Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39182754›Full record

SynthesisEnvironmental research2024

Asthma and decreased lung function in children exposed to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): An updated meta-analysis unveiling research gaps.

Ata Rafiee, Sasan Faridi, Peter D Sly, Lara Stone, Lynsey P Kennedy, E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Environmental research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Dietary and social predictors of PFAS exposure in Hispanic children from Northern Virginia.Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Association of Childhood Asthma with the Concept of Exposomics: A Short Review.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. 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

6 authors.

Ata RafieeDepartment of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Sasan FaridiCenter for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Peter D SlyChildren's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Lara StoneDivision of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Lynsey P KennedyDivision of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
E Melinda Mahabee-GittensDivision of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Electronic address: melinda.mahabee-gittens@cchmc.org.

Funding

Prevalence and Clinical Correlates of Thirdhand Smoke Exposure in a Pediatric Patient PopulationR01ES030743 · NIEHS · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI MAHABEE-GITTENS, E. MELINDA · 2019 to 2023
$2.9M
NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES030743
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectiveAssociations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pediatric asthma and reduced lung function in children are mixed and inconclusive. The study objective was to examine the extant research on exposure to PFAS and the diagnosis of asthma or decreased lung function in children <17 years of age to highlight what is known and to identify research gaps for future investigations.

methodsThe present review was registered on the PROSPER database (CRD42023407172). We systematically searched several bibliographic databases (Scopus, Embase, Web of Science (core Collection), Medline, and CINAHL) along with grey literature sources in January 2023 to find relevant studies before this date. The National Toxicology Program's Office of Health Assessment and Translation (NTP OHAT) tool was applied to assess the risk of bias (RoB) assessment. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to assess the associations. From 12 observational epidemiological studies (out of 513) explored for qualitative analyses, 4 studies were included in quantitative analyses.

resultsThe meta-analysis revealed a significant association between exposures to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) with the prevalence of children's asthma [Odds Ratios (OR) = 1.162 (95% CI: 1.004-1.321)] whereas the association for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was not statistically significant [OR = 1.03 (95%CI: 0.806-1.265]. The narrative synthesis results of the four included studies that examined the effects of PFAS exposure on lung function did not demonstrate significant associations between exposure to PFAS and decreased lung function. The RoB for most included studies was assessed as probably low without serious limitations. However, two studies were at high risk of biases.

conclusionOur findings suggest that children who are exposed to PFOA are at a higher risk of developing asthma as well as the association between exposure to PFOS with impaired lung function. Large longitudinal studies with homogeneous PFAS exposures and standardized outcome measures are needed to ascertain these outcomes with improved certainty as well as toxicological studies to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Indexed as

AsthmaEnvironmental ExposureFluorocarbonsAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolEnvironmental PollutantsEvidence GapsHumansLungEnvironmental PollutantsFluorocarbonsAsthmaBiomonitoringExposure assessmentPFASSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID39182754
PMCPMC11568923

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.