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Individual blood concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and chemical elements, and COVID-19: A prospective cohort study in Barcelona

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dc.contributor.author Porta Serra, Miquel
dc.contributor.author Pumarega Rodríguez, José Antonio
dc.contributor.author Gasull Panadès, Magda
dc.contributor.author Aguilar, Ruth
dc.contributor.author Henríquez Hernández, Luis Alberto
dc.contributor.author Basagaña Flores, Xavier
dc.contributor.author Zumbado, Manuel
dc.contributor.author Villar García, Judit
dc.contributor.author Rius, Cristina
dc.contributor.author Mehta, Sneha
dc.contributor.author Vidal, Marta
dc.contributor.author Jiménez, Alfons
dc.contributor.author Campi, Laura
dc.contributor.author Lop Gros, Joan
dc.contributor.author Pérez Luzardo, Octavio L.
dc.contributor.author Dobaño, Carlota
dc.contributor.author Moncunill, Gemma
dc.date.accessioned 2023-03-27T08:20:21Z
dc.date.available 2023-03-27T08:20:21Z
dc.date.issued 2023
dc.identifier.citation Porta M, Pumarega J, Gasull M, Aguilar R, Henríquez-Hernández LA, Basagaña X, Zumbado M, Villar-García J, Rius C, Mehta S, Vidal M, Jimenez A, Campi L, Lop J, Pérez Luzardo OL, Dobaño C, Moncunill G. Individual blood concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and chemical elements, and COVID-19: A prospective cohort study in Barcelona. Environ Res. 2023 Apr 15;223:115419. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115419
dc.identifier.issn 0013-9351
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/56357
dc.description.abstract Background: There is wide, largely unexplained heterogeneity in immunological and clinical responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Numerous environmental chemicals, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and chemical elements (including some metals, essential trace elements, rare earth elements, and minority elements), are immunomodulatory and cause a range of adverse clinical events. There are no prospective studies on the effects of such substances on the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19. Objective: To investigate the influence of blood concentrations of POPs and elements measured several years before the pandemic on the development of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in individuals from the general population. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study in 154 individuals from the general population of Barcelona. POPs and elements were measured in blood samples collected in 2016-2017. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected by rRT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs and/or by antibody serology using eighteen isotype-antigen combinations measured in blood samples collected in 2020-2021. We analyzed the associations between concentrations of the contaminants and SARS-CoV-2 infection and development of COVID-19, taking into account personal habits and living conditions during the pandemic. Results: Several historically prevalent POPs, as well as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and zinc, were not associated with COVID-19, nor with SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, DDE (adjusted OR = 5.0 [95% CI: 1.2-21]), lead (3.9 [1.0-15]), thallium (3.4 [1.0-11]), and ruthenium (5.0 [1.8-14]) were associated with COVID-19, as were tantalum, benzo(b)fluoranthene, DDD, and manganese. Thallium (3.8 [1.6-8.9]), and ruthenium (2.9 [1.3-6.7]) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and so were lead, gold, and (protectively) iron and selenium. We identified mixtures of up to five substances from several chemical groups, with all substances independently associated to the outcomes. Conclusions: Our results provide the first prospective and population-based evidence of an association between individual concentrations of some contaminants and COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection. POPs and elements may contribute to explain the heterogeneity in the development of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in the general population. If the associations are confirmed as causal, means are available to mitigate the corresponding risks.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.language.iso eng
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof Environ Res. 2023 Apr 15;223:115419
dc.rights © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nc-nd/4.0/).
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.title Individual blood concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and chemical elements, and COVID-19: A prospective cohort study in Barcelona
dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115419
dc.subject.keyword COVID-19
dc.subject.keyword Environmental pollutants
dc.subject.keyword Immunotoxicity
dc.subject.keyword Metals
dc.subject.keyword SARS-CoV-2
dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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