387397833

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
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.