Dioxin-like compounds are not associated with bone strength measured by ultrasonography in Inuit women from Nunavik (Canada): results of a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Table I. Characteristics of Inuit women from Nunavik

Characteristic	N^a (N^b)	AM^c (SE)	Range	GM^d (SE)
SI (%)	1,140 (195)	78.7 (1.0)	39–135
DLCs (pg TCDD-EQ/L)	1,140 (195)	120.4 (7.1)	0.7–570	74.0 (5.3)
DL-PCB 105 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	115.0 (7.0)	5–620	69.2 (4.0)
DL-PCB 118 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	582.7 (35.5)	22–3,000	352.1 (19.6)
DL-PCB 156 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	163.3 (13.0)	5–1,800	98.5 (5.7)
DL-PCB 157 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	60.4 (4.8)	5–520	35.1 (2.1)
DL-PCB 167 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	55.2 (3.8)	5–460	33.7 (1.9)
DL-PCB 189 (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	25.6 (2.2)	5–270	15.3 (0.9)
ΣDL-PCBs^e (ng/L)	1,140 (195)	1,002 (59)	47–4818	633.8 (33.3)
Mercury (nmol/L)	1,140 (195)	132.1 (6.7)	4.9–760	94.5 (5.0)
Lead (µmol/L)	1,140 (195)	0.28 (0.01)	0.04–1.5	0.23 (0.01)
Age (years)	1,140 (195)	48.6 (0.5)	35–72
Weight (kg)	1,124 (192)	66.6 (1.0)	37.6–118
Height (cm)	1,140 (195)	152.3 (0.3)	142–164
Omega-3 PUFAs (%)	1,140 (195)	11.9 (0.2)	1.7–19.5
Omega-6 PUFAs (%)	1,140 (195)	23.3 (0.3)	12.6–32.4
Retinol (µmol/L)	1,111 (191)	2.16 (0.04)	1.04–3.58
Vitamin D (nmol/L)	1,134 (194)	30.1 (0.7)	5.9–67.5
Total plasma lipids (g/L)	1,135 (194)	6.4 (0.1)	4.1–11.4
	N^f (%)	N^b
Menopausal status	1,139.7	195
Postmenopausal	486.4 (42.7)	79
Non-menopausal	653.3 (57.3)	116
Level of education	1,093.3	191
None or primary school	590.7 (54.0)	103
Secondary or higher	502.6 (46.0)	88
Supplement use^g	1,139.6	195
Yes	115.4 (10.1)	19
No	1,024.2 (89.9)	176
Tobacco use	1,131.4	193
Yes	827.3 (73.1)	144
No	304.1 (26.9)	49
Parity	1,123.4	192
Yes	1,057.7 (94.1)	182
No	65.7 (5.9)	10

^aWeighted and rounded size; ^bsample size; ^carithmetic mean; ^dgeometric mean; ^esum of DL-PCB nos. 105, 118, 156, 157, 167 and 189; ^fweighted size; ^gcalcium and vitamin D supplements in the last 12 months.

Table II. Results of explanatory multiple linear regression analyses: SI (log) models

	Model 1^a N^c=1,041 (N^d=180)			Model 2^b N^c=1,135 (N^d=194)
Main exposure variables Contaminant	R^2	Regression coefficient (SE)^e	p-Value^f	R^2	Regression coefficient (SE)^e	p-Value^f
DLCs (pg TCDD-EQ/L)	0.4184	1.6468 (1.3199)	0.2128	0.3303	−0.1245 (1.5045)	0.9341
DL-PCB 105 (ng/L)	0.4170	1.8651 (1.7705)	0.2926	0.3307	−0.5484 (1.7947)	0.7601
DL-PCB 118 (ng/L)	0.4163	0.3552 (0.4085)	0.3850	0.3339	−0.3153 (0.3618)	0.3840
DL-PCB 156 (ng/L)	0.4141	−0.1520 (0.7529)	0.8401	0.3462	−1.5856 (0.6564)	0.0161
DL-PCB 157 (ng/L)	0.4242	−4.5409 (2.3586)	0.0548	0.3719	−7.1843 (1.6857)	<0.0001
DL-PCB 167 (ng/L)	0.4143	−0.9897 (3.2387)	0.7601	0.3499	−6.5369 (2.6521)	0.0140
DL-PCB 189 (ng/L)	0.4217	−7.7779 (5.0742)	0.1260	0.3673	−14.2291 (4.2063)	0.0008
ΣDL-PCBs^g (ng/L)	0.4142	0.0712 (0.2391)	0.7660	0.3422	−0.3521 (0.2110)	0.0958

^aModel adjusted for age, total plasma lipids, menopausal status, education level, supplement use (calcium and vitamin D), blood mercury levels, blood lead levels, omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA, vitamin A (retinol), vitamin D, tobacco use, parity, height, weight; ^bmodel adjusted for age and total plasma lipids; ^cweighted and rounded size; ^dsample size; ^ethe values of the regression coefficients and standard errors were multiplied by 10⁴; ^fWald Chi square test with Satterthwaite correction for the degrees of freedom; ^gsum of DL-PCBs nos. 105, 118, 156, 157, 167 and 189.