Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals and its Relation to Serum Lipids, Serum Uric Acid, and Blood Pressure Levels in Children.

Introduction: PFCs are manmade chemicals that are very pervasive in the US. They have been found to be present in the blood of more than 98% of Americans and have a long half-life. Studies have shown that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have endocrine-disrupting properties and exposure is positively associated with serum lipids, serum uric acid, reproductive effects, low birth weight and cancers, among other negative health effects. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide and risk factors include dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, and hypertension. In this context, we examined the association between PFOA and PFOS and serum lipid levels, serum uric acid levels, and blood pressure levels among children in three related studies using nationally representative data. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on participants ≤ 18 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2000 and 2003-2008. The main outcomes of interest for three related studies were dyslipidemia (n=815), hyperuricemia (n=1,772), and hypertension (n=1,655). Consistent with current guidelines and existing literature, dyslipidemia was defined as ≥170 mg/dL for total-C, ≥110 mg/dL for LDL-C,