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. 2014 Oct;122(10):1103-9.
doi: 10.1289/ehp.1307044. Epub 2014 Jan 23.

Neurodevelopmental disorders and prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticides: the CHARGE study

Janie F Shelton  1 , Estella M Geraghty, Daniel J Tancredi, Lora D Delwiche, Rebecca J Schmidt, Beate Ritz, Robin L Hansen, Irva Hertz-Picciotto
Affiliations

Neurodevelopmental disorders and prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticides: the CHARGE study

Janie F Shelton et al. Environ Health Perspect. 2014 Oct.

Erratum in

  • Environ Health Perspect. 2014 Oct;122(10):A266

Abstract

Background: Gestational exposure to several common agricultural pesticides can induce developmental neurotoxicity in humans, and has been associated with developmental delay and autism.

Objectives: We evaluated whether residential proximity to agricultural pesticides during pregnancy is associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or developmental delay (DD) in the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) study.

Methods: The CHARGE study is a population-based case-control study of ASD, DD, and typical development. For 970 participants, commercial pesticide application data from the California Pesticide Use Report (1997-2008) were linked to the addresses during pregnancy. Pounds of active ingredient applied for organophophates, organochlorines, pyrethroids, and carbamates were aggregated within 1.25-km, 1.5-km, and 1.75-km buffer distances from the home. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of exposure comparing confirmed cases of ASD (n = 486) or DD (n = 168) with typically developing referents (n = 316).

Results: Approximately one-third of CHARGE study mothers lived, during pregnancy, within 1.5 km (just under 1 mile) of an agricultural pesticide application. Proximity to organophosphates at some point during gestation was associated with a 60% increased risk for ASD, higher for third-trimester exposures (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.6), and second-trimester chlorpyrifos applications (OR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.5, 7.4). Children of mothers residing near pyrethroid insecticide applications just before conception or during third trimester were at greater risk for both ASD and DD, with ORs ranging from 1.7 to 2.3. Risk for DD was increased in those near carbamate applications, but no specific vulnerable period was identified.

Conclusions: This study of ASD strengthens the evidence linking neurodevelopmental disorders with gestational pesticide exposures, particularly organophosphates, and provides novel results of ASD and DD associations with, respectively, pyrethroids and carbamates.

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Conflict of interest statement

D.T., R.J.S., R.H., and I.H-P. have received travel reimbursements and grant support from Autism Speaks, an autism advocacy group. Further, the authors state that their freedom to design, conduct, interpret, and publish research is not compromised by any controlling sponsor as a condition of review and publication. The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests.

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