Hypothyroidism and pesticide use among male private pesticide applicators in the agricultural health study.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the association between thyroid disease and use of insecticides, herbicides, and fumigants/fungicides in male applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.


METHODS
We examined the association between use of 50 specific pesticides and self-reported hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and "other" thyroid disease among 22,246 male pesticide applicators.


RESULTS
There was increased odds of hypothyroidism with ever use of the herbicides 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), 2,4,5-T (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid), 2,4,5-TP (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy-propionic acid), alachlor, dicamba, and petroleum oil. Hypothyroidism was also associated with ever use of eight insecticides: organochlorines chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), heptachlor, lindane, and toxaphene; organophosphates diazinon and malathion; and the carbamate carbofuran. Exposure-response analysis showed increasing odds with increasing level of exposure for the herbicides alachlor and 2,4-D and the insecticides aldrin, chlordane, DDT, lindane, and parathion.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an association between hypothyroidism and specific herbicides and insecticides in male applicators, similar to previous results for spouses.
From the Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Division (Dr Goldner), Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; Department of Biostatistics (Dr Yu and Ms Shostrom), College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy Division (Dr LeVan), Departments of Internal Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; Epidemiology Branch (Drs Sandler, Hoppin, and Kamel), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC; and VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Research Service (Dr LeVan), Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Omaha.
Whitney S
WS
Goldner
Dale P
DP
Sandler
Fang
F
Yu
Valerie
V
Shostrom
Jane A
JA
Hoppin
Freya
F
Kamel
Tricia D
TD
LeVan
D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000383:Agriculture; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D010575:Pesticides