Abstract

Objective: Polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans (PCBs/PCDFs) are important and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) within humans. Recent cross-sectional studies have detected increased concentrations of serum POPs within diabetic patients. We aimed to examine the association between previous high exposures to PCBs/PCDFs and the cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Research Design and Methods: During the late 70s, the consumption of rice-bran oil laced with PCBs poisoned thousands of Taiwanese people. Between 1993 and 2003, we examined 1,054 Yucheng (“oil-disease”) victims against neighborhood references, using a protocol blinded for POP exposure. Here we report the results derived from 378 Yucheng subjects and 370 matched references.

Results: The diabetic risk to members of the Yucheng cohort relative to their references was significantly increased for women (Odds Ratio=2.1, 1.1-4.5) but not for men, after the considerations of age, body mass index, cigarette smoking and alcohol intake. Yucheng women diagnosed with chloracne had an adjusted OR of 5.5 (95% C.I.: 2.3-13.4) for diabetes and 3.5 (1.7-7.2) for hypertension, as compared to those who were chloracne free.

Conclusions: Yucheng women, who had endured previous exposure to PCBs/PCDFs, suffered from increased incidences of diabetes, particularly for those who had retained significant levels of the pollutant, as evident from chloracne. When planning treatments against diabetes, the body burden of PCBs and dioxins should be carefully considered, especially for women.