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BACKGROUND: In 973-1974, Michigan residents were exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) through an accidental contamination of the food supply. Residents were enrolled in a registry assembled after the incident, and they and their children participated in follow-up studies to assess subsequent health outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated associations between serum PBBs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and markers of thyroid function among Michigan adults.

METHODS: Serum concentrations of four PBB and four PCB congeners were measured at least once in 753 adults, including 79 women who participated in a 2004-2006 study and 683 women and men with follow-up during 2012-2015. Participants completed questionnaires on health conditions (including physician-diagnosed thyroid disease), behaviors, and demographics. Thyroid hormones were measured in a subset without thyroid disease (n = 551). In multivariable linear regression models, PBB and PCB congener concentrations, on both the volume (nanogram/milliliter) and lipid (nanogram/gram lipid) basis, were assessed in relation to thyroid hormones. Logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between serum PBBs and PCBs and thyroid disease.

RESULTS: Thyroid disease was common (18% overall; 25% among women). Among women, all odds ratios (ORs) for PBB-153 and thyroid disease were positive for quintiles above the reference level, but estimates were imprecise and were without a monotonic increase. For an interquartile range (IQR) increase in PI313-153 (0.43 ng/mL), the OR (any thyroid disease) = 1.12; (95% CI: 0.83, 1.52) (n = 105 cases); for hypothyroidism, OR = 1.35 (95% CI: 0.86, 2.13) = 49 cases). There were 21 cases of thyroid disease in men [OR = 0.69 (95% CI: 0.33); 1.44 for an IQR increase (0.75 ng/mL) in serum PBB-1531. PCB congeners were statistically significantly associated with greater total and free thyroxine and total triiodothyronine among women and with total and free triiodothyronine among men in lipid-standardized models.

CONCLUSIONS: We found some evidence to support associations of PBBs and PCBs with thyroid disease and thyroid hormone levels.