Urinary Phthalate Levels Associated with the Risk of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adults: The Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2012–2014

Yun-Jung Yang, Taehyen Kim and Yeon-Pyo Hong
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Yun-Jung Yang: Institute of Biomedical Science, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital, Incheon 22711, Korea
Taehyen Kim: College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si 25601, Korea
Yeon-Pyo Hong: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-9

Abstract: The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. Recent experimental studies suggested that phthalates might induce NAFLD. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between phthalates metabolites and NAFLD in the human population. This cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey II (2012–2014) among Korean adults ( n = 5800). NAFLD was diagnosed using the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) in the absence of other causes of chronic liver diseases. Among the participants (mean age 46 years, 47.5% male), the prevalence of NAFLD was associated with urinary levels of mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and mono- n -butyl phthalate (MnBP) compared to the reference group. In the multivariate model, the odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence interval (CI) for NAFLD were 1.33 (1.00–1.78) and 1.39 (1.00–1.92) in the 3rd and 4th quartile of MEHHP, respectively. Based on the study findings, high levels of urinary phthalates are associated with the prevalence of NAFLD in Korean adults. Further investigation is required to elucidate the causal relationship.

Keywords: phthalates; hepatic steatosis index; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Korean National Environmental Health Survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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