TY - JOUR
T1 - The determinants of thyroid function among vegetable farmers with primary exposure to chlorpyrifos
T2 - A cross-sectional study in Central Java, Indonesia
AU - Liem, Jen Fuk
AU - Subekti, Imam
AU - Mansyur, Muchtaruddin
AU - Soemarko, Dewi S.
AU - Kekalih, Aria
AU - Suyatna, Franciscus D.
AU - Suryandari, Dwi A.
AU - Malik, Safarina G.
AU - Pangaribuan, Bertha
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors received financial support from Universitas Indonesia through PUTI Grant [Contract number NKB-4079/UN2.RST/HKP.05.00/2020 ] and Prodia Group. The funders had no role in the design of the study, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in the writing of the manuscript and the decision to publish.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Objectives: Occupational pesticide exposure, chlorpyrifos (CPF) in particular, may adversely affect the thyroid. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants of thyroid function as indicated by the serum concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) among Indonesian vegetable farmers with primary exposure to CPF. Methods: A total of 151 vegetable farmers participated in this study. The sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. A validated quantitative method was used to estimate the cumulative exposure level (CEL). Serum TSH, thyroglobulin (Tg), free thyroxine (FT4), and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) were measured in the laboratory. The difference in TSH concentrations according to CEL and other characteristics were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. A multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the potential determinants of TSH. Results: The mean age was 50 (SD 9.4) years. The median concentrations of TSH, FT4, and Tg/FT4 ratio were 1.46 mIU/L, 1.17 ng/dL, and 6.23 × 102, respectively. We observed that higher TSH concentrations were found among those with a higher Tg/FT4 ratio, were classified as high CEL, and had lower UIE or FT4. Conclusions: Our findings show that Tg/FT4 ratio, CEL, FT4, UIE concentrations, and post-spraying days were determinants of TSH concentrations among farmers with primary exposure to CPF. These results indicate that farmers are exposed to agents with thyroid-disrupting properties, thus supporting previous evidence showing the potential for thyroid disorders in agricultural populations exposed to pesticides.
AB - Objectives: Occupational pesticide exposure, chlorpyrifos (CPF) in particular, may adversely affect the thyroid. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants of thyroid function as indicated by the serum concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) among Indonesian vegetable farmers with primary exposure to CPF. Methods: A total of 151 vegetable farmers participated in this study. The sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. A validated quantitative method was used to estimate the cumulative exposure level (CEL). Serum TSH, thyroglobulin (Tg), free thyroxine (FT4), and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) were measured in the laboratory. The difference in TSH concentrations according to CEL and other characteristics were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. A multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the potential determinants of TSH. Results: The mean age was 50 (SD 9.4) years. The median concentrations of TSH, FT4, and Tg/FT4 ratio were 1.46 mIU/L, 1.17 ng/dL, and 6.23 × 102, respectively. We observed that higher TSH concentrations were found among those with a higher Tg/FT4 ratio, were classified as high CEL, and had lower UIE or FT4. Conclusions: Our findings show that Tg/FT4 ratio, CEL, FT4, UIE concentrations, and post-spraying days were determinants of TSH concentrations among farmers with primary exposure to CPF. These results indicate that farmers are exposed to agents with thyroid-disrupting properties, thus supporting previous evidence showing the potential for thyroid disorders in agricultural populations exposed to pesticides.
KW - Chlorpyrifos toxicity
KW - Exposure assessment
KW - Occupational risk
KW - Thyroid disruption
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160253626&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16435
DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16435
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85160253626
SN - 2405-8440
VL - 9
JO - Heliyon
JF - Heliyon
IS - 6
M1 - e16435
ER -