Association of serum phthalate acid esters with ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids

Objective To detect the concentration of phthalate acid esters (PAEs)in serum of childbearing women and to analyze the association of serum PAEs with ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.Methods Serum samples were collected from 164 gynecological disease patients(80 uterine fibroids, 67 ovarian cysts, and 17 primary infertility patients)and 80 healthy controls from the First Maternity and Infant Health Institute in Shanghai.PAEs in serum were detected with gas chromatograph(GC).Results For all participants of the study, the positive rates of diethyl phthalate(DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate(DBP), and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate(DEHP)were 26.2%, 95.5%, and 92.2%, with the geometric mean concentrations of 0.071, 0.270, and 0.193 mg/L, respectively.The levels of serum DBP in the patient group(0.342 mg/L)was significantly higher than that(0.165 mg/L)in the controls(t=11.870, P<0.01).The serum DBP level in the uterine fibroid patients was negatively correlated to age(r=-0.267, P=0.028)and the serum DBP level in the controls was positively correlated to body mass index(r=0.270, P=0.017).Conclusion The incidence of uterine fibroid and ovarian cyst may relate to PAEs exposure level.