A longitudinal analysis on the association of serum lipids and lipoproteins concentrations with blood polychlorinated biphenyls level in chronic "Yusho" patients

We examined the association between blood PCB level and the serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. The data was retrieved from the dataset of the nationwide health examination for Yusho patients. We longitudinally analyze the laboratory data of the officially identified Yusho patients who underwent the health examination in Fukuoka and Nagasaki prefectures five times or more during the years from 1986 to 2000. For the longitudinal analysis, the generalized estimating equation model was used adjusting for the age as of 1986, the year of taking the health examination, smoking and drinking habits, body mass index and the site of the examination (Fukuoka or Nagasaki). Ten-fold increase in blood PCB level was associated with the elevation in serum concentration of total cholesterol by 18.4 mg/dL (95% CI, 7.8 to 29.0, P < 0.001) in men and 19.7 mg/dL (95% CI, 8.3 to 31.2, P < 0.001) in women, and the elevation of serum concentration of triglycerides by 43.4% (95% CI, 17.5 to 74.9, P < 0.001) in men and 42.8% (95% CI, 25.7 to 62.1, P < 0.001) in women. Association of blood PCB level with serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was not statistically significant in both men and women. Hypercholesterolemia is a well known risk factor of coronary heart disease. It might be suggested that the high blood PCB level in Yusho patients has some possible health effects on the incidence of coronary heart disease.