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International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2022Glyphosate, a non-selective systemic biocide with broad-spectrum activity, is the most widely used herbicide in the world. It can persist in the environment for days or... (Review)
Review
Glyphosate, a non-selective systemic biocide with broad-spectrum activity, is the most widely used herbicide in the world. It can persist in the environment for days or months, and its intensive and large-scale use can constitute a major environmental and health problem. In this systematic review, we investigate the current state of our knowledge related to the effects of this pesticide on the nervous system of various animal species and humans. The information provided indicates that exposure to glyphosate or its commercial formulations induces several neurotoxic effects. It has been shown that exposure to this pesticide during the early stages of life can seriously affect normal cell development by deregulating some of the signaling pathways involved in this process, leading to alterations in differentiation, neuronal growth, and myelination. Glyphosate also seems to exert a significant toxic effect on neurotransmission and to induce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, processes that lead to neuronal death due to autophagy, necrosis, or apoptosis, as well as the appearance of behavioral and motor disorders. The doses of glyphosate that produce these neurotoxic effects vary widely but are lower than the limits set by regulatory agencies. Although there are important discrepancies between the analyzed findings, it is unequivocal that exposure to glyphosate produces important alterations in the structure and function of the nervous system of humans, rodents, fish, and invertebrates.
Topics: Animals; Central Nervous System Depressants; Glycine; Herbicides; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Glyphosate
PubMed: 35562999
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094605 -
The British Journal of Dermatology Jan 2024Treatment failure is considered to be an important factor in relation to the increase in scabies incidence over the last decade. However, the regional and temporal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Treatment failure is considered to be an important factor in relation to the increase in scabies incidence over the last decade. However, the regional and temporal differences, in addition to the predictors of therapy failure, are unclear.
OBJECTIVES
We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the prevalence of treatment failure in patients with scabies and investigation of associated factors.
METHODS
We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Global Health and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to August 2021 for randomized and quasi-randomized trials, in addition to observational studies that enrolled children or adults diagnosed with confirmed or clinical scabies treated with permethrin, ivermectin, crotamiton, benzyl benzoate, malathion, sulfur or lindane, and measured treatment failure or factors associated with treatment failure. We performed a random effects meta-analysis for all outcomes reported by at least two studies.
RESULTS
A total of 147 studies were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review. The overall prevalence of treatment failure was 15.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 12.9-17.6; I2 = 95.3%, moderate-certainty evidence] with regional differences between World Health Organization regions (P = 0.003) being highest in the Western Pacific region (26.9%, 95% CI 14.5-41.2). Oral ivermectin (11.8%, 95% CI 8.4-15.4), topical ivermectin (9.3%, 95% CI 5.1-14.3) and permethrin (10.8%, 95% CI 7.5-14.5) had relatively lower failure prevalence compared with the overall prevalence. Failure prevalence was lower in patients treated with two doses of oral ivermectin (7.1%, 95% CI 3.1-12.3) compared with those treated with one dose (15.2%, 95% CI 10.8-20.2; P = 0.021). Overall and permethrin treatment failure prevalence in the included studies (1983-2021) increased by 0.27% and 0.58% per year, respectively. Only three studies conducted a multivariable risk factor analysis; no studies assessed resistance.
CONCLUSIONS
A second dose of ivermectin showed lower failure prevalence than single-dose ivermectin, which should be considered in all guidelines. The increase in treatment failure over time hints at decreasing mite susceptibility for several drugs, but reasons for failure are rarely assessed. Ideally, scabicide susceptibility testing should be implemented in future studies.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Administration, Oral; Hexachlorocyclohexane; Ivermectin; Malathion; Permethrin; Scabies; Treatment Failure
PubMed: 37625798
DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljad308 -
Mutation Research. Reviews in Mutation... 2019Glyphosate is the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in the world. Recent evaluations of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs)... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Glyphosate is the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in the world. Recent evaluations of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) by various regional, national, and international agencies have engendered controversy. We investigated whether there was an association between high cumulative exposures to GBHs and increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in humans. We conducted a new meta-analysis that includes the most recent update of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort published in 2018 along with five case-control studies. Using the highest exposure groups when available in each study, we report the overall meta-relative risk (meta-RR) of NHL in GBH-exposed individuals was increased by 41% (meta-RR = 1.41, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.13-1.75). For comparison, we also performed a secondary meta-analysis using high-exposure groups with the earlier AHS (2005), and we calculated a meta-RR for NHL of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.11-1.91), which was higher than the meta-RRs reported previously. Multiple sensitivity tests conducted to assess the validity of our findings did not reveal meaningful differences from our primary estimated meta-RR. To contextualize our findings of an increased NHL risk in individuals with high GBH exposure, we reviewed publicly available animal and mechanistic studies related to lymphoma. We documented further support from studies of malignant lymphoma incidence in mice treated with pure glyphosate, as well as potential links between glyphosate / GBH exposure and immunosuppression, endocrine disruption, and genetic alterations that are commonly associated with NHL or lymphomagenesis. Overall, in accordance with findings from experimental animal and mechanistic studies, our current meta-analysis of human epidemiological studies suggests a compelling link between exposures to GBHs and increased risk for NHL.
Topics: Carcinogens; Glycine; Herbicides; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Risk; Glyphosate
PubMed: 31342895
DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.001 -
Reviews on Environmental Health Mar 2022Organophosphate (OP) pesticides, including chlorpyrifos (CPF), can alter metabolic hemostasis. The current systematic study investigated blood glucose, lipid profiles,... (Review)
Review
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides, including chlorpyrifos (CPF), can alter metabolic hemostasis. The current systematic study investigated blood glucose, lipid profiles, and body weight alterations in rodents and fish exposed to CPF. The systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Guidelines, querying online databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus and also search engine including Google Scholar, through January 2021. Studies on rodent and fish exposed to CPF assessing metabolic functions were selected. All studies were in the English language, with other languages being excluded from the review. Two investigators independently assessed each of the articles. The first author's name, publication date, animal model, age, sample size, gender, dose, duration, and route of exposure and outcomes were extracted from each publication. The present review summarizes findings from 61 publications on glycemic, lipid profile, insulin, and body weight changes in rodents and fish exposed to CPF exposure. Most of the studies reported hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and decreased insulin levels and body weight following exposure to CPF. Additionally, we confirmed that the CPF-induced metabolic alterations were both dose- and time-dependent. Our findings support an association between CPF exposure and metabolic diseases. However, more studies are needed to identify the metabolic-disrupting effects of CPF and their underlying mechanisms.
Topics: Animals; Chlorpyrifos; Insecticides
PubMed: 33962508
DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2020-0150 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Sep 2022Worldwide use of glyphosate is constantly increasing and its residues are detected in drinking water, agriculture, and food products. There are controversial data... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Worldwide use of glyphosate is constantly increasing and its residues are detected in drinking water, agriculture, and food products. There are controversial data regarding the potential reproductive adverse effects of glyphosate herbicide. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the studies in which the alteration of at least one sexual hormone including testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol was reported as a measured outcome in rats. In November 2020, 284 articles were screened, of which eight were eligible for the meta-analysis. An overall considerable effect of glyphosate exposure was found on decreasing of testosterone (7 studies, WMD = - 1.48 ng/mL; 95% CI, - 2.34 to - 0.61; P = 0.001), LH (3 studies, WMD = - 2.03 mIu/mL; 95% CI, - 3.34 to - 0.71; P = 0.003), and FSH (3 studies, WMD = - 2.28 mIu/mL; 95% CI, - 5.12 to 0.55; P = 0.115). According to our results, glyphosate intake could have major effects on the health of reproductive system. Consequently, strict monitoring of the residual glyphosate content in the drinking water, agricultural crops, and food products is necessary.
Topics: Animals; Drinking Water; Follicle Stimulating Hormone; Glycine; Luteinizing Hormone; Rats; Testosterone; Glyphosate
PubMed: 34453247
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16145-x -
Current Pediatric Reviews 2023The prevalence of wheeze and asthma has risen over recent decades for all age groups, especially children. These disorders can lead to decreased quality of life, missed...
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of wheeze and asthma has risen over recent decades for all age groups, especially children. These disorders can lead to decreased quality of life, missed school, urgent care and emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and increased health care costs. Environmental exposures, including pesticide exposure, are likely a contributing factor to this increased prevalence.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of pesticide exposure with childhood wheeze and asthma.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review evaluating studies of pesticide exposure (measured objectively) and child respiratory outcomes. We searched PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus (Elsevier), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Wiley), and ClinicalTrials. gov from 1988 - 2021. Main search keywords included "pesticides", "insecticides", "herbicides", "respiratory", "asthma" and "wheeze".
RESULTS
Out of 5767 studies, 25 met the inclusion criteria; eight evaluated prenatal pesticide exposure (n=8407), twelve evaluated postnatal exposures (n= 50,488), and five evaluated pre-and postnatal exposures (n=20,919). Main pesticides investigated were dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) (14 studies) followed by organophosphates (7 studies). Primary methods of outcome assessment were questionnaire-based (84%), followed by spirometry (16%), registry data, and blood measures. Studies varied in the strength of evidence relating to study design and measures. Most studies (84%) reported a positive association of exposure with adverse child respiratory health.
CONCLUSION
The studies suggest an association of pesticide exposure and childhood wheeze and asthma. The varying results and methods reinforce the need for more research and standardized approaches to these studies to confirm the suggested association of pesticide exposure and childhood wheeze and asthma.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Asthma; Environmental Exposure; Pesticides; Quality of Life; Respiratory Sounds
PubMed: 35538815
DOI: 10.2174/1573396318666220510124457 -
Toxics Sep 2021The incidence of respiratory disease is increasing. In relation to this, in addition to infection, factors associated with working with chemical insecticides are a cause... (Review)
Review
The incidence of respiratory disease is increasing. In relation to this, in addition to infection, factors associated with working with chemical insecticides are a cause for concern. Some of the chemicals involved have been shown to affect the respiratory system, and consequentially workers are at increased risk of conditions such as asthma. However, medical opinion around this area is still controversial; therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the association between exposure to insecticides and asthma by means of a systematic review of the relevant literature. Relevant literature was identified, and a systematic review was conducted to investigate the association between exposure to insecticides and asthma. A total of five studies (three cross sectional and two cohort) including 45,435 subjects were identified as relevant. The summary odds ratios related to the impact of exposure to specific insecticides on asthma were organophosphates 1.31 (95%CI = 1.17-1.48, I = 27%, = 0.172), carbamates 1.44 (95%CI 1.08-1.92, I = 56.7%, = 0.031) and organochlorines 1.31 (95%CI 1.19-1.64, I = 37.3%, = 0.131). Farmers exposed to certain insecticides may have an increased risk of asthma and asthmatic symptoms, but further research on that issue is urgently needed.
PubMed: 34564379
DOI: 10.3390/toxics9090228 -
Prevention Science : the Official... May 2024Exposure to certain chemicals prenatally and in childhood can impact development and may increase risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Leveraging a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Exposure to certain chemicals prenatally and in childhood can impact development and may increase risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Leveraging a larger set of literature searches conducted to synthesize results from longitudinal studies of potentially modifiable risk factors for childhood ADHD, we present meta-analytic results from 66 studies that examined the associations between early chemical exposures and later ADHD diagnosis or symptoms. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the chemical exposure occurred at least 6 months prior to measurement of ADHD diagnosis or symptomatology. Included papers were published between 1975 and 2019 on exposure to anesthetics (n = 5), cadmium (n = 3), hexachlorobenzene (n = 4), lead (n = 22), mercury (n = 12), organophosphates (n = 7), and polychlorinated biphenyls (n = 13). Analyses are presented for each chemical exposure by type of ADHD outcome reported (categorical vs. continuous), type of ADHD measurement (overall measures of ADHD, ADHD symptoms only, ADHD diagnosis only, inattention only, hyperactivity/impulsivity only), and timing of exposure (prenatal vs. childhood vs. cumulative), whenever at least 3 relevant effect sizes were available. Childhood lead exposure was positively associated with ADHD diagnosis and symptoms in all analyses except for the prenatal analyses (odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.60 to 2.62, correlation coefficients (CCs) ranging from 0.14 to 0.16). Other statistically significant associations were limited to organophosphates (CC = 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03-0.19 for continuous measures of ADHD outcomes overall), polychlorinated biphenyls (CC = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02-0.14 for continuous measures of inattention as the outcome), and both prenatal and childhood mercury exposure (CC = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.00-0.04 for continuous measures of ADHD outcomes overall for either exposure window). Our findings provide further support for negative impacts of prenatal and/or childhood exposure to certain chemicals and raise the possibility that primary prevention and targeted screening could prevent or mitigate ADHD symptomatology. Furthermore, these findings support the need for regular review of regulations as our scientific understanding of the risks posed by these chemicals evolves.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Humans; Child; Environmental Exposure; Female; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Pregnancy
PubMed: 38108946
DOI: 10.1007/s11121-023-01601-6 -
International Archives of Occupational... Jan 2023Human health risk assessments of glyphosate have focused on animal toxicology data for determining neurotoxic potential. Human epidemiological studies have not yet been... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Human health risk assessments of glyphosate have focused on animal toxicology data for determining neurotoxic potential. Human epidemiological studies have not yet been systematically reviewed for glyphosate neurotoxicity hazard identification. The objective of this systematic literature review was to summarize the available epidemiology of glyphosate exposure and neurological outcomes in humans.
METHODS
As of December 2021, 25 eligible epidemiological studies of glyphosate exposure and neurological endpoints were identified and assessed for five quality dimensions using guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Studies that assessed personal use of glyphosate were prioritized, whereas those assessing indirect exposure (other than personal use) were rated as low quality, since biomonitoring data indicate that indirect metrics of glyphosate exposure almost always equate to non-detectable glyphosate doses.
RESULTS
Overall, the scientific evidence on glyphosate and neurotoxicity in humans is sparse and methodologically limited, based on nine included epidemiological studies of neurodegenerative outcomes (two high quality), five studies of neurobehavioral outcomes (two high quality), six studies of neurodevelopmental outcomes (none high quality), and five studies of other and mixed neurological outcomes (one high quality). The five high-quality studies showed no association between glyphosate use and risk of depression, Parkinson disease, or peripheral nerve conduction velocity. Results were mixed among the eight moderate-quality studies, which did not demonstrate consistent associations with any neurological endpoints or categories. Low-quality studies were considered uninformative about possible neurotoxic effects due primarily to questionable assessments of indirect exposure.
CONCLUSIONS
No association has been demonstrated between glyphosate and any neurological outcomes in humans. To move the state of science forward, epidemiological studies should focus on scenarios involving direct and frequent use of glyphosate while collecting information on validated health outcomes, concomitant agricultural exposures, and relevant personal characteristics.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Environmental Exposure; Herbicides; Glycine; Risk Assessment; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Glyphosate
PubMed: 35604441
DOI: 10.1007/s00420-022-01878-0 -
Environmental Research Dec 2022In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), pesticides are widely used in agricultural and residential settings. Little is known about how pesticides affect child... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), pesticides are widely used in agricultural and residential settings. Little is known about how pesticides affect child growth.
OBJECTIVES
To systematically review and synthesise the evidence on the associations between pesticide exposure and adverse birth outcomes and/or impaired postnatal growth in children up to 5 years of age in LMICs.
METHODS
We searched 10 databases from inception through November 2021. We included cohort and cross-sectional studies investigating associations between self-reported or measured prenatal or postnatal pesticide exposure and child growth (postnatal child linear/ponderal growth, and/or birth outcomes). Two researchers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed certainty using GRADE. The protocol was preregistered with PROSPERO (CRD42021292919).
RESULTS
Of 939 records retrieved, 31 studies met inclusion criteria (11 cohort, 20 cross-sectional). All studies assessed prenatal exposure. Twenty-four studies reported on birth weight. Four found positive associations with organochlorines (0.01-0.25 standardised mean difference (SMD)) and two found negative associations (-0.009 SMD to -55 g). Negative associations with organophosphates (-170 g, n = 1) and pyrethroids (-97 to -233 g, n = 2) were also documented. Two (out of 15) studies reporting on birth length found positive associations with organochlorines (0.21-0.25 SMD) and one found negative associations (-0.25 to -0.32 SMD). Organophosphate exposure was negatively associated with birth length (-0.37 cm, n = 1). Organophosphate exposure was also associated with higher risk/prevalence of low birth weight (2 out of nine studies) and preterm birth (2 out of six studies). Certainty of the evidence was "very low" for all outcomes.
CONCLUSION
The limited literature from LMICs shows inconclusive associations between prenatal pesticide exposure, child growth, and birth outcomes. Studies with accurate quantitative data on exposure to commonly used pesticides in LMICs using consistent methodologies in comparable populations are needed to better understand how pesticides influence child growth.
Topics: Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developing Countries; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Organophosphates; Pesticides; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Pyrethrins
PubMed: 36087771
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114230