RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Household exposure to pesticides and risk of childhood acute leukaemia
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 131
OP 134
DO 10.1136/oem.2005.023036
VO 63
IS 2
A1 F Menegaux
A1 A Baruchel
A1 Y Bertrand
A1 B Lescoeur
A1 G Leverger
A1 B Nelken
A1 D Sommelet
A1 D Hémon
A1 J Clavel
YR 2006
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/63/2/131.abstract
AB Objectives: To investigate the relation between childhood acute leukaemia and household exposure to pesticides. Methods: The study included 280 incident cases of acute leukaemia and 288 controls frequency matched on gender, age, hospital, and ethnic origin. The data were obtained from standardised face to face interviews of the mothers with detailed questions on parental occupational history, home and garden insecticide use, and insecticidal treatment of pediculosis. Odds ratios were estimated using unconditional regression models including the stratification variables parental socioeconomic status and housing characteristics. Results: Acute leukaemia was observed to be significantly associated with maternal home insecticide use during pregnancy (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8) and during childhood (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.4), with garden insecticide use (OR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.3), and fungicide use (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 6.2) during childhood. Insecticidal shampoo treatment of pediculosis was also associated with childhood acute leukaemia (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3). Conclusion: The results reported herein support the hypothesis that various types of insecticide exposure may be a risk factor for childhood acute leukaemia. The observed association with insecticidal shampoo treatment of pediculosis, which has never been investigated before, requires further study.