Serum PFAS and Lipid Concentrations in Ecuadorian Adolescents

There is growing evidence that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may alter serum lipid concentrations; however, this topic is understudied in adolescents and Latin American populations. We aimed to characterize these associations among adolescents in Ecuador’s main floricultural region. This cross-sectional study included 97 adolescents ages 11-17 years from Pedro Moncayo County, Ecuador. Generalized estimating equation models were applied to estimate the associations of serum perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) concentrations with serum lipids. Models were adjusted for age, gender, height, body mass index (BMI), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and hemoglobin concentrations. We observed statistically significant sex-specific associations of all PFAS with triglycerides. Significant inverse relationships between PFAS and triglycerides were observed in females (% lipid difference per 50% increase in: PFOS= −15.0% [95%CI: −24.72, −4.06], PFNA= −25.49% [−36.93, −12.00], and PFOA= −16.55% [−28.16, −3.07]) but not in males. No associations were observed between total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and any PFAS. PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA were inversely associated with triglycerides in adolescent females but not males. Further characterization of sex-specific associations of PFAS and blood lipids in adolescents is warranted.