Table 3.

Overview of the databases available for selected endpoint categories by organ/system.

Organ/system	Potentially more informative endpoint categories	Potentially less informative endpoint categories	Notes
Cardiovascular	Blood pressure/Hypertension IHD (including myocardial infarction) Cerebrovascular disease (including stroke)	More data needed: Atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases Heart failure Fetal heart rate Low specificity or sensitivity: Cardiovascular disease (NOS) Subjective complaints	Cholesterol/triglyceride levels were classified as hepatobiliary endpoints
Dermal	Acne/Chloracne Abnormal pigmentation Dermal irritation (including eczema) Hyperkeratosis Nail deformities	More data needed: Periodontal disease (including gingival swelling/recession) Scar formation Low specificity or sensitivity: “Skin problems”	Most human studies evaluated endpoints at high PCB exposure levels Atopic eczema was classified as an immune endpoint; dental abnormalities were classified as musculoskeletal endpoints
Developmental	Weight and size (early life)	More data needed: Miscarriage/stillbirth Birth defects Low specificity or sensitivity: Placental weight/histology	Measures of gestation length, pubertal development, and endpoints associated with testicular dysgenesis syndrome were classified as reproductive endpoints
Endocrine	Thyroid function	More data needed: Thyroid disease Adrenal gland function Potential effects on other endocrine organs and hormones (including parathyroid endpoints)	Sex hormone levels were classified as reproductive endpoints; insulin levels were classified as metabolic endpoints
Gastrointestinal	(none)	More data needed: Gastric ulcer Colorectal polyps Abdominal ultrasonography Low specificity or sensitivity: Abdominal pain Nausea/vomiting Changes in bowel habits Bloating Indigestion Loss of appetite	Database limited for hazard assessment
Hematopoietic	WBC counts Red blood cell counts/Hemoglobin	More data needed: Anemia Clotting function Platelet counts Low specificity or sensitivity: Blood disease mortality	Measures of WBC function were classified as immune endpoints
Hepatobiliary	Liver disease (including cirrhosis and steatosis) Serum biomarkers of liver function Cholesterol/Triglyceride levels Liver enzyme induction	More data needed: Porphyria Gallbladder and biliary endpoints Low specificity or sensitivity: Hepatomegaly
Immune	Immune suppression (including susceptibility to infection, antigen-specific antibody responses, WBC function, DTH) Atopy (including allergies/asthma)	More data needed: Autoimmunity (especially autoimmune disease incidence) Low specificity or sensitivity: Nonspecific immunoglobulin levels WBC counts Immune organ size/weight	WBC counts were classified as hematopoietic endpoints
Metabolic	Glucose homeostasis (including IR, IGT/prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes)	More data needed: Metabolic rate Low specificity or sensitivity: Metabolic syndrome Diabetes mellitus (NOS) Overweight/obesity	Cholesterol/triglyceride levels were classified as hepatobiliary endpoints; type 1 diabetes was classified as an immune endpoint; diabetic nephropathy was classified as a urinary system endpoint
Musculoskeletal	Bone density/strength Dental abnormalities (including enamel defects and dental caries)	More data needed: Arthritis Low specificity or sensitivity: Musculoskeletal complaints (including muscle/joint pain, muscle weakness)	Most human studies evaluated endpoints at high PCB exposure levels, especially in fish-consuming populations Rheumatoid arthritis was also classified as an immune endpoint
Nervous System	Cognitive function Attention, impulse control, externalizing and internalizing behaviors Executive function Motor function/development Following developmental exposures: Social cognition and behavior Auditory function	More data needed: Brain aging disorders Visual function Olfactory function Neurophysiology/neuroimaging Following exposures during adulthood: Social cognition and behavior Auditory function Low specificity or sensitivity: Dizziness Headache Fatigue/level of consciousness Neurological condition Neurological disease mortality Peripheral sensation or pain Play behavior Sleep problems
Ocular	Ocular swelling and irritation (including periorbital edema, ocular discharge, Meibomian gland enlargement, conjunctivitis)		Most human studies evaluated endpoints at high PCB exposure levels Infectious forms of conjunctivitis were classified as immune endpoints
Reproductive	Sex hormone levels Fertility Sperm/semen parameters Gestation length (including preterm birth) Endometriosis Pubertal development Endpoints associated with testicular dysgenesis syndrome (including anogenital distance, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, sex ratio)	More data needed: Gynecological disorders other than endometriosis Pregnancy-related disorders (including preeclampsia) Menstrual cycle characteristics Ovulation Reproductive aging Low specificity or sensitivity: Erectile dysfunction	Measures of birth defects, miscarriage/stillbirth, and placental health were classified as developmental endpoints
Respiratory	Pulmonary health and function (including chest radiography, spirometry, respiratory sounds, sputum analysis)	Low specificity or sensitivity: Respiratory disease mortality Respiratory illness history Respiratory symptoms (e.g., shortness of breath, cough/sputum, chest tightness)	Most human studies evaluated endpoints at high PCB exposure levels Asthma and infectious respiratory diseases were classified as immune endpoints
Urinary System	Biomarkers of renal function (including markers measured in serum or urine)	More data needed: Kidney disease/renal failure (including diabetic nephropathy) Potential effects on urinary system components other than the kidneys Low specificity or sensitivity: Urinary system mortality (NOS)

Note: DTH = delayed type hypersensitivity IGT = impaired glucose tolerance; IR = insulin resistance; IHD = ischemic heart disease; NOS = not otherwise specified; PCB = polychlorinated biphenyl; WBC = white blood cell.