title: Association of allergic rhinitis with pesticide use among grape farmers in Crete, Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the association of allergic rhinitis with the use of pesticides among grape farmers in Crete.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 120 grape farmers and 100 controls at the Malevisi region in Northern Crete was conducted. The protocol consisted of a questionnaire, skin prick tests for 16 common allergens, measurement of specific IgE antibodies against 8 allergens, and spirometry before and after bronchodilatation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Grape farmers who used pesticides had higher prevalence rates of allergic rhinitis symptoms (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.2) compared with grape farmers who reported no current use of pesticides, and control subjects. Logistic regression models controlling for age, sex and smoking status showed that 6 of the 12 predefined groups of major pesticides were significantly related to allergic rhinitis symptoms. The highest risks were observed for paraquat and other bipyridyl herbicides (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.8), dithiocarbamate fungicides (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1 to 5.3) and carbamate insecticides (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5). A factor analysis of pesticides used identified 3 distinct factors. The most common factor was that of multiple pesticide use that included 9 pesticides and was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.3). ORs were higher when allergic rhinitis was defined using both questionnaire data on symptoms and atopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational exposure to multiple agricultural chemicals could be related to allergic rhinitis in grape farmers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. lchatzi@med.uoc.gr
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chatzi
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alegakis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tzanakis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siafakas
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogevinas
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lionis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D027843:Vitis
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides