USC Study Links PCE Exposure to 3-Fold Higher Liver Fibrosis Risk in 1,614 U.S. Adults
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · May 18
USC Study Links PCE Exposure to 3-Fold Higher Liver Fibrosis Risk in 1,614 U.S. Adults
1 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · May 18
Blood tests in 1,614 U.S. adults found detectable tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, in 7.4% of participants, and those people had more than triple the odds of significant liver fibrosis.
Each 1 nanogram-per-milliliter rise in blood PCE was tied to more than fivefold higher fibrosis odds, with the association holding after adjustments for age, sex, alcohol use, obesity and other health factors.
Keck Medicine of USC said the study is the first to directly link PCE exposure in the general U.S. population to measurable liver scarring, and a negative-control analysis suggested the signal was specific to PCE rather than VOC exposure broadly.
PCE is widely used in dry cleaning and manufacturing, can linger in indoor air and contaminated groundwater, and remains present despite an EPA 10-year phaseout in dry-cleaning operations and tighter industrial restrictions.
The findings add to growing concern that environmental toxins may help explain liver disease in people without classic risk factors and could support earlier fibrosis screening for exposed groups.
With clear proof of liver harm, is the EPA's decade-long PCE phaseout too slow?
Is a common chemical in your home silently causing irreversible liver damage?
If a dry-cleaning chemical scars livers, what other environmental toxins have we overlooked?
Hidden Danger: PCE Exposure Raises Liver Fibrosis Risk by 5x—What You Need to Know About Health and Regulation
Overview
A landmark study led by Dr. Brian P. Lee has revealed that exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a common environmental chemical, is strongly linked to an increased risk of liver fibrosis in U.S. adults. This research is the first to examine the association between PCE levels in humans and significant liver fibrosis, showing that the risk exists even when traditional liver disease factors are absent. The findings suggest that PCE exposure could explain why some people develop liver disease while others with similar health backgrounds do not, highlighting the importance of considering environmental factors in liver health.