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Abstract
Background
5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol (triclosan) is used as an antiseptic and is a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical that can affect thyroid hormone levels. This study evaluated the relationship between triclosan exposure and thyroid hormones.
Methods
Data from the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014) were analyzed. Triclosan exposure was evaluated using urinary triclosan concentrations and classified into 2 groups: ‘below detection (< limit of detection [LOD])' vs. ‘detected (≥ LOD).' Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between triclosan exposure and the serum thyroid hormone concentrations, adjusting for age, body mass index, urinary creatinine, and smoking status.
Results
When grouped by sex, triclosan exposure was positively associated with the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in females with marginal significance (β = 0.066, p = 0.058). However, no significant association was identified between triclosan exposure and serum total triiodothyronine and thyroxine in both males and females, and TSH in males.
Conclusions
This study is the first human study to evaluate the relationship between triclosan exposure and serum thyroid hormone concentrations in the Korean population. There was suggestive positive association between triclosan exposure and the serum TSH in females. Further studies need to evaluate the relationship between long-term exposure to low-dose triclosan and thyroid hormones.
References
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Table 1.
Distribution of serum thyroid hormone levels and urinary triclosan concentrations among the participants (n = 5,990)
Table 2.
Geometric mean with 95% CI of serum thyroid hormone levels and percentage for urinary triclosan above the detection limit by demographic characteristics
| Variable | Category | No. (weighted %) | Total T3 (ng/dL) | Total T4 (µg/dL) | TSH (µIU/mL) | Triclosan detected* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GM (95% CI) | Weighted GM (95% CI) | Unweighted GM (95% CI) | Weighted GM (95% CI) | Unweighted GM (95% CI) | Weighted GM (95% CI) | No. (weighted %) | |||
| Sex | Male | 2,630 (50.3) | 101.63 (100.93–102.32) | 102.08 (100.91–103.28) | 7.93 (7.88–7.99) | 7.96 (7.88–8.04) | 1.81 (1.76–1.85) | 1.77 (1.72–1.82) | 1,010 (41.5) |
| Female | 3,360 (49.7) | 96.22 (95.65–96.79) | 95.62 (94.60–96.64) | 7.96 (7.91–8.01) | 7.96 (7.88–8.04) | 2.03 (1.98–2.07) | 1.96 (1.91–2.02) | 1,409 (43.9) | |
| p-value | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.534 | 0.991 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.158 | ||
| Age | 19–29 | 499 (17.7) | 98.36 (96.88–99.84)‡ | 98.35 (96.38–100.35) | 8.01 (7.88–8.15) | 7.98 (7.82–8.14) | 1.53 (1.46–1.62)† | 1.53 (1.45–1.62)† | 255 (49.4) |
| (years) | 30–39 | 981 (20.0) | 98.06 (96.95–99.19)‡ | 99.13 (97.43–100.87) | 7.93 (7.84–8.01) | 7.97 (7.85–8.09) | 1.82 (1.75–1.88)‡ | 1.77 (1.69–1.85)‡ | 422 (43.8) |
| 40–49 | 1,153 (21.5) | 98.47 (97.50–99.46)‡ | 98.35 (96.71–100.00) | 7.94 (7.86–8.02) | 7.96 (7.84–8.07) | 1.97 (1.90–2.04)§ | 1.94 (1.86–2.02)§ | 508 (45.1) | |
| 50–59 | 1,325 (19.3) | 99.49 (98.53–100.47)‡ | 100.33 (98.95–101.74) | 7.90 (7.82–7.98) | 7.92 (7.81–8.03) | 2.04 (1.97–2.12)§ | 2.03 (1.93–2.13)§ | 549 (42.9) | |
| 60–69 | 1,232 (11.0) | 99.67 (98.67–100.69)‡ | 98.98 (97.43–100.55) | 7.99 (7.90–8.08) | 7.95 (7.83–8.07) | 2.00 (1.93–2.08)§ | 2.05 (1.95–2.15)§ | 435 (35.5) | |
| ≥ 70 | 800 (10.4) | 96.14 (94.94–97.36)† | 97.03 (95.28–98.81) | 7.94 (7.83–8.04) | 7.98 (7.84–8.12) | 1.98 (1.88–2.08)§ | 2.05 (1.92–2.18)§ | 250 (31.6) | |
| p-value | < 0.001 | 0.073 | 0.629 | 0.985 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | ||
| p for trend | 0.331 | 0.794 | 0.616 | 0.766 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | |||
| BMI | < 18.50 | 142 (3.0) | 93.51 (90.41–96.72)† | 93.07 (89.26–97.04)† | 8.01 (7.75–8.28) | 8.19 (7.88–8.51) | 1.58 (1.42–1.75)† | 1.44 (1.26–1.63)† | 58 (40.9) |
| (kg/m2) | 18.50–22.99 | 2,040 (36.4) | 95.51 (94.77–96.24)† | 95.71 (94.57–96.85)† | 7.95 (7.89–8.01) | 7.93 (7.83–8.02) | 1.84 (1.79–1.90)‡ | 1.80 (1.74–1.86)‡ | 832 (42.4) |
| 23.00–24.99 | 1,491 (23.1) | 98.67 (97.81–99.53)‡ | 99.08 (97.72–100.45)‡ | 7.89 (7.82–7.97) | 7.90 (7.79–8.01) | 1.96 (1.90–2.03)‡ | 1.86 (1.79–1.93)‡ | 606 (43.3) | |
| ≥ 25.00 | 2,317 (37.5) | 101.57 (100.83–102.31)§ | 102.26 (101.00–103.53)§ | 7.97 (7.91–8.03) | 8.01 (7.92–8.10) | 2.00 (1.95–2.06)‡ | 1.97 (1.91–2.04)§ | 923 (42.8) | |
| p-value | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.403 | 0.088 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.962 | ||
| p for trend | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.656 | 0.480 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | |||
| Smoking | Smoker | 1,090 (22.0) | 104.19 (103.06–105.33) | 104.57 (102.87–106.31) | 8.09 (8.00–8.18) | 8.10 (7.98–8.21) | 1.60 (1.54–1.65) | 1.60 (1.53–1.67) | 408 (40.7) |
| status | Current non-smoker | 4,900 (78.0) | 97.34 (96.86–97.82) | 97.25 (96.27–98.23) | 7.91 (7.87–7.95) | 7.92 (7.84–7.99) | 2.01 (1.97–2.05) | 1.95 (1.90–1.99) | 2,011 (43.3) |
| p-value | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.003 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 0.230 | ||
| Total | 5,990 (100) | 98.55 (98.11–99.00) | 98.82 (97.83–99.81) | 7.95 (7.91–7.98) | 7.96 (7.89–8.03) | 1.93 (1.89–1.96) | 1.86 (1.83–1.90) | 2,419 (42.7) | |
BMI: body mass index; T3: triiodothyronine; T4: thyroxine; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone; Triclosan: 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol; GM: geometric mean; CI: confidence interval; LOD: limit of detection.
Table 3.
| Triclosan exposure group | ln total T3 (ng/dL) | Total T3 (ng/dL) | ln total T4 (µg/dL) | Total T4 (µg/dL) | ln TSH (µIU/mL) | TSH (µIU/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β (95% CI) | Estimated mean (95% CI) | β (95% CI) | Estimated mean (95% CI) | β (95% CI) | Estimated mean (95% CI) | |
| Male | ||||||
| Detected (≥ LOD‡) | 0.000 (−0.019, 0.018) | 103.11 (101.36, 104.88) | −0.011 (−0.033, 0.010) | 7.95 (7.82, 8.08) | 0.028 (−0.035, 0.091) | 1.76 (1.68, 1.85) |
| Below detection (< LO | OD) 0 (reference) | 103.13 (101.85, 104.43) | 0 (reference) | 8.04 (7.94, 8.15) | 0 (reference) | 1.71 (1.65, 1.78) |
| p-value | 0.984 | 0.298 | 0.379 | |||
| Female | ||||||
| Detected (≥ LOD) | −0.010 (−0.028, 0.007) | 94.79 (92.02, 97.64) | −0.010 (−0.028, 0.008) | 7.93 (7.70, 8.16) | 0.066 (−0.002, 0.134) | 1.86 (1.71, 2.02) |
| Below detection (< LO | OD) 0 (reference) | 95.78 (92.82, 98.84) | 0 (reference) | 8.01 (7.80, 8.22) | 0 (reference) | 1.74 (1.60, 1.89) |
| p-value | 0.251 | 0.288 | 0.058 | |||
T3: triiodothyronine; T4: thyroxine; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone; Triclosan: 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol; CI: confidence interval; LOD: limit of detection.
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