Table 3.
Geometric mean levels (and 95% confidence intervals) of blood biochemistry data by serum dioxin like (DL) PCB groups exposure groups (1 = lowest, 4 = highest)
| Blood marker | n | Total dioxin like (DL) PCBs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Albumin (g/L) | 1935 | 42.1 (41.7, 42.5) | 42.8* (42.4, 43.3) | 43.2* (42.8, 43.7) | 43*, (42.6, 43.5) |
| Alanine aminotransferase ALT (U/L) | 1933 | 21.5 (20.2, 23) | 21.1 (20.3, 21.9) | 23.2# (22.3, 24.2) | 22.9# (21.7, 24.2) |
| Aspartate aminotransferase AST (U/L) | 1933 | 23.4 (22.6, 24.3) | 22.8 (22, 23.7) | 24.1# (23.3, 24.8) | 24.4# (23.4, 25.5) |
| Alkaline phosphotase (U/L) | 1935 | 79.6 (74.7, 84.9) | 68.8* (64.8, 72.9) | 65.9* (63.6, 68.3) | 73.3*,† (69.7, 77.1) |
| Blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L) | 1935 | 3.72 (3.5, 3.95) | 3.79 (3.59, 4.01) | 3.91 (3.73, 4.1) | 4.14*,† (3.97, 4.32) |
| Gamma glutamyl transferase GGT (U/L) | 1934 | 18.8 (17.1, 20.6) | 18.2 (17.2, 19.2) | 20.2# (19.2, 21.2) | 21.1# (19.2, 23.2) |
| Phosphorus (mmol/L) | 1934 | 1.27 (1.25, 1.29) | 1.23* (1.22, 1.25) | 1.24* (1.22, 1.26) | 1.26 (1.24, 1.28) |
| Bilirubin, total (μmol/L) | 1934 | 11.3 (10.5, 12.2) | 12.6* (12, 13.3) | 12.6* (12, 13.2) | 13.1* (12.5, 13.6) |
| Creatinine (μmol/L) | 1935 | 75.4 (72.9, 77.9) | 75.7 (74.2, 77.1) | 74.7 (73.1, 76.3) | 70.5#,† (67.6, 73.4) |
| Potassium (mmol/L) | 1934 | 4.05 (4.01, 4.08) | 4* (3.96, 4.04) | 3.96* (3.91, 4.01) | 3.93*,# (3.89, 3.97) |
| Globulin (g/L) | 1934 | 29.4 (28.9, 29.9) | 28.9 (28.3, 29.6) | 28.7 (28.2, 29.3) | 28.5* (28, 29.1) |
Comparisons are adjusted for age and gender. *p < 0.05 when compared to geometric mean of the first group; #p < 0.05 when compared to geometric mean of the second group; †p < 0.05 when compared to geometric mean of the third group.