Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds and allergic eczema in one year old children*1

Rationale Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain the increase in allergic diseases. The effect of xenobiotics such as organochlorine compounds have not been clearly established, though some studies have shown their immune modulatory potential. Methods In a randomly selected group of 180 mothers giving birth to healthy newborns after a physiologic pregnancy, the samples of placental tissue were collected and evaluated for the concentrations of 18 selected organochlorine compounds (PCBs, organochlorine insecticides, and chlorinated benzenes). Children of these selected mothers were physically evaluated at 12 months of age, sample of blood was taken for analyses of specific IgEs against relevant allergens (Pharmacia CAP System™) and a questionnaire was introduced for symptoms of eczema and doctors diagnosis of eczema. Results Out of 161 children examined at 12-month 17 (10,6%) had doctor-diagnosed allergic eczema. The median of the total sum of organochlorine compounds in the placental tissue was significantly higher in the group of children with eczema (0,011 versus 0,006; p=0,009). When testing individual compounds we found significant association for DCB1413, DCB12 and PCB52 and eczema in children (p Conclusions Our results show an association between placental contamination with organochlorine compounds as a proxy measure of prenatal exposure to these substances and clinical manifestation of allergic eczema in 12 months old children.