Occupational pesticide exposure and adverse health effects at the clinical, hematological and biochemical level

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) 2016-01, Vol.145, p.274-283
• Main Authors: García-García, Carmen R., Parrón, Tesifón, Requena, Mar, Alarcón, Raquel, Tsatsakis, Aristidis M., Hernández, Antonio F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Adult; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - blood; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - chemically induced; Agricultural Workers' Diseases - enzymology; Agriculture - methods; Blood Cell Count; Cholinesterase; Chronic toxicity; Eye Diseases - blood; Eye Diseases - chemically induced; Eye Diseases - enzymology; Farmers; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational health; Pesticides; Pesticides - adverse effects; Serum enzymes; Skin Diseases - blood; Skin Diseases - chemically induced; Skin Diseases - enzymology; Spain - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0024-3205; 1879-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.10.013

Although epidemiological studies have investigated associations between occupational pesticide exposures and different adverse health outcomes, they have rarely assessed individuals at two time-points of a same crop season with different pesticide use. Clinical symptoms, physical examination signs, hematological and clinical chemistry parameters were measured in 189 intensive agriculture workers and 91 healthy control subjects from Almeria coastline (Southeastern Spain) to evaluate potential effects of pesticide exposure. Greenhouse workers showed an increased risk of ocular and skin signs relative to controls at the period of high pesticide exposure (OR: 4.80 and 2.87, respectively); however, no differences were observed for clinical symptoms. A greater risk for ECG changes (OR: 3.35) and altered spirometry (OR: 5.02) was found at the period of low exposure. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase was significantly decreased in greenhouse workers relative to controls in both periods. Assessment of hematological parameters revealed increased counts of erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets and hemoglobin in greenhouse workers relative to controls, and also in the period of high versus low pesticide exposure. Changes in clinical chemistry parameters included decreased levels of glucose, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglyceride and alkaline phosphatase in greenhouse workers relative to controls; however, these parameters were raised in the period of high versus low pesticide exposure. These findings suggest that chronic occupational exposure to pesticides of lower toxicity than former compounds under integrated production systems elicit mild toxic effects, particularly targeting the skin and eyes, as well as subtle subclinical (biochemical) changes of unknown long-term consequences.