Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study

Previous studies have established a correlation between thyroid dysfunction and liver diseases. Environmental Water Iodine, a crucial source of iodine intake, has shown a U-shaped relationship with the occurrence of thyroid diseases. Nevertheless, the precise connection between different environment...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yun Chen, Xinyi Bai, Yanhong He, Wenjing Che, Zheng Zhou, Haiyan Gao, Yan Zhang, Yao Chen, Qingzhen Jia, Lixiang Liu, Hongmei Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325011121
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849390557081632768
author Yun Chen
Xinyi Bai
Yanhong He
Wenjing Che
Zheng Zhou
Haiyan Gao
Yan Zhang
Yao Chen
Qingzhen Jia
Lixiang Liu
Hongmei Shen
author_facet Yun Chen
Xinyi Bai
Yanhong He
Wenjing Che
Zheng Zhou
Haiyan Gao
Yan Zhang
Yao Chen
Qingzhen Jia
Lixiang Liu
Hongmei Shen
author_sort Yun Chen
collection DOAJ
description Previous studies have established a correlation between thyroid dysfunction and liver diseases. Environmental Water Iodine, a crucial source of iodine intake, has shown a U-shaped relationship with the occurrence of thyroid diseases. Nevertheless, the precise connection between different environmental water iodine concentrations (WIC) and liver function remains unclear.Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted in regions with varying levels of unimproved water supplies, categorized by WIC: < 10 µg/L, 40–100 µg/L, and > 100 µg/L. This study compared the serum levels of liver function markers including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were compared among populations in areas with different water iodine concentrations. Significant differences were found in the levels of AST, ALP, TP, ALB, TBIL, DBIL, and IBIL. Based on different WIC, the chi-square test was employed to assess the prevalence of abnormal circulating liver function indicators. To further explore the association between different environmental WIC and these abnormal circulating liver function indicators, a logistic regression model was employed in this investigation. The results showed that following adjustment for potential confounders, both WIC< 10 µg/L and WIC> 100 µg/L were significantly negatively correlated with abnormal serum TP and ALB levels [WIC< 10 µg/L: odds ratio (OR), 3.147 (1.828,5.604), P < 0.001, OR, 4.149 (2.246,8.146), P < 0.001; WIC> 100 µg/L: OR, 2.456 (1.394,4.435), P = 0.002, OR, 2.211 (1.151, 4.425), P = 0.020]. Mediation analysis indicated direct associations between WIC and abnormal serum TP and ALB levels. Additionally, after excluding participants with thyroid dysfunction, identical analyses were conducted, and the observed associations showed no substantial changes in their nature.In conclusion, environmental WIC exposure was closely associated with abnormal liver function, showing a U-shaped association with abnormal serum TP and ALB levels. However, given the observational nature of this study, further mechanistic validation is warranted through in vivo and in vitro experiments to delineate the causal relationship.
format Article
id doaj-art-ec1f45836f8345db8675b1fe3e0ca28f
institution Kabale University
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-ec1f45836f8345db8675b1fe3e0ca28f2025-08-20T03:41:31ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-09-0130211876710.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118767Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population studyYun Chen0Xinyi Bai1Yanhong He2Wenjing Che3Zheng Zhou4Haiyan Gao5Yan Zhang6Yao Chen7Qingzhen Jia8Lixiang Liu9Hongmei Shen10Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; The Sixth Affiated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaInstitute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Treatment of Shanxi Province, Linfen City, Shanxi Province 041000, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of ChinaCentre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; National Health Commission &amp; Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province 150081, People's Republic of China; Corresponding author at: Center for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China.Previous studies have established a correlation between thyroid dysfunction and liver diseases. Environmental Water Iodine, a crucial source of iodine intake, has shown a U-shaped relationship with the occurrence of thyroid diseases. Nevertheless, the precise connection between different environmental water iodine concentrations (WIC) and liver function remains unclear.Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted in regions with varying levels of unimproved water supplies, categorized by WIC: < 10 µg/L, 40–100 µg/L, and > 100 µg/L. This study compared the serum levels of liver function markers including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were compared among populations in areas with different water iodine concentrations. Significant differences were found in the levels of AST, ALP, TP, ALB, TBIL, DBIL, and IBIL. Based on different WIC, the chi-square test was employed to assess the prevalence of abnormal circulating liver function indicators. To further explore the association between different environmental WIC and these abnormal circulating liver function indicators, a logistic regression model was employed in this investigation. The results showed that following adjustment for potential confounders, both WIC< 10 µg/L and WIC> 100 µg/L were significantly negatively correlated with abnormal serum TP and ALB levels [WIC< 10 µg/L: odds ratio (OR), 3.147 (1.828,5.604), P < 0.001, OR, 4.149 (2.246,8.146), P < 0.001; WIC> 100 µg/L: OR, 2.456 (1.394,4.435), P = 0.002, OR, 2.211 (1.151, 4.425), P = 0.020]. Mediation analysis indicated direct associations between WIC and abnormal serum TP and ALB levels. Additionally, after excluding participants with thyroid dysfunction, identical analyses were conducted, and the observed associations showed no substantial changes in their nature.In conclusion, environmental WIC exposure was closely associated with abnormal liver function, showing a U-shaped association with abnormal serum TP and ALB levels. However, given the observational nature of this study, further mechanistic validation is warranted through in vivo and in vitro experiments to delineate the causal relationship.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325011121Environmental water iodineAbnormal circulating liver functionTPALB
spellingShingle Yun Chen
Xinyi Bai
Yanhong He
Wenjing Che
Zheng Zhou
Haiyan Gao
Yan Zhang
Yao Chen
Qingzhen Jia
Lixiang Liu
Hongmei Shen
Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Environmental water iodine
Abnormal circulating liver function
TP
ALB
title Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
title_full Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
title_fullStr Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
title_full_unstemmed Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
title_short Association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross-sectional chinese population study
title_sort association of environmental water iodine concentration with abnormal circulating liver function indicators in a cross sectional chinese population study
topic Environmental water iodine
Abnormal circulating liver function
TP
ALB
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325011121
work_keys_str_mv AT yunchen associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT xinyibai associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT yanhonghe associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT wenjingche associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT zhengzhou associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT haiyangao associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT yanzhang associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT yaochen associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT qingzhenjia associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT lixiangliu associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy
AT hongmeishen associationofenvironmentalwateriodineconcentrationwithabnormalcirculatingliverfunctionindicatorsinacrosssectionalchinesepopulationstudy