The Impact of Pesticides Exposure on Thyroid Function in Rafsanjan Farmers in 2023-2024: A Case-Control Study

Sadegh  Salehipour; Alireza  Saedi; Zahra  Assadollahi; Mohammad Amin  Lotfi; Mohammadreza  Rahmani; Faezeh  Nosratabadi; Soudeh Khanamani Falahati-pour; Hadi  Eslami; Mahdieh  Azin

doi:10.18502/jehsd.v9i4.17392

Sadegh Salehipour Student Research Committee, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Alireza Saedi Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipoor Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Zahra Assadollahi Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Mohammad Amin Lotfi Clinical Research Development Unit, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Mohammadreza Rahmani Physiology-Pharmacology Research Center, Research Institute on Basic Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Faezeh Nosratabadi Student Research Committee, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Soudeh Khanamani Falahati-pour Pistachio Safety Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Hadi Eslami Occupational Environment Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Mahdieh Azin Physiology-Pharmacology Research Center, Research Institute on Basic Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jehsd.v9i4.17392

Keywords: Environmental Exposure, Farmers, Pesticides, Organophosphorus Pesticides, Thyroid Hormones.

Abstract

Introduction: Pesticides, particularly highly toxic organophosphates, are widely used in agriculture and can disrupt the endocrine system. This study aims to determine thyroid function indicators in agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in Rafsanjan city, Iran, in 2023.

Material and Methods: This 10-month (from March 2023 to January 2024) case-control study involved 150 participants (men farmers) divided into three groups: pesticide-spraying farmers, rural non-farmers, and urban non-exposed individuals. Socio-demographic information, medical history, and lifestyle factors data were collected by a detailed checklist. Thyroid enzyme levels, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), and free thyroxine (FT4) were tested by ELISA kits. The collected data were analyzed and compared across the groups by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square and Pearson's correlation coefficient.

Results: Significant differences were observed in serum levels of thyroid function indicators such as TSH, Total T4, and Free T4 among the three groups (spraying farmers, rural residents near pistachio orchards, and urban residents), except for Total T3, which showed no significant difference. Moreover, there was a relationship between thyroid function variables in the spraying group and factors such as using personal protective equipment (PPE), days of spraying per year, hours of spraying per day, distance from home to pistachio orchards, and levels of pesticide exposure. However, these relationships were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The study found no significant effect of pesticide exposure on thyroid function, possibly due to minimal skin contact and equipment maintenance practices among farmers. Further investigations are recommended