Emanuela Medda1, Ferruccio Santini2, Simona De Angelis3, Fabrizio Franzellin4, Carla Fiumalbi5, Andrea Perico6, Enzo Gilardi3, Maria Teresa Mechi5, Alessandro Marsili2, Angela Citroni5, Adaniele Leandri6, Alberto Mantovani7, Paolo Vitti2, Antonella Olivieri8. 1. National Centre for Epidemiology Surveillance and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. 2. Endocrinology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy. 3. Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. 4. Nuclear Medicine of Bolzano Hospital, Bolzano, Italy. 5. Department of Prevention, ASL Firenze, Italy. 6. Public Health Laboratory, ASL Firenze, Italy. 7. Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. 8. Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: antonella.olivieri@iss.it.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Italy is still characterized by a mild iodine deficiency and is among the most intensive users of chemical products for agriculture in Europe. The aim of this study was i) to evaluate thyroid effects of exposure to mancozeb, a fungicide widely used in agriculture, in a sample of Italian grapevine workers, and ii) to verify whether the iodine intake may modulate the risk of thyroid disruption due to the mancozeb metabolite ethylenthiourea (ETU). METHODS: One hundred seventy-seven occupationally exposed male workers (29 from Chianti, a mild iodine deficient area, and 148 from Bolzano an iodine sufficient province) and 74 non-occupationally exposed male controls (34 from Chianti and 40 from Bolzano) were enrolled in the study. Serum biomarkers of thyroid function, as well as urinary iodine and ETU concentrations were assessed. Moreover all the recruited subjects underwent clinical examination and thyroid ultrasound. RESULTS: Multivariate comparisons showed lower mean serum levels of FT4 in Chianti-workers as compared to Bolzano-workers. Moreover, an increased urinary iodine excretion (>250µg/L) was more frequently found among more exposed workers (ETU>20µg/L) than among less exposed ones and this effect was more pronounced in Chianti- than in Bolzano-workers. Chianti-workers also showed a significantly higher frequency of very low thyroid volume (≤6.0ml) as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed a mild thyroid disrupting effect due to occupational exposure to mancozeb, more pronounced in workers residing in an area characterized by a mild to moderate iodine deficiency as compared to workers residing in an area covered by a long-lasting iodine prophylaxis program.
INTRODUCTION: Italy is still characterized by a mild iodinedeficiency and is among the most intensive users of chemical products for agriculture in Europe. The aim of this study was i) to evaluate thyroid effects of exposure to mancozeb, a fungicide widely used in agriculture, in a sample of Italian grapevine workers, and ii) to verify whether the iodine intake may modulate the risk of thyroid disruption due to the mancozeb metabolite ethylenthiourea (ETU). METHODS: One hundred seventy-seven occupationally exposed male workers (29 from Chianti, a mild iodine deficient area, and 148 from Bolzano an iodine sufficient province) and 74 non-occupationally exposed male controls (34 from Chianti and 40 from Bolzano) were enrolled in the study. Serum biomarkers of thyroid function, as well as urinary iodine and ETU concentrations were assessed. Moreover all the recruited subjects underwent clinical examination and thyroid ultrasound. RESULTS: Multivariate comparisons showed lower mean serum levels of FT4 in Chianti-workers as compared to Bolzano-workers. Moreover, an increased urinary iodine excretion (>250µg/L) was more frequently found among more exposed workers (ETU>20µg/L) than among less exposed ones and this effect was more pronounced in Chianti- than in Bolzano-workers. Chianti-workers also showed a significantly higher frequency of very low thyroid volume (≤6.0ml) as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed a mild thyroid disrupting effect due to occupational exposure to mancozeb, more pronounced in workers residing in an area characterized by a mild to moderate iodinedeficiency as compared to workers residing in an area covered by a long-lasting iodine prophylaxis program.
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