Scientists have learned about the increased risk of liver disease due to a hidden household toxin

Scientists from the Keck Medicine Center at the University of Southern California have learned that the chemical tetrachloroethylene, widely used in dry cleaning and found in household products such as adhesives, stain removers and metal polishes, can triple the risk of significant liver fibrosis. This was reported on November 12 by Science Daily magazine.

"This study, which for the first time examines the relationship between tetrachloroethylene levels in people with severe liver fibrosis, highlights the little-known role of environmental factors in liver health. The results suggest that exposure to tetrachloroethylene may be the reason why one person develops liver disease, while another with exactly the same health condition and demographic characteristics does not," said Brian P., MD, member of the American Academy of Sciences, hepatologist, liver transplant specialist and lead author of the study. Lee.

This substance belongs to artificial solvents that are actively used to remove fatty impurities. A person can inhale its vapors from fresh dry cleaning or receive it with drinking water if the soil is polluted. It is also classified as a probable carcinogen.

According to the analysis of data from the NHANES national survey for 2017-2020, tetrachloroethylene levels were found in 7% of American adults. These people were three times more likely to develop severe liver fibrosis, regardless of age, gender, or education level. Each additional nanogram per milliliter of the substance in the blood increased the likelihood of fibrosis fivefold.

Interestingly, elevated levels were more often found in affluent people, probably due to regular use of dry cleaning services. But the greatest risk, according to the researchers, is borne by the employees of the dry cleaners themselves due to prolonged contact with the substance.

It is noted that traditional risk factors (alcohol, obesity, fatty liver disease) cease to be decisive in the presence of tetrachloroethylene. According to Lee, patients are wondering how they can have liver disease in the absence of habitual risk factors. He stressed that this substance is always the answer, and drew attention to the fact that it is only one of the environmental toxins that affect the liver.

"We hope that our study will help both the public and doctors understand the relationship between tetrachloroethylene exposure and severe liver fibrosis. If more people exposed to tetrachloroethylene are screened for liver fibrosis, the disease can be detected earlier, and patients will have a better chance of restoring liver function," Lee concluded.

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Russian scientist calls experts' conclusions about the health risks of food containers a fiction

Earlier, on October 15, Valeria Zaretskaya, a medical worker at the NCC NCC No. 2 of the B.V. Petrovsky Russian National Research Medical Center, told Izvestia that chemical compounds hidden in plastic bottles and other vessels can affect the heart rate. According to her, in order to minimize risks, it is necessary to consciously reduce contact with the main sources of bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues, abandon plastic containers labeled "3", "6" and "7" (PC), and do not use plastic containers in a microwave oven.

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