Page 25 - JCTR-11-1

Journal of Clinical and
Translational Research Pesticides and ischemic heart disease

models were used to investigate the association between years, BMI, WSI, habits (cigarette smoking, opium and
IHD and pesticide exposure. Crude and adjusted models alcohol consumption), physical activity, and diabetes.
were employed in the regression analysis. Confounding According to the data in Table 4, none of the variables had
variables were identified using relevant epidemiological a significant association with the prevalence of IHD.
texts and subject matter knowledge. Potential confounding
variables were sequentially entered into the models 4. Discussion
according to their hypothesized strength of association It is known that pesticides can exert deleterious effects
with IHD and pesticide exposure. Variables with a on human health. The main goal of this study was to
P < 0.25 were selected as confounders. The crude model investigate the association between pesticide exposure and
was stratified by dietary antioxidant status. The adjusted the prevalence of IHD in the Rafsanjan population, who
model was adjusted for variables such as age (continuous), participated in the Persian cohort.
gender (male/female), education years (continuous),
body mass index (BMI) (continuous), wealth status index The socio-demographic characteristics of the Rafsanjan
(continuous), lifestyle-related variables (cigarette smoking, population showed a significant association between
opium and alcohol consumption), physical activity level the prevalence of IHD and variables, including age, sex,
(continuous), and health conditions: diabetes (yes/no), education, hypertension, physical activity, diabetes,
hypertension (yes/no), and dyslipidemia (yes/no). All dyslipidemia, smoking, and opium use. It is well known
analyses were performed using Stata version 14. All that hypertension, dyslipidemia, low physical activity,
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P-values were two-sided. high-fat diet, and smoking are the risk factors for CVD.
Previous studies among farm workers have demonstrated
3. Results that the risk of CVD is positively associated with older age,
Table 2 shows the sociodemographic characteristics of the cigarette smoking, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. 5,19
participants with IHD. The results showed that the mean age of Several cohort studies have assessed the association
males (58.13) and females (57.77) with IHD was significantly between long-term pesticide exposure and CVD. 20,21 For
higher than that of healthy individuals (P < 0.001). On the instance, Weichenthal et al. in 2014 reported a positive
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other hand, the level of education and physical activity relationship between CVD and agricultural pesticide
were lower in individuals with IHD compared to healthy exposure in farm workers. Recently, Rojas-Rueda
individuals (P < 0.001). According to Table 2, the frequency et al. reported that the rate of CVD mortality was
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of dyslipidemia was significantly higher in males with IHD higher in pesticide-exposure cases than that in
(87.81%), and the frequency of hypertension (61.56%) and non-pesticide-exposure cases. They also showed that
dyslipidemia (89.07%) was significantly higher in females pesticide exposure time was a main contributing factor to
with IHD compared to healthy individuals. In addition, the diseases including IHD, CVD, and diabetes, highlighting a
prevalence of cigarette smoking and opium consumption positive relationship between pesticide exposure duration
was significantly higher in individuals with IHD compared and CVD risk. Conversely, Dayton et al. evaluated the
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to those without IHD in both genders. association of pesticide exposure with CVD in female farm
Table 3 demonstrates the prevalence of IHD according workers. They demonstrated that there was no significant
to pesticide exposure. Six variables showed a significant relationship between pesticide exposure duration and
association with IHD in men, including the use of CVD risk. However, they suggested that while pesticide
pesticides in the farm (P = 0.032), duration of exposure exposure may not increase the risk of acute poisoning, it
in the farm (P = 0.020), duration of exposure at home could still be a risk factor for CVD. In our results, after
(P = 0.047), pesticide preparation (P = 0.014), and duration adjusting for confounding variables, none of the assessed
of exposure during pesticide preparation (P = 0.039). variables had a significant association with the prevalence
of IHD in women. Nevertheless, we agree with Dayton’s
In Table 4, the association between IHD and pesticide findings that pesticide exposure could be a potential risk
exposure is described. The odds ratios (ORs) for IHD factor for IHD.
associated with various factors in the univariate model
were as follows: duration of exposure at home ≤ mean (OR Zaller and Brühl reported that the negative effects
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0.85, 95% CI 0.72 – 0.99), managing pesticide spraying (OR of pesticides were dose-dependent and correlated
1.27, 95% CI 1.05 – 1.54), and duration of exposure during with exposure duration. On the other hand, various
pesticide spraying ≤mean (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.06). cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, hypertension,
On the other hand, the multivariate model was adjusted stress, smoking, and dyslipidemia, were observed in
for confounding variables such as age, gender, education pesticide exposure cases. 24

Volume 11 Issue 1 (2025) 19 doi: 10.36922/jctr.22.00187