AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC INVESTIGATION OF REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES IN MEN WITH OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID

Perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA), a potent synthetic surfactant used in in dustrial applications, is a peroxisome proliferator that has resulted in dose-related increases in hepatic, pancreatic acinar; and Leydig ce ll adenomas in laboratory animals. In addition, PFOA increased serum e stradiol levels through the induction of hepatic aromatase activity. I n 1993 and 1995, we conducted two cross-sectional studies of 111 and 8 0 production two workers, respectively, and specifically measured thei r serum PFOA in relation to several reproductive hormones to determine whether such an effect occurs in humans, PFOA runs not significantly associated with est radiol or testosterone in either year's study. A 1 0% increase in mean estradiol levels was observed among employees who had the highest levels of serum PFOA, although this association was co nfounded by body mass index. Neither was PFOA consistently! associated with the other measured hormones. Our results provide reasonable assu rance that, in this production setting; there were no significant horm onal changes associated with PFOA at the serum levels measured. Limita tions of this investigation include its cross-sectional design, the fe w subjects exposed at the highest levels, and the lower levels of seru m PFOA measured compared with those levels reported to cause effects i n laboratory animal studies.