Serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels among young adults at risk for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Nicaragua
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Kate Marmion School of Public Health, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX USA
- 2Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- 3CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
- 4Department of Medical Statistics London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- 5Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- 6Center for Kidney and Bladder Health, University College, London, UK
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) affects young adults in rural Mesoamerica, but environmental drivers remain unclear. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent nephrotoxic contaminants, yet evidence from CKDu-endemic regions is limited. This study assessed serum PFAS concentrations and their association with kidney function in young adults in northwestern Nicaragua. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted within a community-based cohort study in northwestern Nicaragua. Serum samples from 85 young participants (18–30 years) were selected in year four and stratified by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Targeted and non-targeted PFAS were measured using liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Sex-stratified linear regression models assessed associations with eGFR, adjusting for age, body mass index, and smoking. Six PFAS were detected in > 50% of participants. PFOS and PFOA were most prevalent, with higher concentrations in men. Elevated concentrations were observed among workers in banana plantations, commerce, and construction. PFOS was positively associated with eGFR (β = 1.12 mL/min/1.73m2 per µg/L; 95%CI: 0.14, 2.10), with no other significant associations. This study provides the first PFAS biomonitoring data from a CKDu-endemic region in Mesoamerica. While most PFAS showed no association with kidney function, the sex-specific PFOS–eGFR association in men warrants further longitudinal investigation. Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu), Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Kidney function, Longitudinal study, Nicaragua
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6.
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BibTeX
@article{fawkes2026serum,
title = {{Serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels among young adults at risk for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Nicaragua}},
author = {Leanne S. Fawkes and Yau Adamu and David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras and Neil Pearce and Ben Caplin and Marvin González-Quiroz},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels among young adults at risk for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Nicaragua
AU - Leanne S. Fawkes
AU - Yau Adamu
AU - David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras
AU - Neil Pearce
AU - Ben Caplin
AU - Marvin González-Quiroz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/28
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6
AB - Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) affects young adults in rural Mesoamerica, but environmental drivers remain unclear. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent nephrotoxic contaminants, yet evidence from CKDu-endemic regions is limited. This study assessed serum PFAS concentrations and their association with kidney function in young adults in northwestern Nicaragua. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted within a community-based cohort study in northwestern Nicaragua. Serum samples from 85 young participants (18–30 years) were selected in year four and stratified by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Targeted and non-targeted PFAS were measured using liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Sex-stratified linear regression models assessed associations with eGFR, adjusting for age, body mass index, and smoking. Six PFAS were detected in > 50% of participants. PFOS and PFOA were most prevalent, with higher concentrations in men. Elevated concentrations were observed among workers in banana plantations, commerce, and construction. PFOS was positively associated with eGFR (β = 1.12 mL/min/1.73m2 per µg/L; 95%CI: 0.14, 2.10), with no other significant associations. This study provides the first PFAS biomonitoring data from a CKDu-endemic region in Mesoamerica. While most PFAS showed no association with kidney function, the sex-specific PFOS–eGFR association in men warrants further longitudinal investigation. Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu), Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Kidney function, Longitudinal study, Nicaragua Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63277-6.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -