RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Pesticide exposure and lung function: a systematic review and meta-analysis JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP PA5244 DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2019.PA5244 VO 54 IS suppl 63 A1 Ratanachina, Jate A1 De Matteis, Sara A1 Cullinan, Paul A1 Burney, Peter YR 2019 UL https://publications.ersnet.org//content/54/suppl_63/PA5244.abstract AB Epidemiological studies have reported associations between pesticide exposure and respiratory health, but the specific causal agents and the quantitative impact on lung function are unclear. To address this, we undertook a systematic review of the available literature reporting on pesticide exposures and lung function.Aim: To examine, systematically and by meta-analysis, available literature on the relationship between pesticide exposures and lung function.Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched to 1 October 2017. We searched by a combination of MeSH terms and free text for pesticide exposures and lung function using our protocol registered in PROSPERO. We assessed the quality of the reports using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. We converted outcome measures to standard mean differences (SMD) and undertook meta-analyses by the metan command in Stata 15 with fixed-effect models where I² from test for heterogeneity<50%.Results: We retrieved 2,356 articles; of these, 56 met our criteria for inclusion and review; 19, 22 and 22 papers were pooled in meta-analyses of FEV1/FVC, FVC and FEV1 respectively. We found no effect for paraquat exposure on FEV1/FVC (SMD=0.05; 95%CI 0.04, 0.15). Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibiting pesticides showed a significant negative effect on FEV1/FVC (SMD=-0.27; 95%CI -0.39, -0.14).Conclusion: Respiratory surveillance should be enhanced in those exposed to ChE-inhibiting pesticides which reduce FEV1/FVC according to the meta-analysis. Our review is limited by heterogeneity between studies from variable exposure assessments and limited adjustment for potential confounders. Further studies with more accurate exposure assessment are indicated.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA5244.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).