ESPE Abstracts

Background: Nowadays, the role of minipuberty in influencing pubertal development is well documented. Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with reproductive toxic effect. Aim of this study is to assess phthalate exposure within the first months of life in a cohort of healthy term infants and their mothers and the possible relationship with minipuberty.

Methods: Single-center, prospective birth-cohort study, assessing phthalate exposure in urine samples collected from mothers after the delivery and in their infants at birth(T0), 3(T3) and 6(T6) months. Phthalate-free containers were used. After solid-phase extraction, samples were analysed by triple Quad LC/MS Mass Spectrometry. Eight major phthalate metabolites (MMP, MEP, MnBP, MBzP, SDHEP, MCOP) of 6 of the most used phthalates were assessed. Urinary hormonal pattern (uLH, uFSH, testosterone–uT, oestradiol-uE) at T0,T3,T6 was performed. Ano-penile distance(AGD-AP), ano-scrotal distance(AGD-AS) and penile length(PL) for male, ano-fourchette distance(AGD-AF) and ano-clitoris (AGD-AC) for female, were collected at each timepoint.

Results: 188 mother-infant pairs were enrolled. In female, at T0 a positive association was detected for uE and MnBP, MBzP, SDEHP and MCOP. At T3 and T6, significant positive associations between phthalates exposure and uE and uFSH were found for all the metabolites but MCOP. Maternal concentrations of MMP were negatively associated to AGD-AC at T0 and positively associated to AGD-AF at T3. Maternal and neonatal MEP were positively associated to AGD-AF at T6. Neonatal MnBP and MCOP were respectively related to AGD-AF and AGD-AC at T3. In male positive associations at T0, T3 and T6 were detected within MnBP and uFSH and uT. At T0 a positive association was found between MbzP, SDEHP and uT; while negative association was found within MCOP and uLH and uFSH. At T3, uFSH was related to MMP, MBzP and DEHP while uLH was associated to MMP and uT to MCOP, this last was also negatively related to AGD-AP at T3. A negative association was found within MEP at T3 and uFSH at T6 and MBzP at T3 and uLH at T6. At T6, uT and uFSH were positively related to: MEP, MBzP, SDEHP while uLH was negatively related to MCOP.

Conclusions: Associations within phthalates and hormonal pattern were detected during the first six months of life. Effects of these relations are not clear, but exposure to EDCs may influence minipubery and longitudinal studies are needed to estimate the possible impact on puberty and fertility.