Association between Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure and Insulin Resistance in Pesticide Sprayers and Nonfarmworkers

Mathuramat Seesen, Roberto G. Lucchini, Somkiat Siriruttanapruk, Ratana Sapbamrer, Surat Hongsibsong, Susan Woskie and Pornpimol Kongtip
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Mathuramat Seesen: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Roberto G. Lucchini: School of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
Somkiat Siriruttanapruk: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Ratana Sapbamrer: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Surat Hongsibsong: School of Health Science Research, Research Institute for Health Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Susan Woskie: Department of Public Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Pornpimol Kongtip: Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Insulin resistance is a risk factor for various diseases. Chronic organophosphate exposure has been reported to be a cause of insulin resistance in animal models. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between organophosphate exposure and insulin resistance in pesticide sprayers and nonfarmworkers. Participants aged 40–60 years, consisting of 150 pesticide sprayers and 150 nonfarmworkers, were interviewed and assessed for their homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) level. Organophosphate (OP) exposure was measured in 37 sprayers and 46 nonfarmworkers by first morning urinary dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites. The DAP metabolite levels were not different in either group except for diethylthiophosphate (DETP; p = 0.03), which was higher in sprayers. No significant association was observed between DAP metabolite levels and HOMA-IR. Wearing a mask while handling pesticides was associated with lower dimethyl metabolites (95% CI = −11.10, −0.17). Work practices of reading pesticide labels (95% CI = −81.47, −14.99) and washing hands after mixing pesticide (95% CI = −39.97, −3.35) correlated with lower diethyl alkylphosphate level. Overall, we did not observe any association between OP exposure and insulin resistance in pesticide sprayers and the general population. However, personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization and work practice were associated with OP exposure level in sprayers.

Keywords: organophosphate; insulin resistance; dialkyl phosphate; pesticide sprayers; pesticide exposure; insecticides; metabolites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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