An article published on November 6, 2018, in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, reported on a meta-analysis of studies evaluating the possible effects of exposure to bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) on the risk of type 2 diabetes (FPF reported). Semi Hwang and colleagues from the Institute for Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, reviewed the literature published between 1980 and 2018 and found a total of 16 studies that could be included into their meta-analysis. Among these studies, “thirteen [were] cross-sectional, two case-control and one prospective.” BPA concentrations were measured either in the urine (14 studies) or in plasma (two studies), and all studies together covered “a total of 41,320 subjects.” 

The meta-analysis revealed that in both urine- and serum-focused studies, BPA concentrations showed “positive associations” with type 2 diabetes risk.  The odds ratios were calculated at 1.28 or 1.20 for studies that measured BPA concentrations in blood or urine, respectively. 

As limitations of their analysis, the authors highlighted (1) the need for “inclusion of additional studies . . . to validate and confirm the results,” (2) the need to better understand what would be the most “appropriate surrogate for BPA exposure,” (3) the need “to clarify . . . complex dose-response relationship,” such as “inverted U-shape or non-linear relationships,” and (4) the need to apply special analysis methodology in order to better handle the “heterogeneity in inclusive studies.” 

Reference 

Hwang, S., et al. (2018). “Bisphenol A exposure and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk: a meta-analysis.” BMC Endocrine Disorders 18:81

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