Associations of Specific Pesticides and Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis Among Female Spouses in the Agricultural Health Study
Authors' conclusion
These findings indicate that persistent organochlorine insecticides and some pesticides also used in public health or residential settings may increase RA risk in women.
Study context
- Population
- Female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study, North Carolina and Iowa, enrolled 1993 to 1997complete covariate data analysed
- Participants
- 32,126 participants
- Exposure
- Personal lifetime use vs no use of pesticide classes and 32 specific pesticides
- Casesn = 410
- Noncasesn = 21,850reference
- Outcome
- Incident RA
- Follow-up
- 1999-2021
Methodological detailscase–noncase analysis, adjusted for age, state, education, smoking pack-years, BMI and correlated pesticides (ρ > 0.35)
- Case–noncase analysis
- Adjusted for age, state, education, smoking pack-years, BMI and correlated pesticides (ρ > 0.35)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident RA by use of specific pesticides (ever vs never personal use)
Odds ratio (95% CI)
DDTorganochlorine insecticide
1.89(1.30–2.75)
Lindaneorganochlorine insecticide
1.97(1.12–3.47)
Coumaphosorganophosphate insecticide
2.32(1.29–4.19)
Malathionorganophosphate insecticide
1.21(0.91–1.62)
Carbofurancarbamate insecticide
1.87(0.97–3.63)
Permethrin and pyrethroid insecticides on crops
1.56(0.92–2.64)
Permethrin and pyrethroid insecticides on livestock
1.69(1.07–2.68)
Metribuzinherbicide
1.88(0.94–3.79)
Captanfungicide
1.78(1.13–2.83)
Metalaxylfungicide
2.49(1.41–4.40)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Associations of Specific Pesticides and Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis Among Female Spouses in the Agricultural Health Study. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 20 November 2025. doi:10.
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