Agricultural pesticide use and hypospadias in eastern Arkansas.
BACKGROUND
We assessed the relationship between hypospadias and proximity to agricultural pesticide applications using a GIS-based exposure method.


METHODS
We obtained information for 354 cases of hypospadias born between 1998 and 2002 in eastern Arkansas; 727 controls were selected from birth certificates. We classified exposure on pounds of pesticides (estimated by crop type) applied or persisting within 500 m of each subject's home during gestational weeks 6 to 16. We restricted our analyses to 38 pesticides with some evidence of reproductive, developmental, estrogenic, and/or antiandrogenic effects. We estimated timing of pesticide applications using crop phenology and published records.


RESULTS
Gestational age at birth [odds ratio (OR) = 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.83-0.99], parity (OR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.95), and delaying prenatal care until the third trimester (OR = 4.04; 95% CI, 1.46-11.23) were significantly associated with hypospadias. Risk of hypospadias increased by 8% for every 0.05-pound increase in estimated exposure to diclofop-methyl use (OR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15). Pesticide applications in aggregate (OR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.96) and applications of alachlor (OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35-0.89) and permethrin (OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.16-0.86) were negatively associated with hypospadias.


CONCLUSIONS
Except for diclofop-methyl, we did not find evidence that estimated exposure to pesticides known to have reproductive, developmental, or endocrine-disrupting effects increases risk of hypospadias. Further research on the potential effects of exposure to diclofop-methyl is recommended.
Meyer
Kristy J
KJ
Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1681, USA.
Reif
John S
JS
Veeramachaneni
D N Rao
DN
Luben
Thomas J
TJ
Mosley
Bridget S
BS
Nuckols
John R
JR
D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001131:Arkansas; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*
D010575:Pesticides