Table 3. Association between increased risk of atherosclerosis and pesticide exposure.
| Variables | Crude OR (95% CI) | p-value | c-statistics | Adjusted OR (95% CI)* | p-value | c-statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer | 0.621 | 0.712 | ||||
| Never | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| Yes | 2.81 (1.40–5.61) | 0.004 | 3.25 (1.51–6.98) | 0.003 | ||
| Pesticide use | 0.623 | 0.714 | ||||
| Never | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| Yes | 2.72 (1.43–5.21) | 0.002 | 3.42 (1.63–7.16) | 0.001 | ||
| Years of pesticide use | 0.568 | 0.675 | ||||
| <1 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| 1–20 | 1.39 (0.46–4.25) | 0.562 | 1.56 (0.48–5.03) | 0.458 | ||
| ≥20 | 1.82 (0.93–3.58) | 0.082 | 2.00 (0.95–4.19) | 0.067 | ||
| Frequency of pesticide use (per year) | 0.589 | 0.690 | ||||
| 0 | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| 1–10 | 1.33 (0.44–4.06) | 0.615 | 1.54 (0.48–4.89) | 0.467 | ||
| ≥10 | 2.24 (1.15–4.39) | 0.019 | 2.55 (1.21–5.39) | 0.014 | ||
| Intensity level of pesticide exposure | 0.581 | 0.682 | ||||
| None | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| Lower exposure | 1.99 (0.95–4.16) | 0.069 | 2.13 (0.95–4.79) | 0.067 | ||
| Higher exposure | 1.78 (0.79–3.89) | 0.172 | 2.14 (0.89–5.14) | 0.089 | ||
| CEI of pesticide use | 0.613 | 0.713 | ||||
| None | 1.00 (reference) | 1.00 (reference) | ||||
| Lower cumulative exposure | 1.61 (0.66–3.96) | 0.297 | 1.94 (0.75–5.02) | 0.174 | ||
| Higher cumulative exposure | 2.98 (1.46–6.06) | 0.003 | 3.63 (1.65–7.97) | 0.001 |
Abbreviations: CEI, cumulative exposure index; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval
Intensity level = (mixing status + application method + equipment repair status) × personal protective equipment
Cumulative exposure index = intensity level × spraying years × spraying days per year
*Adjusted for sex, age, obesity, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, pharmacological treatment of hypertension or diabetes
Bold text shows the statistical significance of the odds ratios