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Environmental exposures contribute to respiratory and allergic symptoms among women living in the banana growing regions of Costa Rica

Alhanti, Brooke ; van Wendel de Joode, Berna ; Soto Martinez, Manuel ; Mora, Ana M. ; Córdoba Gamboa, Leonel ; Reich, Brian ; Lindh, Christian H. LU orcid ; Quirós Lépiz, Marcela and Hoppin, Jane A. (2022) In Occupational and Environmental Medicine 79(7). p.469-476
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This research evaluates whether environmental exposures (pesticides and smoke) influence respiratory and allergic outcomes in women living in a tropical, agricultural environment. METHODS: We used data from 266 mothers from the Infants' Environmental Health cohort study in Costa Rica. We evaluated environmental exposures in women by measuring seven pesticide and two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in urine samples. We defined 'high exposure' as having a metabolite value in the top 75th percentile. We collected survey data on respiratory and allergic outcomes in mothers as well as on pesticides and other environmental exposures. Using logistic regression models adjusted for obesity, we assessed the associations... (More)

OBJECTIVES: This research evaluates whether environmental exposures (pesticides and smoke) influence respiratory and allergic outcomes in women living in a tropical, agricultural environment. METHODS: We used data from 266 mothers from the Infants' Environmental Health cohort study in Costa Rica. We evaluated environmental exposures in women by measuring seven pesticide and two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in urine samples. We defined 'high exposure' as having a metabolite value in the top 75th percentile. We collected survey data on respiratory and allergic outcomes in mothers as well as on pesticides and other environmental exposures. Using logistic regression models adjusted for obesity, we assessed the associations of pesticide exposure with multiple outcomes (wheeze, doctor-diagnosed asthma, high (≥2) asthma score based on symptoms, rhinitis, eczema and itchy rash). RESULTS: Current pesticide use in the home was positively associated with diagnosed asthma (OR=1.99 (95% CI=1.05 to 3.87)). High urinary levels of 5-hydroxythiabendazole (thiabendazole metabolite) and living in a neighbourhood with frequent smoke from waste burning were associated with a high asthma score (OR=1.84 (95%CI=1.05 to 3.25) and OR=2.31 (95%CI=1.11 to 5.16), respectively). Women who worked in agriculture had a significantly lower prevalence of rhinitis (0.19 (0.01 to 0.93)), but were more likely to report eczema (OR=2.54 (95%CI=1.33 to 4.89)) and an itchy rash (OR=3.17 (95%CI=1.24 to 7.73)). CONCLUSIONS: While limited by sample size, these findings suggest that environmental exposure to both pesticides and smoke may impact respiratory and skin-related allergic outcomes in women.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
agriculture, allergy, asthma, pesticide, respiratory disease
in
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
volume
79
issue
7
pages
8 pages
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85132049913
  • pmid:34969778
ISSN
1470-7926
DOI
10.1136/oemed-2021-107611
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
14884716-1879-480f-841c-38f4d1228824
date added to LUP
2022-09-26 15:38:53
date last changed
2024-06-14 17:50:26
@article{14884716-1879-480f-841c-38f4d1228824,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: This research evaluates whether environmental exposures (pesticides and smoke) influence respiratory and allergic outcomes in women living in a tropical, agricultural environment. METHODS: We used data from 266 mothers from the Infants' Environmental Health cohort study in Costa Rica. We evaluated environmental exposures in women by measuring seven pesticide and two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites in urine samples. We defined 'high exposure' as having a metabolite value in the top 75th percentile. We collected survey data on respiratory and allergic outcomes in mothers as well as on pesticides and other environmental exposures. Using logistic regression models adjusted for obesity, we assessed the associations of pesticide exposure with multiple outcomes (wheeze, doctor-diagnosed asthma, high (≥2) asthma score based on symptoms, rhinitis, eczema and itchy rash). RESULTS: Current pesticide use in the home was positively associated with diagnosed asthma (OR=1.99 (95% CI=1.05 to 3.87)). High urinary levels of 5-hydroxythiabendazole (thiabendazole metabolite) and living in a neighbourhood with frequent smoke from waste burning were associated with a high asthma score (OR=1.84 (95%CI=1.05 to 3.25) and OR=2.31 (95%CI=1.11 to 5.16), respectively). Women who worked in agriculture had a significantly lower prevalence of rhinitis (0.19 (0.01 to 0.93)), but were more likely to report eczema (OR=2.54 (95%CI=1.33 to 4.89)) and an itchy rash (OR=3.17 (95%CI=1.24 to 7.73)). CONCLUSIONS: While limited by sample size, these findings suggest that environmental exposure to both pesticides and smoke may impact respiratory and skin-related allergic outcomes in women.</p>}},
  author       = {{Alhanti, Brooke and van Wendel de Joode, Berna and Soto Martinez, Manuel and Mora, Ana M. and Córdoba Gamboa, Leonel and Reich, Brian and Lindh, Christian H. and Quirós Lépiz, Marcela and Hoppin, Jane A.}},
  issn         = {{1470-7926}},
  keywords     = {{agriculture; allergy; asthma; pesticide; respiratory disease}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{469--476}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{Environmental exposures contribute to respiratory and allergic symptoms among women living in the banana growing regions of Costa Rica}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2021-107611}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/oemed-2021-107611}},
  volume       = {{79}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}