Potential role for organochlorine pesticides in the prevalence of peripheral arterial diseases in obese persons: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between organochlorine (OC) pesticides and the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). METHODS AND
RESULTS: This study included 2032 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), in which the ankle brachial index (ABI) and serum levels of OC pesticides (p,p'-DDE, trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane, dieldrin, and β-HCH) were measured simultaneously. A diagnosis of PAD was determined on the basis of an ABI<0.9. The obesity status was categorized as obese group (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) or non-obese group (BMI<25 kg/m(2)). Compared with subjects without PAD, those with PAD had significantly higher lipid-standardized and wet-weight concentrations of OC pesticides. Obese subjects with PAD had significantly increased mean lipid-standardization value of p,p'-DDE (OR=1.47; 95% CI, 1.08-1.99), trans-nonachlor (OR=1.68; 95% CI, 1.10-2.56), oxychlordane (OR=1.82; 95% CI, 1.09-3.03), dieldrin (OR=2.36; 95% CI, 1.69-3.31), and sums of all five pesticides (OR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.07-1.33). For non-obese group, increases in the levels of OC pesticides and their sums did not account for increased risk ratio of PAD.
CONCLUSION: OC pesticides are a potent risk factor for PAD. Additionally, obesity may modulate the association between OC pesticides and the development of PAD.