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Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

Ali Mamane, Chantal Raherison, Jean-François Tessier, Isabelle Baldi, Ghislaine Bouvier
European Respiratory Review 2015 24: 462-473; DOI: 10.1183/16000617.00006114
Ali Mamane
1ISPED – Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
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  • For correspondence: ali.mamane@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr
Chantal Raherison
1ISPED – Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
3Service des Maladies Respiratoire, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Jean-François Tessier
2ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
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Isabelle Baldi
1ISPED – Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
4Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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Ghislaine Bouvier
1ISPED – Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
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    FIGURE 1

    Flow chart of identification and selection of original articles finally included in the review of environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health.

Tables

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  • TABLE 1

    Effects of pesticide exposure in children on respiratory health: prenatal exposure

    First author [ref.]LocationStudy designSummary of methodResults
    Population characteristicsPesticides of interestExposure assessmentHealth outcomes
    Sunyer [30]Menorca, SpainProspective cohort468 mother–infant pairs, with complete outcome data at 4 yearsOrganochlorine insecticides DDT and its metabolite DDE and fungicide HCBCord serum: DDE (median 1.03 ng·mL−1); HCB (median 0.68 ng·mL−1)Face-to-face maternal questionnaire: report of persistent wheezing and/or doctor-diagnosed asthma at 4 years of ageWheezing at 4 years of age increased when DDE concentration >1.90 ng·mL−1 (RR 2.63, 95% CI 1.19–4.69) and persistent wheezing (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04–1.54)
    Sunyer [31]Menorca, SpainProspective cohort462 mother–infant pairs, with complete outcome data at 6.5 yearsOrganochlorines DDE/DDTCord serum: DDE (median 1.03 ng·mL−1); DDT (median 0.08 ng·mL−1) Children's blood (at 4 years): DDE (median 0.08 ng·mL−1); DDT (median 0.05 ng·mL−1)Face-to-face maternal questionnaire: report of persistent wheezing and/or doctor-diagnosed asthma at 6.5 years of ageDDE concentration at birth associated with diagnosis of asthma at age 6.5 years (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01–1.39) and wheeze at age 4 years (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.28)
    Sunyer [32]SpainBirth cohort of Infancia y Medico Ambiente (INMA)520 mother–infant pairs, age: 14 monthsDDE, HCHMaternal serum (first trimester of pregnancy): pp′DDE (mean 112.3 ng·g−1); HCB (mean 43.7 ng·g−1)Face-to-face maternal questionnaire to report doctor-diagnosed LRTIs including bronchitis, bronchiolitis or pneumoniaSignificant association of DDE concentration during the first trimester of pregnancy with recurrent LRTI at 6 months (RR 1.68, 95% CI 0.06–2.66), and 14 months (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05–2.21)
    Gascon [33]SpainBirth cohort of INMA1455 mother–infant pairs, age: 14 monthsDDE, HCHMaternal serum (7–26th week of pregnancy): DDE (mean 116.3 ng·g−1); HCB (mean 46.4 ng·g−1)Face-to-face maternal questionnaire to report doctor-diagnosed of LRTIs based on ISAAC questionnaireDDE concentrations (third quartile) associated with LRTI risk (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08–1.62) and wheeze (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.06–1.59)
    Weselak [34]CanadaRetrospective cohort of Ontario Farm Family Health Study(OFFHS)3405 children of farm familiesAgricultural herbicides, insecticides and fungicidesQuestionnaire on pesticide exposure in farm activities of the father and mother during pregnancy, the year and month of pesticide use being matched with year and month of each pregnancy No pesticides measuredParental self-report of doctor-diagnosed health problems: chronic bronchitis or cough, asthma in their childNo significant association between any reported parental pesticide use during pregnancy and the development of persistent cough, bronchitis and asthma among the offspring of farm families
    Glynn [35]Uppsala, SwedenProspective cohort190 primiparous women living and seeking prenatal care in Uppsala, age: 3 monthsDDEMaternal serum (32–34th week of pregnancy): pp′DDE (mean 88 ng·g−1) Mother's breast milk: pp′DDE (mean 311 ng·g−1)Face-to-face questionnaire report of respiratory symptoms in infant, or doctor diagnosis of respiratory infectionNo association between prenatal serum levels DDE and respiratory infections in the infants
    Liu [36]USABirth cohort of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH)224 children, age: 5–6 years, 50.0% malePesticides: permethrins and PBO (a synergist for residential pyrethroid insecticides)Residential air samples in the third trimester of pregnancy: PBO (mean 1.1 ng·m−3); Cis-permethrin (not calculated); Trans-permethrin (mean 0.8 ng·m−3) Residential air samples at 5–6 years: PBO (LODs 0.06 ng·m−3); Cis-permethrin (LOD 0.1 ng·m−3) Trans-permethrin (LOD 0.2 ng·m−3)Face-to-face questionnaire report of doctor-diagnosed of asthma based on ISAAC questionnaireSignificant association between prenatal exposure to PBO and non-infectious cough in children aged 5–6 years (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09–1.48)
    • DDT: dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane; DDE: dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; HCB: hexachlorobenzene; RR: relative risk; HCH: hexachlorocyclohexane; pp′DDE: pp'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; LRTI: lower respiratory tract infection; ISAAC: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; PBO: piperonyl butoxide; LOD: limit of detection.

  • TABLE 2

    Effects of pesticide exposure in children on respiratory health: post-natal exposure

    First author [ref.]LocationStudy designSummary of methodResults
    Population characteristicsPesticides of interestExposure assessmentHealth outcomes
    Karmaus [37]GermanyCross-sectional343 second-grade school children in Hamburg, age: 7–10 yearsDDE, HCHChildren's blood (at 7–10 years): DDE (mean 0.32 µg·L−1); HCB (mean 0.22 µg·L−1)Parental self-report of doctor-diagnosed asthma (from ISAAC questionnaire)Exposure to DDE significantly associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma (OR 3.71, 95% CI 1.10–12.56)
    Karmaus [38]GermanyCross-sectional338 second-grade school children in South Hesse, age: 7–10 yearsDDE, HCHChildren's blood (at 7–8 years): DDE (mean 0.29 µg·L−1)Parental self-report of doctor-diagnosed asthma (ISAAC questionnaire)No association between DDE and child's respiratory and allergic symptoms
    Salameh [39]LebanonCross-sectional3291 children in public school, age: 5–16 yearsNot specifiedFour questions on pesticides exposure: households (at work, at home or garden treatment) and children (living in a heavily treated region, living in the proximity of a heavily treated field) No pesticides measuredParental self-report of doctor-diagnosed of asthma from ATS questionnaireAny type of exposure significantly associated with respiratory disease (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.20–2.43) Para-occupational exposure associated with risk of asthma (OR 4.61, 95% CI 2.06–10.29) Residential exposure associated with wheezing (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.85–4.05)
    Salam [40]USACase–control of Children's Health Study (CHS)691 children from public school, including 279 cases and 412 controlsNot specifiedQuestions on children's herbicides and pesticides exposure: farm crops or dust No pesticides measuredTelephone questionnaire self-report of asthma at 5 years of ageHigher risk of asthma at 5 years of age in children exposed to herbicides (OR 4.58, 95% CI 1.58–5.56) and pesticide (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.17–4.89) in the first year of life
    Duramad [41]USABirth cohort of the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas412 mother–infant pairs, age: 2 yearsOrganophosphate and pyrethroid insecticidesHome inspection during pregnancy, shortly after delivery and at 6, 12, and 24 months Information collected on agricultural work of mother and father and other household members, and home pesticide use No pesticides measuredFace-to-face questionnaire of asthma symptoms Medical records from 24 months: diagnosis of asthma, eczema, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, or pneumoniaSignificantly higher Th2 cytokine level (biomarker of allergic asthma) in children of women who worked in the fields (p=0.001) Maternal agricultural work associated with higher Th2 cytokine levels in children (p=0.04)
    Tagiyeva [42]UKProspective cohort13 971 children surviving to 1 year, age: 7.5 years (91 months)Biocides and fungicidesChildren's exposure determined by parental job-exposure matrix No pesticides measuredParental report of children's wheeze at age 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 69 and 81 months At 91 months: question on ever doctor-diagnosed asthma in childrenMaternal post-natal exposure associated with: wheeze at 81 months of age (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–2.05); doctor-diagnosed asthma at 91 months (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.14–1.88)
    Xu [43]USACross-sectional of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey14 065 children, age: 0–17 yearsNot specifiedQuestions on children's pesticides exposure at home and/or yard No pesticides measuredParental face-to-face questionnaire report of doctor-diagnosed asthma, and information about acute respiratory problems (wheezing, dry cough and chronic symptoms) reported by parentsPesticide use in the kitchen or dining room and wheezing (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.08–1.78) and dry cough (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.40–4.06)
    • DDE: dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; HCH: hexachlorocyclohexane; HCB: hexachlorobenzene; ISAAC: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; ATS: American Thoracic Society; Th2: T-helper cell type 2.

  • TABLE 3

    Effects on respiratory health and exposure to pesticides in the general population

    First author [ref.]LocationStudy designSummary of methodResults
    Population characteristicsPesticides of interestExposure assessmentHealth outcomes
    Balluz [44]USACross-sectional117 employees of a health centre in Georgia, 94% women, aged: 21–68 yearsMalathion, Organochlorines including DDT: stored, handled and used in the fight against mosquitoesEnvironmental sampling of pesticides in the building: Malathion (110 µg·g−1); DDT (24 µg·g−1) Measures of 17 chlorinated pesticides in serum and urine of employees (concentrations below 95% limit for the reference range for the US population)Self-reported occurrence and severity of respiratory illnesses and symptomsDuration of employment (at least 3 years) significantly associated with bronchitis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.7–11.0) and sinusitis (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5–8.7) No association between health complaint and pesticide levels in serum and urine
    Ames [45]USARetrospective study39 subjects who were residents living near farms where paraquat was applied and 172 controls living in areas remote from sprayingParaquatLiving near farms where paraquat was applied (an area of ∼0.5 miles) Self-reported perception of odour during the 2 weeks of study periodSelf-reported symptoms during the 2-week study periodSignificant increased risk for cough (RR 2.60; p<0.001) and wheezing (RR 3.04; p<0.01, Chi-squared) in the paraquat-exposed group
    Karpati [46]USARetrospective study after a mosquito eradication programme62 827 visits for asthma in the ED of hospitals in New York, study period, mean age: 34 yearsPyrethroid insecticides sprayed in New York City during July–September 2000 to control mosquito vectors of West Nile virusNoneData obtained from the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for ED visits for asthma during pesticide spraying periodNo significant association between pesticide spraying days and daily rates of asthma visits (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.80–1.07)
    O'Sullivan [47]USARetrospective study after a mosquito eradication programme1 318 patients with a diagnosis of asthma in the ED of Lincoln hospital (South Bronx, NY) during 1997, 1998 and 1999Malathion (organophosphate insecticide) and andresmethrin (pyrethroid insecticide) sprayed during the mosquito eradication programme in South Bronx in September 1999NoneAdult and paediatric asthma ED admissions during the 4 days (September 1999) of the mosquito eradication programmeNo significant differences in patient ED asthma admissions between spraying and non-spraying days in September 1999 No significant difference between the number of ED asthma admissions in September 1999 compared with 1997 and 1998
    Zhang [48]ChinaCross-sectional22 528 rural adults, 48.7% men, age ≥15 yearsInsecticidesFace-to-face questionnaire to obtain information on regular occupational and environmental exposure to chemicals (insecticides)Face-to-face questionnaire (IUATLD questionnaire) about respiratory symptoms during the past 12 monthsExposure to insecticides associated with higher prevalence of chronic cough (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4–3.3), asthma attack (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3–2.9) and wheeze (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.6)
    LeVan [49]SingaporeProspctive cohort (Singapore Chinese Health Study, SCHS)52 325 subjects, 42.6% men, age: 45–75 yearsVapour exposure including pesticidesNoneFollow-up phone questionnaire based on ATS-DLD: respiratory symptoms, self-report of physician-diagnosed adult-onset asthma and respiratory outcomes in generalOccupational pesticide exposure associated with adult-onset asthma (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.13–2.52)
    • DDT: dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane; RR: relative risk; ED: emergency department; IUATLD: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; ATS-DLD: American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Disease.

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Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health
Ali Mamane, Chantal Raherison, Jean-François Tessier, Isabelle Baldi, Ghislaine Bouvier
European Respiratory Review Sep 2015, 24 (137) 462-473; DOI: 10.1183/16000617.00006114

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Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health
Ali Mamane, Chantal Raherison, Jean-François Tessier, Isabelle Baldi, Ghislaine Bouvier
European Respiratory Review Sep 2015, 24 (137) 462-473; DOI: 10.1183/16000617.00006114
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