November 8, 2022

A large-scale study on exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in humans and rodents showed consistent evidence of chemical-driven liver damage, according to Lida Chatzi, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of the NIEHS-funded Environmental Health Sciences Core Center at the University of Southern California.

“Given the high prevalence of PFAS exposures in the population and the link to liver damage, it is important to evaluate whether these compounds are involved in initiating liver disease,” Chatzi said.

Chatzi’s group conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific literature on exposure to PFAS and markers of liver injury. The research — published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives— drew from 86 rodent studies and 25 human studies.

Read the NIEHS Environmental Factor article to learn more.