Table 2 Ever use of specific pesticides and risk of specialist-confirmed RA among AHS applicators with ≥ 24 months continuous Medicare-FFS (1999–2016)

From: Associations between pesticide use and rheumatoid arthritis among older farmers in the Agricultural Health Study

Ever-used1

Non-cases (N = 22,084)

Cases2 (N = 161)

Relative Risk (95% CI)3

N (%)

N (%)

Insecticides

Organochlorines

Aldrin

6502 (33)

46 (33)

1.07 (0.73–1.55)

Chlordane

7065 (36)

51 (36)

0.93 (0.66–1.32)

DDT

8906 (45)

72 (51)

1.05 (0.75–1.48)

Dieldrin

2295 (12)

14 (10)

0.85 (0.48–1.49)

Heptachlor

5178 (26)

33 (24)

0.98 (0.64–1.50)

Lindane

4674 (24)

33 (24)

1.09 (0.73–1.62)

Toxaphene

4169 (21)

40 (29)

1.31 (0.90–1.90)

Organophosphates

Chlorpyrifos

8203 (41)

57 (40)

1.05 (0.75–1.48)

Diazinon

7059 (36)

53 (38)

0.99 (0.70–1.41)

Dichlorvos

2064 (11)

14 (10)

1.16 (0.66–2.04)

Fonofos

4328 (22)

31 (23)

1.37 (0.89–2.12)

Malathion

14,493 (73)

115 (82)

1.77 (1.14–2.73)

Parathion

3681 (19)

37 (26)

1.32 (0.90–1.94)

Phorate

7447 (38)

55 (39)

1.40 (0.96–2.04)

Terbufos

7122 (37)

50 (37)

1.25 (0.87–1.81)

Carbamates

Aldicarb

2000 (10)

18 (13)

0.82 (0.47–1.45)

Carbaryl

12,247 (62)

106 (75)

1.65 (1.10–2.46)

Carbofuran

5917 (30)

49 (37)

1.41 (0.99–2.01)

Pyrethroids

Permethrin - crops

2184 (11)

17 (13)

1.18 (0.71–1.96)

Permethrin - animals

1950 (10)

12 (9)

1.11 (0.61–2.03)

Herbicides

Anilids/anilines

Alachlor

10,517 (54)

81 (59)

1.40 (0.99–1.98)

Metolachlor

8647 (44)

70 (51)

1.57 (1.11–2.23)

Pendimethalin

8606 (44)

58 (41)

0.97 (0.69–1.36)

Trifluralin

10,103 (52)

70 (52)

1.29 (0.89–1.86)

Phenoxy

2,4-D

15,885 (79)

109 (77)

1.08 (0.72–1.63)

2,4,5-T

6317 (32)

38 (27)

0.80 (0.54–1.17)

2,4,5-TP

2504 (13)

13 (9)

0.70 (0.40–1.25)

Thiocarbamate

Butylate

6456 (34)

49 (36)

1.17 (0.79–1.74)

EPTC

3288 (17)

27 (20)

1.57 (1.00-2.44)

Triazine/Triazinone

Atrazine

14,409 (74)

107 (78)

1.36 (0.88–2.12)

Cyanazine

7912 (41)

53 (38)

1.24 (0.84–1.82)

Metribuzin

8963 (46)

66 (47)

1.45 (1.01–2.08)

Other

Chlorimuron Ethyl

6623 (34)

48 (34)

1.16 (0.82–1.66)

Dicamba

9581 (49)

60 (43)

1.12 (0.74–1.68)

Glyphosate

15,985 (80)

113 (80)

0.99 (0.65–1.50)

Imazethapyr

7492 (39)

44 (32)

1.07 (0.69–1.65)

Paraquat

4661 (24)

41 (29)

1.12 (0.77–1.65)

Petroleum Oil

8918 (46)

65 (46)

1.22 (0.86–1.72)

Fungicides/Fumigants

Benomyl

2294 (12)

28 (20)

1.56 (0.99–2.44)

Captan

2054 (11)

16 (12)

1.15 (0.68–1.94)

Chlorothalonil

1583 (8)

20 (14)

1.32 (0.74–2.34)

Carbon tetrachloride/disulfide

1741 (9)

12 (9)

0.98 (0.54–1.78)

Maneb

2226 (11)

20 (14)

0.98 (0.59–1.62)

Metalaxyl

4547 (23)

44 (32)

1.25 (0.84–1.85)

Methyl bromide

3233 (16)

31 (22)

1.05 (0.67–1.65)

  1. 1Lifetime history ever used specific pesticides at enrollment (1993–1997) or first follow-up (1999–2003) prior to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis.
  2. 2Among participants with ≥ 24 months continuous fee for service (FFS) coverage (Parts A and B without Part C), including an initial ≥ 12-month clean period with no claims for RA, specialist-confirmed cases had ≥ 2 claims for RA ≥ 30 days apart plus ≥ 1 claim from a rheumatologist.
  3. 3Relative Risk and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated using log binomial regression in covariate-adjusted models. Models adjust for categorical age at enrollment (40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70+), state (NC, IA), education (≤ high school, > high school) and smoking pack-years, and correlated pesticides: aldicarb (chlorothalonil and benomyl), chlorothalonil (aldicarb and benomyl), atrazine (alachlor), butylate (cyanazine and metribuzin).
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