Common Chemicals Linked to Osteoarthritis

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are used in more than 200 industrial processes and consumer products including certain stain- and water-resistant fabrics, grease-proof paper food containers, personal care products, and other items. As such, PFCs have become ubiquitous contaminants of humans and wildlife. Sarah A. Uhl, from Yale University (Connecticut, USA), and colleagues investigated the role of two PFCs, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in the prevalence of osteoarthritis.  The team analyzed data from six years of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2003-2008), which enabled them to account for factors such as age, income, and race/ethnicity. When the researchers looked at men and women separately, they found clear, strong associations for women, but not men. Women in the highest 25% of exposure to PFOA had about two times the odds of having osteoarthritis, as compared to those in the lowest 25% of exposure.  “We found that PFOA and PFOS exposures are associated with higher prevalence of osteoarthritis, particularly in women, a group that is disproportionately impacted by this chronic disease,” observes the lead investigator.