Summary: | 碩士 === 弘光科技大學 === 健康事業管理研究所 === 101 === A mass poisoning involving 2000 people caused by consumption of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated rice bran oil occurred in Taiwan in 1979. The source of poison was traced back to a rice bran oil company in Changhua, where PCBs used as heating medium during decolorization and deodorization processes had leaked from ruptured pipelines into the rice bran oil due to thermal fatigue. PCBs and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are persistent organic pollutants that can enter human body via inhalation, ingestion or skin exposure. These chemical substances are not metabolized well in the human body and they tend to accumulate and cause illness.
As the prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing with the socio-economic development, advancement in science and medical technology and changes in diet and lifestyle, metabolic syndrome (MS) has become an important health issue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between of PCBs/PCDFs exposure and metabolic syndrome.
A cohort study was conducted on the victims of the Yucheng poisoning incident that occurred in 1979 in central Taiwan. Record showed that a number of 1,519 PCB intoxicated patients living in Taichung and Changhua were placed on the follow-up list of National Taiwan University College of Medicine (NTUCM) research team in 2010. Among them, 603 patients underwent health survey using questionnaire and blood exam. After excluded 171 patients with incomplete data, 432 patients were included in this study as exposed group (EG). From 3,670 subjects who participated in the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 1993-1996, 1,666 subjects with incomplete data were excluded and 2,004 subjects were included in this study as unexposed group (UG).
The results of this study were as follows:
1.Among the EG patients, 48.38% (n=209) were with high blood pressure, 39.82% (n=172) with high waist circumference, 27.55% (n=119) with high fasting glucose level, 30.09% (n=130) with high triglyceride level, 44.91% (n=194) with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and 33.33% (n=144) were diagnosed with MS when having at least 3 of the above 5 risk factors.
2.Logistic regression analysis using group as independent variable and possession of MS risk factor as dependent variables showed the odd ratio of EG patient possessed 1-2, 3-4 and 5 MS factors were 1.40 (95% CI=1.07-1.86),2.09 (95% CI=1.64-2.67) and 21.45 (95% CI=8.74-64.35) respectively.
3.Logistic regression analysis further controlled potential confounding factors including sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking and betel nut chewing showed the odd ratio of EG patient possessed 1-2, 3-4 and 5 MS factors were 1.84 (95% CI=1.38-2.47), 2.71 (95% CI=2.10-3.51) and 21.84 (95% CI=8.71-66.63) respectively.
4.Logistic regression analysis further controlled potential confounding factors including sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, betel nut chewing and body mass index showed the odd ratio of EG patient possessed 1-2, 3-4 and 5 MS factors were 2.43 (95% CI=1.78-3.32), 3.60 (95% CI=2.71-4.88) and 25.19 (95% CI=9.75-78.71) respectively.
It is therefore recommended that for PCBs/PCDFs intoxicated patients regular health exam and follow-up health management should be provided to achieve early detection and appropriate intervention of metabolic syndrome, and health education should be given to promote healthy diets and lifestyle and the knowledge of preventing exposure to PCBs and other environmental hormones.
|