Table 3. Pesticide exposure and wheeze in adults
First author [ref.]Wheeze definitionExposure metricCo-exposuresOR (95% CI)
Boers [16]Self-reported wheezeJob history of exposure to pesticides (yes/no)Agricultural environment (for some subjects)0.56 (0.32–0.98)
Urinary markers0.99 (0.87–1.13)
Chakraborty [17]Self-reported wheeze≥50 cholinesterase inhibitionAgricultural environment2.9 (2.1–4.2)
Nriagu [19]Self-reported “having a wheezy chest”Use of insecticides in the homeUnknown2.52 (1.19–5.34)
Schenker [20]Self-reported persistent wheezeParaquat exposure using a cumulative paraquat exposure indexAgricultural environment (banana, coffee and palm oil)1.1 (0.7–1.6)
Sprince [30]Self-reported “ever being wheezy”Self-reports of applying pesticides to livestockAgricultural environment3.92 (1.76–8.72)
Zhang [21]Self-reported wheeze in last 12 monthsSelf-reports of insecticide exposureOutdoor agricultural worker, biomass fuel burning1.8 (1.2–2.6)
Hoppin [11]Self-reported wheeze in the last 12 monthsSelf-reported questionnaireAgricultural environmentNo ORs were calculated for “any exposure to pesticides” compared to “no pesticide exposure”
Hoppin [12]Self-reported wheeze in the last 12 monthsQuestionnaire of work practices and exposureAgricultural environmentNo ORs were calculated for “any exposure to pesticides” compared to “no pesticide exposure”
Hoppin [13]Self-reported wheeze in the last 12 monthsSelf-reported questionnaireAgricultural environmentNo ORs were calculated for “any exposure to pesticides” compared to “no pesticide exposure”
Hoppin [10]Doctor-diagnosed asthma after age 20 yearsMetric of lifetime pesticide useAgricultural environmentAn OR for wheeze and pesticide exposure was not calculated
Huang [22]Lung function testing and symptom reportingJob title and air monitoringUnknownNo ORs were calculated
Yemaneberhan [24]Self-reported asthma, wheezing or coughSelf-reported exposure questionnaireUnknownThe results of children and adults were not reported separately, no OR are included