Objective To assess phthalic acid esters (PAEs) exposure in women of childbearing age and to analyze the correlation of PAEs with endometriosis.
Methods A case-control study was conducted among 176 controls and 134 endometriosis patients using the information collected from questionnaires and the serum PAEs concentrations measured by gas chromatography.
Results The positive rates of serum diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in 310 women were 15.5% (geometric mean, 0.062 mg/L), 95.2% (0.219 mg/L), and 93.5% (0.178 mg/L), respectively. The positive rate of serum DBP in the patients was significantly higher than that in the controls (98.5% vs. 92.6%, P< 0.05). The levels of serum DBP and DEHP in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (0.304 mg/L vs. 0.171 mg/L, P< 0.05; 0.200 mg/L vs. 0.163 mg/L, P< 0.05, respectively). The results of multivariate logistic analysis revealed that high education level, abortion history, taking contraceptives, family history of gynecological diseases, and high serum DBP concentration could be potential risk factors of endometriosis (OR>1, P< 0.05).
Conclusion Exposure to PAEs is probably correlated to endometriosis occurrence.
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