Document rBX7r2E6bkGjQyQd1NQ38Q3Kr
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT EXPLAIN VARIATION IN SERUM DIOXIN CONCENTRATIONS
IN A COMMUNITY IN MICHIGAN, USA
David H. Garabrant, MD, MPH The University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA School of Public Health
Institute for Social Research College of Engineering
Center for Statistical Consultation & Research
August 21, 2006
Authors
School of Public Health
Alfred Franzblau, MD Lynn Zwica, MS Kristine Knutson, MPH Elizabeth Hedgeman, MS, MPH Qixuan Chen, MS Shih-Yuan Lee, MS
Center for Statistical Consulting and Research
Brenda W. Gillespie, PhD Camelia Sima, MS Scott Swan, MS Danielle Gwinn
College of Engineering
Peter Adriaens, PhD, PE Avery Demond, PhD, PE Tim Towey, MS Shu-Chi Chang, PhD
Institute for Social Research
James Lepkowski, PhD, MPH Barbara Lohr Ward, MBA Kathy Ladronka Kristen Olson, MS Jennifer Sinibaldi
Financial support for the study comes from The Dow Chemical Company through an unrestricted grant to the University of Michigan.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 2
August 21, 2006
Study Design
We measured the WHO 29 PCDD, PCDF, and PCB congeners in serum, house dust and soil.
Today we are reporting the results for the TEQ and 7 specific dioxins that are the major contributors to the TEQ in people's blood in our study.
Congener 2,3,7,8-TCDD 1,2,3,7,8-PnCDD 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD 2,3,4,7,8-PnCDF
PCB 126 PCB 118 PCB 156
1998 WHO TEF Value 1.0 1.0 0.1 0.5 0.1
0.0001 0.0005
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 3
August 21, 2006
Study Design
We studied people who live in five geographic areas:
The Floodplain of the Tittabawassee River The Near Floodplain The Midland Plume Other Midland/Saginaw For comparison, Jackson/Calhoun Counties
Midland/Saginaw: Floodplain, Near Floodplain, Midland Plume and Other Midland/Saginaw combined into one geographic area.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 4
August 21, 2006
Study Design
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 5
August 21, 2006
Number of study participants
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 6
August 21, 2006
Modeling Strategy for Blood Dioxin Predictors
Backwards selection from multiple imputed data sets
Identify potential explanatory factors for consideration in further models
Linear regression models
Log10(blood) = + 1(factor1) + ... + n(factorn) + error
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 7
August 21, 2006
Modeling Strategy for Blood Dioxin Predictors
Backwards selection from multiple imputed data sets.
Rest of the predictors
946 participants, 190 potential predictors. Force age, age2, BMI, breast feeding, pk-yrs, region, dust, soil_hp1
Soil_max, soil_fp1
Backward selection on Section A&H:
Model 1a
Backward selection on Section B: Model 1b
Backward selection on Section C:
Model 1c
Backward selection on Section D: Model 1d
Backward selection on Section F&G: Backward Model 1f selection on Section E: Model 1e
Insignificant variables
Backward selection on all the predictors identified in the previous models: Combined Model 1
Force all predictors in the combined model 1 into the backward selected models, and see if any other variables
enter: Combined model 2
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 8
August 21, 2006
Modeling Strategy for Blood Dioxin Predictors
Final model from
imputation 1: Combined model 2a
Final model from
imputation 2: Combined model 2b
Final model from
imputation 3: Combined model 2c
Variable is selected for inclusion if it is significant in > 3 models, then refit all 5 models with this list of
variables
Backwards selection from variables selected in previous step. Each step is based on 5 imputed data
sets.
Final model from
imputation 4: Combined model 2d
Final model from
imputation 5: Combined model 2e
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 9
August 21, 2006
Issues about models
Collinearity: many of the foods (and some other variables) were collinear.
Variables were removed from consideration when the variance inflation factor was 10 or greater.
Because some parameter estimates were unstable, we chose to estimate the contribution of variables in blocks (food, work, property use, etc.).
The contribution of a block of variables to a model is assessed by the difference in adjusted R2 between the full model and the reduced model (without the block of variables).
Choice of functional form of the variables
Both linear and categorical forms were modeled for ordinal variables. We chose categorical forms to avoid assuming any specific functional form for predictors.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 10
August 21, 2006
Results: Health/Demographic predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Variables in blue are forced into models. Parameter estimates in pink are positive associations (p<0.05) Parameter estimates in green are negative associations. (p<0.05)
Age and BMI are positively associated with most congeners. There are important interaction terms between age*BMI, age*sex, and
BMI*sex.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 11
August 21, 2006
Interaction between age, BMI and sex
Among
females, TEQ
60
rises less as
BMI increases
50 Male BMI 20
Male BMI 40
Among males,
Female BMI 20 Female BMI 40
TEQ rises more
40 as BMI
increases
30
TEQ
20
10
0 20 30 40 50 60
AGE
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 12
70
August 21, 2006
Results: Region, soil, and house dust predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Region: People who live in the Floodplain have higher levels of TCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, and 1,2,3,7,8PeCDD Near Floodplain have higher levels of TEQ, TCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, and PCB-126 Other Midland/Saginaw have higher levels of TCDD and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD Midland Plume have higher levels of TCDD
than do people who live in Jackson/Calhoun.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 13
August 21, 2006
Results: Region, soil, and house dust predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Soil and House dust:
Living on property with a maximal soil concentration of 1,000 parts per trillion TEQ of dioxins was associated with higher levels in blood of 0.7 parts per trillion (2%) for the TEQ. 4% of the properties tested had a soil TEQ at or above 1,000 parts per trillion (among all soil samples on the property).
Living on property with house perimeter top 1 inch soil containing 1,000 parts per trillion of PCB-118 was associated with higher levels in blood of 18 parts per trillion (less than 1%) for PCB-118.
Living on property with house perimeter top 1 inch soil containing 40 parts per trillion of PCB-126 was associated with higher levels in blood of 0.9 parts per trillion (5%) for PCB-126.
House dust was not related to serum dioxin concentrations with the exception of a weak association for PCB-118.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 14
August 21, 2006
Results: Milk and eggs predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Eggs and Milk:
Positive association for eggs raised in other areas (not in the floodplain of the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River, or Saginaw Bay) and most congeners.
Positive association for store bought milk and PCB-126
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 15
August 21, 2006
Results: fruits and vegetable predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Fruits and Vegetables:
Generally negative associations for fruits, vegetables, and root vegetables, whether raised in the contaminated areas or raised elsewhere
A few positive associations for store bought fruits, vegetables, and root vegetables.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 16
August 21, 2006
Results: Meat, game meat, and hunting predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Meat, Game Meat, and Hunting:
Findings suggest that meat (bplv= beef, pork, lamb, veal), poultry (ctdg=chicken, turkey, duck, goose), game meat (sr=squirrel, rabbit), and hunting are associated with higher dioxin levels in blood.
Game meat and hunting in the contaminated areas not clearly different than in other areas.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 17
August 21, 2006
Results: Fish consumption and fishing predictors of serum dioxin concentration
Fish and Fishing:
Eating fish in general, eating fish from the contaminated areas, and fishing in Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay are associated with higher dioxin levels in blood.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 18
August 21, 2006
Results: Fish consumption and fishing predictors of serum dioxin concentration
People who ate fish from the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River, and Saginaw Bay between 1980 and the present have higher levels of some dioxins in their blood than people who did not eat fish from these areas.
For every one year of consumption the increase is:
0.23 parts per trillion (0.9%) for the TEQ 0.03 parts per trillion (2%) for TCDD 0.05 parts per trillion (1.1%) for 1,2,3,7,8 PentaCDD 0.34 parts per trillion (0.9%) for 1,2,3,6,7,8 HexaCDD No apparent effect on the other specific dioxins
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 19
August 1251, 2006
Conclusions
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 20
August 1251, 2006
Conclusions
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 21
August 1251, 2006
Results: Explained variation in serum dioxin concentration
The regression model explains 78% of the variation in serum TEQ. 51% of the variation in serum TEQ is explained by Health/Demographic
variables: age, sex, BMI, smoking, breast feeding. Region, soil contamination, and house dust contamination explain only small
fractions of the variation in TEQ or any specific congener.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 22
August 21, 2006
Conclusions
Age, sex, BMI, and demographic factors account for ~50% of the variation in the blood levels of dioxins (TEQ) among people. These are the most important factors related to levels in people's blood.
Eating fish and game (especially from the contaminated areas), doing water-related activities and certain occupations combined to account for 1-6% of the variation in blood levels of dioxins among people.
Living on contaminated soil, living in Midland/Saginaw, and contaminated household dust accounted for about 0.2-1.0% of the variation in the blood levels of dioxins among people.
University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
Slide 23
August 1251, 2006
END