INTRODUCTION Phthalates are a group of high production chemicals, generally used as plasticizers and odor enhancers. Phthalates cross the blood-placenta barrier and are associated with deficits in cognitive functions and behavior problems in offspring. We previously reported sex-specific associations with motor function when phthalates are considered singly. Because exposure to phthalates usually occurs as mixtures, here we assess these associations between a mixture of phthalates and motor function at age 11 years. METHODS Data come from the prospective cohort study of mothers and offspring who participated in the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health birth cohort (CCCEH). Seven phthalate metabolites were measured in maternal spot urine obtained during the third trimester and motor function was evaluated using the short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition (BOT-2) at the age of 11 years. We used Weighted Quartile Sum (WQS) regression models to examine the effect of phthalate metabolites in males and females separately. The models were adjusted for child age in months, child BMI, maternal race (African-American vs. Dominican), prenatal alcohol consumption, maternal demoralization score, HOME score, and urine specific gravity. In a secondary analysis we used linear regression models to examine the association between the sum of molar concentrations of both DEHP and non-DEHP metabolites, and outcomes of gross and fine motor functions. RESULTS 209 mother-child pairs were eligible for this analysis. A significant decrease in fine-motor functions was observed among females, but not among males, following exposure to high levels of weighted quartile sum of seven phthalate metabolites (Covariates-adjusted coefficient estimate B = -2.7, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] -4.64 to -0.75, p = 0.01 for females [n = 116] and B = -1.63, 95%CI -3.94 to 0.69, p = 0.16 for males [n = 93]). The most highly weighted phthalate metabolites, associated with fine-motor functions among females, were MBP, MBZP, and MIBP, all non-DEHP phthalates. No significant associations were found between the weighted quartile sum of seven phthalate metabolites and gross-motor functions at the age of 11 years for males (B = -0.81, 95%CI -1.17 to 1.96, p = 0.23). With the molar sum of four non-DEHP phthalates as main predictor of linear regression models, we found significant decrease in gross and fine motor functions among females prenatally exposed to non-DEHP phthalates B = -0.98, 95%CI -1.98 to 0.03, p = 0.05 and B = -0.85, 95%CI -1.49 to -0.20, p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Phthalate exposure during pregnancy was associated with decreased motor functions among 11-year-old girls.

中文翻译：

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围产期邻苯二甲酸酯暴露会降低11岁女孩的精细运动功能：加权分位数总和回归的结果。

简介邻苯二甲酸酯是一组高产量的化学品，通常用作增塑剂和气味增强剂。邻苯二甲酸酯穿过血胎盘屏障，并与后代的认知功能缺陷和行为问题有关。我们以前曾报道过，当单独考虑邻苯二甲酸盐时，性别与运动功能相关。由于邻苯二甲酸盐通常以混合物形式存在，因此在这里我们评估了11岁时邻苯二甲酸盐混合物与运动功能之间的关联。方法数据来自参加哥伦比亚儿童环境健康中心出生队列（CCCEH）的母亲和后代的前瞻性队列研究。在孕晚期获得的母体尿液中检测到7种邻苯二甲酸酯代谢物，并使用11岁的Bruininks-Oseretsky第二版运动能力测验（BOT-2）的简短形式对运动功能进行了评估。我们使用加权四分位数和（WQS）回归模型分别检查了男性和女性中邻苯二甲酸酯代谢物的作用。对模型进行了以下调整：月龄，儿童BMI，孕产妇种族（非裔与多米尼加裔），产前饮酒，孕产士气低落评分，HOME评分和尿比重。在二级分析中，我们使用线性回归模型来检验DEHP和非DEHP代谢物的摩尔浓度之和与总体和精细运动功能的结果之间的关系。结果209对母婴符合该分析要求。暴露于高浓度的7种邻苯二甲酸酯代谢产物的加权四分位数总和后，女性中的精细运动功能显着下降，但男性中没有观察到（协变量调整后的系数估计B = -2.7，95％置信区间[CI]-女性为4.64至-0.75，p = 0.01 [n = 116]，男性为B = -1.63，95％CI -3.94至0.69，男性[n = 93]，p = 0.16）。女性中与精细运动功能相关的最重的邻苯二甲酸酯代谢物是MBP，MBZP和MIBP，它们都是非DEHP邻苯二甲酸酯。男性的7种邻苯二甲酸酯代谢物的加权四分位数总和与11岁时的总运动功能之间没有显着相关性（B = -0.81，95％CI -1.17至1.96，p = 0.23）。以四种非DEHP邻苯二甲酸酯的摩尔总和作为线性回归模型的主要预测指标，我们发现产前暴露于非DEHP邻苯二甲酸酯的女性的总运动能力和精细运动功能显着下降B = -0.98，95％CI -1.98至0.03， p = 0.05和B = -0.85，95％CI -1.49至-0.20，p = 0.01）。结论怀孕期间邻苯二甲酸酯的暴露与11岁女孩的运动功能下降有关。