Organochlorine pesticides and endometriosis.
Limited study of persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and endometriosis has been conducted. One hundred women aged 18-40 years who were undergoing laparoscopy provided 20 cm(3) of blood for toxicologic analysis and surgeons completed operative reports regarding the presence of endometriosis. Gas chromatography with electron capture was used to quantify (ng/g serum) six OCPs. Logistic regression was utilized to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for individual pesticides and groups based on chemical structure adjusting for current cigarette smoking and lipids. The highest tertile of aromatic fungicide was associated with a fivefold risk of endometriosis (aOR=5.3; 95% CI, 1.2-23.6) compared to the lowest tertile. Similar results were found for t-nonachlor and HCB. These are the first such findings in a laproscopic cohort that suggest an association between OCP exposure and endometriosis. More prospective studies are necessary to ensure temporal ordering and confirm these findings.
Cooney
Maureen A
MA
Epidemiology Branch, Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. cooneyma@mail.nih.gov
Buck Louis
Germaine M
GM
Hediger
Mary L
ML
Vexler
Albert
A
Kostyniak
Paul J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D016015:Logistic Models; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides