title: Occupational exposure to pesticides and nerve conduction studies among Korean farmers.
abstract: This study aimed to determine whether occupational exposure to pesticides was associated with decreased nerve conduction studies among farmers. On 2 separate occasions, the authors performed a cross-sectional study of a group of 31 male farmers who periodically applied pesticides. The study included questionnaire interviews and nerve conduction studies on the median, ulnar, posterior tibial, peroneal, and sural nerves. Although all mean values remained within laboratory normal limits, significant differences between the first and second tests were found in sensory conduction velocities on the median and sural nerves, and motor conduction velocities on the posterior tibial nerve. Lifetime days of pesticide application was negatively associated with nerve conduction velocities at most nerves after adjusting for potential confounders. These findings may reflect a link between occupational pesticide exposure and peripheral neurophysiologic abnormality that deserves further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Kyeong
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyoung Ae
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Eun Shil
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gyu Taek
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D044466:Asian People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides