Associations of prenatal exposure to phthalates and their mixture with lung function in Mexican children.

Early life phthalates exposure has been associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. However, evidence linking prenatal phthalates exposure and childhood lung function has been inconclusive. Additionally, few studies have examined phthalates exposure as a mixture and explored sexually dimorphic associations. We aimed to investigate sex-specific associations of prenatal phthalates mixtures with childhood lung function using the PROGRESS cohort in Mexico (N = 476). Prenatal phthalate concentrations were measured in maternal urine collected during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Children's lung function was evaluated at ages 8–13 years. Individual associations were assessed using multivariable linear regression, and mixture associations were modeled using repeated holdout WQS regression and hierarchical BKMR; data was stratified by sex to explore sex-specific associations. We identified significant interactions between 2nd trimester phthalates mixture and sex on FEV 1 and FVC z-scores. Higher 2nd trimester phthalate concentrations were associated with higher FEV 1 (β = 0.054, 95 %CI: 0.005, 0.104) and FVC z-scores (β = 0.074, 95 % CI: 0.024, 0.124) in females and with lower measures in males (FEV 1 , β = −0.017, 95 %CI: −0.066, 0.026; FVC, β = −0.014, 95 %CI: −0.065, 0.030). This study indicates that prenatal exposure to phthalates is related to childhood lung function in a sex-specific manner. [Display omitted] • Prenatal phthalate mixture associated with childhood lung function in a sex-specific manner. • 2nd trimester phthalate mixture linked to higher FEV 1 and FVC z-scores in females. • 2nd trimester phthalate mixture associated with lower FEV 1 and FVC z-scores in males. • Repeated holdout WQS and BKMR used to assess phthalate mixture effects on lung function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]