Ambient PM gross β-activity and glucose levels during pregnancy

Abstract

Background Exposure to ionizing radiation has been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In light of recent work showing an association between ambient particulate matter (PM) gross β-activity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women, we examined pregnancy glucose levels in relation to PM gross β-activity to better understand this pathway. Methods Our study included 103 participants receiving prenatal care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. PM gross β-activity was obtained from US Environmental Protection Agency’s RadNet program monitors, and blood glucose levels were obtained from the non-fasting glucose challenge test performed clinically as the first step of the 2-step GDM screening test. For each exposure window we examined (i.e., moving average same-day, one-week, first-trimester, and second-trimester PM gross β-activity), we fitted generalized additive models and adjusted for clinical characteristics, socio-demographic factors, temporal variables, and PM with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Subgroup analyses by maternal age and by body mass index were also conducted. Results An interquartile range increase in average PM gross β-activity during the second trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increase of 17.5 (95% CI: 0.8, 34.3) mg/dL in glucose concentration. Associations were stronger among younger and overweight/obese participants. Our findings also suggest that the highest compared to the lowest quartile of one-week exposure was associated with 17.0 (95% CI: − 4.0, 38.0) mg/dL higher glucose levels. No associations of glucose were observed with PM gross β-activity during same-day and first-trimester exposure windows. PM2.5 was not associated with glucose levels during any exposure window in our data. Conclusions Exposure to higher levels of ambient PM gross β-activity was associated with higher blood glucose levels in pregnant patients, with implications for how this novel environmental factor could impact pregnancy health.

Cohort profile: the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) Study (Boston, Massachusetts, USA) — a prospective pregnancy cohort study of the impacts of environmental exposures on parental cardiometabolic health

“…This paper was among the first studies to investigate exposures to phthalate mixtures as they relate to glycaemic outcomes in pregnancy. In a separate study, our team found an association between exposure to higher levels of ambient particulate matter (PM) gross beta-activity, a measure of exposure to environmental radiation via inhalation of radioactive PM components, and higher blood glucose levels during pregnancy within a subset of ERGO participants 116…”

“…In a separate study, our team found an association between exposure to higher levels of ambient particulate matter (PM) gross beta-activity, a measure of exposure to environmental radiation via inhalation of radioactive PM components, and higher blood glucose levels during pregnancy within a subset of ERGO participants. 116 A pilot project supported by the MOD Foundation (research grant #6-FY19-367) leveraged laboratory data and ERGO participant data to investigate personal care product use as it relates to EDC exposure and health pregnancy in a series of recent publications. [117][118][119][120] reporter gene assays, we found evidence of hormonal activity among commonly used hair products, including hair oils.…”

Identification of differential metabolites using untargeted metabolomics between gestational diabetes and normal pregnant women

“…In addition to traditional risk factors, new data suggest that environmental and psychosocial factors are also risk factors for the development of GDM 7,8 . GDM may be harmful to both mother and fetus, for example, by increasing the risk of maternal pre‐eclampsia 9 and of macrosomia 10 in the fetus. Therefore, it is most important to screen for potential diagnostic biomarkers of GDM and to promote the study of the pathologic mechanisms of GDM.…”