Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is associated with impaired cardiovascular health: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and cardiovascular disease are controversial. We aimed to assess the association between serum PFAS exposure and cardiovascular health (CVH) in U.S. adults.
Methods: We analyzed serum PFAS concentration data of U.S. adults reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study (2005-2018). We employed two weighted logistic regression models and a restricted cubic spline (RCS) to examine the association between each PFAS and impaired CVH (defined as moderate and low CVH). Quantile g-computation (Qgcomp) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) analysis were used to estimate the effects of mixed exposures to PFASs on impaired CVH.
Results: PFAS were associated with an increased risk of impaired CVH (OR _PFNA : 1.40, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.80; OR _PFOA : 1.44, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.88; OR _PFOS : 1.62, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.11). PFOA and PFOS exhibited nonlinear relationships with impaired CVH. Significant interactions were observed for impaired CVH between race/ethnicity and PFHxS ( p  = 0.02), marital status and PFOA ( p  = 0.03), and both marital status and race/ethnicity with PFOS ( p  = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Analysis via WQS and Qgcomp revealed that the mixture of PFAS was positively associated with an increased risk of impaired CVH.
Conclusion: PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS exposure are associated with an increased risk of impaired CVH in U.S. adults. Race/ethnicity and marital status may influence CVH. Reducing PFAS exposure could alleviate the burden of disease associated with impaired CVH.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 Zong, Wang, Wang, Wang, Jiang, Sun, Zong and Li.)