Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in type 2 diabetes mellitus cases and controls: Repeated measurements prior to and after diagnosis

Previous studies have reported associations between certain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of POPs that are found in increasing concentrations in humans. Although obesity is a known risk factor for T2DM and PBDEs are fat-soluble, very few studies have investigated associations between PBDEs and T2DM. No longitudinal studies have assessed associations between repeated measurements of PBDE and T2DM in the same individuals and compared time trends of PBDEs in T2DM cases and controls. To investigate associations between pre- and post-diagnostic measurements of PBDEs and T2DM and to compare time trends of PBDEs in T2DM cases and controls. Questionnaire data and serum samples from participants in the Tromsø Study were used to conduct a longitudinal nested case-control study among 116 T2DM cases and 139 controls. All included study participants had three pre-diagnostic blood samples (collected before T2DM diagnosis in cases), and up to two post-diagnostic samples after T2DM diagnosis. We used logistic regression models to investigate pre- and post-diagnostic associations between PBDEs and T2DM, and linear mixed-effect models to assess time trends of PBDEs in T2DM cases and controls. We observed no substantial pre- or post-diagnostic associations between any of the PBDEs and T2DM, except for BDE-154 at one of the post-diagnostic time-points (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.71). The overall time trends of PBDE concentrations were similar for cases and controls. The study did not support PBDEs increasing the odds of T2DM, prior to or after T2DM diagnosis. T2DM status did not influence the time trends of PBDE concentrations. •We investigated repeated pre- and post-diagnostic PBDEs-T2DM associations.•We assessed time-trends of PBDEs in T2DM cases and controls between 1986 and 2016.•Exposure to PBDEs did not increase the odds of developing T2DM.•T2DM-related factors did not influence the time-trends of PBDEs.•Similar PBDE time-trends were observed in cases and controls.