Associations between blood ethylene oxide levels and bone mineral density.

Min Lin, Wenwen Chen, Kun Chen, Feng Huang, Sujuan Lu

Journal: Frontiers in public health 2025;13():1561920

PMID: 40487531

Free Full Text on PubMed Central View on PubMed

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Ethylene oxide (EO) is a toxic compound extensively used in industrial applications. This study quantified serum EO levels by measuring hemoglobin-bound ethylene oxide (HbEO). However, the link between bone mineral density (BMD) and HbEO levels remains unexplored.

METHODS

A total of 2,570 participants were evaluated using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2015-2018). Generalized linear regression models (LRM) and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were used to investigate the association between blood EO levels and BMD. Adjusted models were also applied for comprehensive analysis.

RESULTS

Blood EO levels and BMD were inversely related ( = 0.007). This RCS analysis also showed an L-shaped dose-response correlation between EO levels and BMD ( for nonlinearity <0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights a substantial correlation between EO exposure and BMD. Further randomized controlled trials are required to establish a causal relationship.

Address: Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.; Department of Geriatric Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.; Department of Geriatric Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.; Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.; Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.; Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China.

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1561920

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https://medlineplus.gov/bonedensity.html

MeSH Terms: Humans, Bone Density, Ethylene Oxide, Male, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Nutrition Surveys, Environmental Exposure, Aged