Residential agricultural pesticide exposures and risk of selected congenital heart defects among offspring in the San Joaquin Valley of California

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 135; pp. 133 - 138
• Main Authors: Carmichael, Suzan L., Yang, Wei, Roberts, Eric, Kegley, Susan E., Padula, Amy M., English, Paul B., Lammer, Edward J., Shaw, Gary M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.11.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Agricultural chemicals; Agriculture; aorta; avermectins; Biological and medical sciences; Birth defects; California; California - epidemiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; case-control studies; Congenital heart diseases. Malformations of the aorta, pulmonary vessels and vena cava; Control equipment; Defects; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Endocrine disruptors; Environment; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Exposure; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart; Heart Defects, Congenital - epidemiology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Maternal Exposure - adverse effects; Maternal Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Medical sciences; mothers; neonicotinoid insecticides; Odds Ratio; organophosphorus compounds; pesticide application; Pesticides; Pesticides - adverse effects; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; phenotype; Pregnancy; progeny; pyrethrins; regression analysis; Risk; Teratology. Teratogens; Toxicology; transposition (genetics); Valleys; California; United States; North America; America; USA, California; USA, California, San Joaquin Valley; Endocrine disruptors; NO; OR; AOR; O3; VSD; CI; Pesticides; Birth defects; PUR; CO; NO2; Pregnancy; RfD; ASD; CEHTP; EPA; PM2.5; NBDPS; PLSS; PM10; Environment; CHD; Human; Congenital; Cardiovascular disease; Endocrine disruptor; Epidemiology; Progeny; Pollutant; Newborn diseases; Agricultural region; Malformation; Risk factor; Teratogen; Congenital cardiopathy; Woman; Public health
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.08.030

Pesticide exposures are ubiquitous and of substantial public concern. We examined the potential association of congenital heart defects with residential proximity to commercial agricultural pesticide applications in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Study subjects included 569 heart defect cases and 785 non-malformed controls born from 1997 to 2006 whose mothers participated in a population-based case-control study. Associations with any versus no exposure to physicochemical groups of pesticides and specific chemicals were assessed using logistic regression adjusted for relevant covariates, for 8 heart defect phenotypes that included ≥50 cases and pesticide exposures with ≥5 exposed cases and controls, which resulted in 235 comparisons. 38% of cases and controls were classified as exposed to pesticides within a 500m radius of mother׳s address during a 3-month periconceptional window. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CIs excluding 1.0 were observed for 18 comparisons; all were >1 and ranged from 1.9 to 7.1. They included tetralogy of Fallot (n=101 cases) and neonicotinoids; hypoplastic left heart syndrome (n=59) and strobins; coarctation of the aorta (n=74) and pyridazinones; pulmonary valve stenosis (n=53) and bipyridyliums and organophosphates; ventricular septal defects (n=93) and avermectins and pyrethroids; and atrial septal defects (n=132) and dichlorphenoxy acid or esters, organophosphates, organotins, and pyrethroids. No AORs met both of these criteria for d-transposition of the great arteries (n=58) or heterotaxia (n=53). Most pesticides were not associated with increased risk of specific heart defect phenotypes. For the few that were associated, results should be interpreted with caution until replicated in other study populations. •We examined specific heart defect phenotypes and specific pesticides.•Pesticides were applied within a 500m radius of 38% of women׳s homes.•Most pesticides were not associated with risk of heart defects.•Several pesticides were associated with increased risk of specific heart defects.•Replication studies should be conducted for these pesticides.