Prenatal exposure to pesticide ingredient piperonyl butoxide and childhood cough in an urban cohort

• Published in: Environment international 2012-11, Vol.48, p.156-161
• Main Authors: Liu, Bian, Jung, Kyung Hwa, Horton, Megan K., Camann, David E., Liu, Xinhua, Reardon, Ann Marie, Perzanowski, Matthew S., Zhang, Hanjie, Perera, Frederica P., Whyatt, Robin M., Miller, Rachel L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergens - immunology; Asthma - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cough; Cough - epidemiology; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Pollutants - blood; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Environmental Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Female; Housing - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Maternal Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Medical sciences; Permethrin; Pesticides - blood; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Piperonyl butoxide; Piperonyl Butoxide - blood; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - epidemiology; Prenatal pesticide exposure; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Pyrethrins - immunology; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2012.07.009

Previously we reported that airborne concentrations of cis-permethrin, but not trans-permethrin, measured during pregnancy in an inner city pediatric cohort was associated with cough by age 5. However, the effect of subsequent exposures to both permethrins during early childhood, and to piperonyl butoxide (PBO, a synergist for residential pyrethroid insecticides) remains to be elucidated. We hypothesized that prenatal and age 5–6year measures of PBO and permethrins would be associated with cough at age 5–6years in this cohort. Further, we explored the associations between these pesticide measures and wheeze, asthma, seroatopy, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). PBO and permethrins were measured in personal air during the third trimester of pregnancy and indoor residential air at age 5–6years (n=224). Health outcome questionnaires were administered to the mothers of 5–6year old children. Indoor allergen specific and total immunoglobulin (Ig) E production was measured from sera collected at age 5, and FeNO was measured at 5–6years. The hypotheses were tested using regression models adjusting for common confounders. Noninfectious cough was reported among 14% of children at age 5–6years. Measures of prenatal PBO, but not age 5–6year PBO or permethrins, increased the odds of cough [OR (95% CI): 1.27 (1.09–1.48), p