ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BLOOD POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL CONCENTRATION AND SERUM TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL IN CHRONIC YUSHO (POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL POISONING) PATIENTS

The association between blood polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentra tion and serum triglyceride level was investigated in 259 ''Yusho'' pa tients (PCB poisoning) who underwent health examinations for Yusho in 1988. Geometric means of PCB and triglyceride were 3.84 ppb (95% confi dence interval: 3.54-4.17) and 114.3 mg/dl (106.6-122.6), respectively . Both correlation and multiple regression analyses showed a weak but statistically significant correlation between these two variables. The mean triglyceride level adjusted for age and sex was then calculated for comparison among four PCB levels, using analysis of covariance. Th is indicated a progressive increase with increasing PCB: 98.36, 117.78 , 117.84, and 127.65 mg/dl at <2.7, 2.7+, 4.1+, and 6.1+ ppb, respecti vely (F = 2.01, P = 0.113). Comparing PCB levels, the difference in ad justed mean triglyceride levels was marginally significant between the first and second (P = 0.088), and the first and third quartiles (P = 0.066), and reached significance between the first and fourth quartile s (P = 0.021). Thus, a weak but significant association between blood PCB and serum triglyceride was observed in the patients 20 years after exposure, although their blood PCB and serum triglyceride were relati vely close to the normal levels.