Association between exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and blood lipid profiles in American adults: a cross-sectional study.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational study using NHANES survey data
PubMed 40148862 · doi:10.1186/s12944-025-02527-4
What was done
Data from 3,154 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2005–2016) were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Serum concentrations of 12 brominated flame retardants (BFRs)—specifically PBB153 and 11 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)—were measured using isotope dilution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. Nine BFRs with detection rates over 70% were included in analyses. Total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C were measured enzymatically, while LDL-C and remnant cholesterol (RC) were calculated. Multivariable linear regression, quantile g-computation, and weighted quantile sum regression assessed individual and mixture associations, with gender stratification.
What was found
The abstract reports directions of association but provides no numerical effect estimates, confidence intervals, or p-values. After adjustment for covariates, individual serum levels of PBB153, PBDE209, PBDE153, and PBDE28 were positively associated with TC and RC. PBB153, PBDE209, and PBDE153 were also positively associated with LDL-C. No individual BFR was associated with HDL-C. Both mixture models (WQS and QGC) confirmed positive associations of BFR mixtures with TC, LDL-C, and RC.
Why it matters
This study links widespread environmental flame retardant exposure to atherogenic lipid profiles in a representative US adult population, identifying potential chemical contributors to dyslipidemia.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporality or causality. The abstract reports no effect sizes, confidence intervals, or exact p-values. LDL-C and remnant cholesterol were calculated rather than directly measured. Residual confounding from unmeasured dietary or lifestyle factors remains possible.
Cited by
- supports The Friedewald equation estimates LDL cholesterol in mg/dL as total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol minus triglyceride concentration divided by 5.