Association between combined exposure to organochlorine pesticides and history of uterine fibroids in NHANES: findings from four statistical models

BackgroundOrganochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are extensively dispersed throughout the environment, which potentially have harmful impacts on the female reproductive system. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the association between exposure to OCPs and the history of uterine fibroids in American women.MethodsThe present study comprised female individuals who were over 20 years old and were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between eight primary serum OCP compounds and uterine fibroids. The collective impact of OCP compounds on the overall association with uterine fibroids was assessed using three statistical approaches: weighted quantile sum regression (WQS), quantile g-computation model (Qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model.ResultsIn the end, a total of 931 individuals were included in the analysis. Out of the total, 126 participants were identified as patients with uterine fibroids. Upon accounting for covariables, the logistic regression analysis revealed a positive association between the highest tertiles of OCP compounds and ln-transformed OCP compounds and the history of uterine fibroids. The analysis of WQS and Qgcomp showed that a 25% increase in the mixture of OCPs was associated with a higher likelihood of having a history of uterine fibroids, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.49 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.19) and 1.64 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.35), respectively. The primary factor behind this association was oxychlordane. In addition, the overall findings of BKMR demonstrated a consistent and increasing pattern, indicating a robust positive association between the amount of serum OCP compounds and the history of uterine fibroid.ConclusionOur study conclusively established associations between OCPs and history of uterine fibroid. The simultaneous exposure to these chemicals is associated with an increased prevalence of uterine fibroid. Among these chemicals, oxychlordane has the most impact on the overall combined effect.