Three birth cohorts examined whether early-life PFAS exposure (measured in offspring dried blood spots, cord blood, and maternal serum during pregnancy) is associated with fecal calprotectin (FC), a marker of intestinal inflammation, measured longitudinally in children from ages 1–6+ years.
Higher PFAS mixture levels were associated with higher log-transformed FC across all three cohorts: dried blood spot analysis β=0.44 (95% CI 0.18–0.70) and cord blood analysis β=0.69 (95% CI 0.53–0.85) per decile increase at age 6; maternal serum analysis β=0.19 (95% CI 0.05–0.33) for late childhood FC. Offspring of mothers with IBD had higher levels of the top FC-contributing PFAS metabolites.
Very small sample sizes (n=84 dried blood spots, n=93 cord blood, n=14 maternal serum) limit statistical power and generalizability. The study is observational, so causality cannot be established. Residual confounding from unmeasured environmental co-exposures is possible.
Clinicians counseling pregnant patients and families—especially those with IBD—should be aware that early-life PFAS exposure may contribute to childhood gut inflammation. Reducing PFAS exposure during pregnancy and early childhood is a reasonable precautionary step while further research matures.
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