Table 1. Basic Characteristics and Plasma Levels of POPs at Age 70 and 75 Years.
| Variable | Age 70 y (n = 992) | Age 75 y (n = 814) |
|---|---|---|
| Women, No. (%) | 495 (49.9) | 412 (50.7) |
| Education level, y in school, No. (%) | ||
| <10 | 556 (56.7) | NA |
| 10-12 | 175 (17.8) | NA |
| >12 | 250 (24.5) | NA |
| Prevalent CVD at baseline, No. (%) | 142 (14.2) | NA |
| HDL cholesterol level, median (IQR), mg/dL | 54 (46-70) | 54 (46-66) |
| LDL cholesterol level, median (IQR), mg/dL | 127 (108-151) | 127 (104-155) |
| Serum triglycerides level, median (IQR), mg/dL | 97 (80-133) | 106 (80-151) |
| BMI, median (IQR) | 26.6 (24.0-29.6) | 26.4 (23.9-29.4) |
| Hypertension, No. (%) | 715 (72.0) | 662 (81.7) |
| Smoking, No. (%) | 105 (10.5) | 51 (6.2) |
| Diabetes, No. (%) | 115 (11.6) | 112 (13.8) |
| POPs, median (IQR), pg/mL | ||
| PCB 74 | 91.4 (63.9-128.0) | 56.7 (40.7-77.3) |
| PCB 99 | 90.8 (62.4-132.0) | 51.3 (36.7-72.7) |
| PCB 118 | 201 (136.0-281.0) | 118 (88.7-160.0) |
| PCB 105 | 32 (21.0-46.8) | 30 (22.0-41.3) |
| PCB 153 | 1430 (1110.0-1850.0) | 971 (743.0-1260.0) |
| PCB 138 | 819 (619.0-1120.0) | 557 (404.0-753.0) |
| PCB 156 | 154 (119.0-198.0) | 101 (78.7-128.0) |
| PCB 157 | 28 (21.4-37.0) | 16 (1.9-22.7) |
| PCB 180 | 1170 (918.0-1488.0) | 783 (625.0-965.0) |
| PCB 170 | 498 (386.0-633.0) | 315 (250.0-392.0) |
| PCB 189 | 19.2 (14.6-25.8) | 12.3 (1.8-16.7) |
| PCB 194 | 119 (87.6-159.0) | 94 (72.0-119.0) |
| PCB 206 | 26.8 (20.8-35.2) | 15.3 (2.5-20.7) |
| PCB 209 | 26.2 (19.6-34.7) | 18.0 (13.3-24.0) |
| HCB | 254 (189.0-337.0) | 197 (122.0-255.0) |
| p,p′DDE | 1860 (1020.0-3470.0) | 1500 (805.0-2840.0) |
| TNC | 140 (91.6-211.0) | 97 (66.0-135.0) |
| BDE 47 | 12.6 (9.0-19.5) | 4.3 (4.3-8.7) |
Abbreviations: BDE, bromodiphenyl ether; BMI, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); CVD, cardiovascular disease; HCB, hexachlorobenzene; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; IQR, interquartile range; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; NA, not applicable; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyl; POPs, persistent organic pollutants; p,p′DDE, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; TNC, trans-nonachlordane.
SI conversation factors: To convert HDL and LDL cholesterol levels to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0259; to convert triglyceride level to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0113