Table 1. Selected characteristics of studies on pesticide exposure and Alzheimer’s disease.
| Study | Study design | Country | Exposure assessment | AD diagnosis criteria | Case | Control | Adjustments | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyas et al.17 | Cohort | Canada | Prospectively, self-report ever/never occupational exposure | The 3MS was used for cognitive impairment and then NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis | 36 patients with AD after 5-y follow-up. Mean age 79.8y. | Baseline, 1,039 persons. After excluding ineligible participants, 658 controls left. Mean age 73.7y | Age, education, sex | Crude ES calculated from reported numbers |
| Baldi et al.18 | Cohort | France | Prospectively, self-report ever/never occupational exposure | The 3MS was used for cognitive impairment and then NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis | 96 patients with AD after 5-y follow-up. Mean age 79.2y | Baseline, 1507 persons who were >65 y of age in specific area. Mean age 78.4y | Smoking, education | The ES composed the males and females |
| Hayden et al.12 | Cohort | USA | Prospectively, self-report ever/never occupational exposure | The 3MS was used for cognitive impairment and then NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis | 344 patients with AD after 7.2-y follow-up. Mean age 74.1y | Baseline, 3,048 persons. Mean age 74.5y | Age, sex, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, APOEε4 status | — |
| Gun et al.19 | Case-control (medical practice based) | Australia | Retrospectively, proxy reports job history and code into JEM | The NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis | 170 patients with AD. Mean age of men was 77.4y. Mean age of women was 77.1y. Response rate, 100%. | 170 controls. Mean age of men was 77.1y. Mean age of women was 76.7y, Response rate, 100%. | — | — |
| CSHA et al.20 | Case-control (population- based) | Canada | Retrospectively, proxy reports risk factor information | The 3MS was used for cognitive impairment and then NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis | 258 patients with AD, within 3y of diagnosis. Mean age 84.1y. Response rate, 83.9%. | 353 controls. Mean age 79y, Response rate, 89% | Age, sex, education, residence in community or institution | Crude ES calculated from reported numbers |
| Gauthier et al.21 | Case-control (population- based) | Canada | Retrospectively, proxy reports job history and code into JEM | The 3MS was used for cognitive impairment and then NINCDS-ADRDA was used for AD diagnosis. | 68 patients with AD, age >70y. | 68 controls, age >70y. | Education, family history, APOEε4 status. | — |
| French et al.22 | Case-control (hospital control) | USA | Retrospectively, proxy reports risk factor information. | No details were reported regarding AD diagnosis. | 78 male patients with AD, age <60y, 12.9%; age 60–79y, 44.8%; age >80y, 42.3%. | 76 hospital controls, age <60y, 13.1%; age 60–79y, 42.1%; age >80y, 44.8%. | — | — |
Abbreviations: AD, Alzheimer’s disease; CI, confidence interval; CSHA, Canadian Study of Health and Aging; ES, effect size; JEM, job exposure matrix; 3MS, the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination; NINCDS-ADRDA, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association.