Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children living with flower plantation workers

Jose R. Suarez-Lopez; David R. Jacobs; John H. Himes; Bruce H. Alexander; De Ann Lazovich; Megan Gunnar

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2012.01.007

Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children living with flower plantation workers

Jose R. Suarez-Lopez, David R. Jacobs, John H. Himes, Bruce H. Alexander, De Ann Lazovich, Megan Gunnar

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Abstract

Background: Children of workers exposed to pesticides are at risk of secondary pesticide exposure. We evaluated the potential for lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children cohabiting with fresh-cut flower plantation workers, which would be expected from organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure. Parental home surveys were performed and acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in 277 children aged 4-9 years in the Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Infants, Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) study. Participants lived in a rural county in Ecuador with substantial flower plantation activity. RESULTS: Mean acetylcholinesterase activity was 3.14. U/ml, standard deviation (SD) of 0.49. It was lower by 0.09. U/ml (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.19, -0.001) in children of flower workers (57% of participants) than non-flower workers' children, after adjustment for gender, age, height-for-age, hemoglobin concentration, income, pesticide use within household lot, pesticide use by contiguous neighbors, examination date and residence distance to nearest flower plantation. Using a 4 level polychotomous acetylcholinesterase activity dependent variable, flower worker cohabitation (vs. not) had odds ratio 3.39 (95% CI 1.19, 9.64) for being <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Children cohabitating for ≥5 years (vs. never) had OR of 4.11 (95% CI: 1.17, 14.38) of AChE activity within <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Conclusions: Cohabitation with a flower worker was related to lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children. This supports the hypothesis that the amount of take-home pesticides from flower workers suffices to decrease acetylcholinesterase activity, with lower activity associated with longer exposure.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	53-59
Number of pages	7
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	114
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2012.01.007
State	Published - Apr 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( 1R36OH009402-01 ), the National Institutes of Health ( T32-HL007779 ) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota. We thank Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador for their partnership and for providing the basis for this investigation.

Funding Information:
This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1R36OH009402-01), the National Institutes of Health (T32-HL007779) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota.

Keywords

AChE
Acetylcholinesterase
Children
Organophosphate
Pesticide

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children living with flower plantation workers",

abstract = "Background: Children of workers exposed to pesticides are at risk of secondary pesticide exposure. We evaluated the potential for lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children cohabiting with fresh-cut flower plantation workers, which would be expected from organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure. Parental home surveys were performed and acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in 277 children aged 4-9 years in the Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Infants, Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) study. Participants lived in a rural county in Ecuador with substantial flower plantation activity. RESULTS: Mean acetylcholinesterase activity was 3.14. U/ml, standard deviation (SD) of 0.49. It was lower by 0.09. U/ml (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.19, -0.001) in children of flower workers (57% of participants) than non-flower workers' children, after adjustment for gender, age, height-for-age, hemoglobin concentration, income, pesticide use within household lot, pesticide use by contiguous neighbors, examination date and residence distance to nearest flower plantation. Using a 4 level polychotomous acetylcholinesterase activity dependent variable, flower worker cohabitation (vs. not) had odds ratio 3.39 (95% CI 1.19, 9.64) for being <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Children cohabitating for ≥5 years (vs. never) had OR of 4.11 (95% CI: 1.17, 14.38) of AChE activity within <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Conclusions: Cohabitation with a flower worker was related to lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children. This supports the hypothesis that the amount of take-home pesticides from flower workers suffices to decrease acetylcholinesterase activity, with lower activity associated with longer exposure.",

keywords = "AChE, Acetylcholinesterase, Children, Organophosphate, Pesticide",

author = "Suarez-Lopez, {Jose R.} and Jacobs, {David R.} and Himes, {John H.} and Alexander, {Bruce H.} and Lazovich, {De Ann} and Megan Gunnar",

note = "Funding Information: This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( 1R36OH009402-01 ), the National Institutes of Health ( T32-HL007779 ) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota. We thank Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador for their partnership and for providing the basis for this investigation. Funding Information: This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1R36OH009402-01), the National Institutes of Health (T32-HL007779) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota. ",

year = "2012",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2012.01.007",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "114",

pages = "53--59",

journal = "Environmental Research",

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AU - Suarez-Lopez, Jose R.

AU - Jacobs, David R.

AU - Himes, John H.

AU - Alexander, Bruce H.

AU - Lazovich, De Ann

AU - Gunnar, Megan

N1 - Funding Information: This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( 1R36OH009402-01 ), the National Institutes of Health ( T32-HL007779 ) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota. We thank Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador for their partnership and for providing the basis for this investigation. Funding Information: This investigation was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1R36OH009402-01), the National Institutes of Health (T32-HL007779) and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship of the University of Minnesota.

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N2 - Background: Children of workers exposed to pesticides are at risk of secondary pesticide exposure. We evaluated the potential for lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children cohabiting with fresh-cut flower plantation workers, which would be expected from organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure. Parental home surveys were performed and acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in 277 children aged 4-9 years in the Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Infants, Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) study. Participants lived in a rural county in Ecuador with substantial flower plantation activity. RESULTS: Mean acetylcholinesterase activity was 3.14. U/ml, standard deviation (SD) of 0.49. It was lower by 0.09. U/ml (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.19, -0.001) in children of flower workers (57% of participants) than non-flower workers' children, after adjustment for gender, age, height-for-age, hemoglobin concentration, income, pesticide use within household lot, pesticide use by contiguous neighbors, examination date and residence distance to nearest flower plantation. Using a 4 level polychotomous acetylcholinesterase activity dependent variable, flower worker cohabitation (vs. not) had odds ratio 3.39 (95% CI 1.19, 9.64) for being <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Children cohabitating for ≥5 years (vs. never) had OR of 4.11 (95% CI: 1.17, 14.38) of AChE activity within <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Conclusions: Cohabitation with a flower worker was related to lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children. This supports the hypothesis that the amount of take-home pesticides from flower workers suffices to decrease acetylcholinesterase activity, with lower activity associated with longer exposure.

AB - Background: Children of workers exposed to pesticides are at risk of secondary pesticide exposure. We evaluated the potential for lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children cohabiting with fresh-cut flower plantation workers, which would be expected from organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure. Parental home surveys were performed and acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in 277 children aged 4-9 years in the Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Infants, Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) study. Participants lived in a rural county in Ecuador with substantial flower plantation activity. RESULTS: Mean acetylcholinesterase activity was 3.14. U/ml, standard deviation (SD) of 0.49. It was lower by 0.09. U/ml (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.19, -0.001) in children of flower workers (57% of participants) than non-flower workers' children, after adjustment for gender, age, height-for-age, hemoglobin concentration, income, pesticide use within household lot, pesticide use by contiguous neighbors, examination date and residence distance to nearest flower plantation. Using a 4 level polychotomous acetylcholinesterase activity dependent variable, flower worker cohabitation (vs. not) had odds ratio 3.39 (95% CI 1.19, 9.64) for being <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Children cohabitating for ≥5 years (vs. never) had OR of 4.11 (95% CI: 1.17, 14.38) of AChE activity within <15th percentile compared to the highest tertile. Conclusions: Cohabitation with a flower worker was related to lower acetylcholinesterase activity in children. This supports the hypothesis that the amount of take-home pesticides from flower workers suffices to decrease acetylcholinesterase activity, with lower activity associated with longer exposure.

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KW - Acetylcholinesterase

KW - Children

KW - Organophosphate

KW - Pesticide

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ER -

Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children living with flower plantation workers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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