EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES AND CRYPTORCHIDISM - GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCE OF A POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION

Synthetic hormone-disrupting chemicals may play a role in the increase d frequency of cryptorchidism observed in some studies. We used a spat ial ecological design to search for variations in orchidopexy rates in the province of Granada in Spain and to search for relationships betw een these differences and geographical variations in exposure to pesti cides. Orchidopexy rates were estimated for the period from 1980 to 19 91 in all municipalities and health care districts served by the Unive rsity of Granada Hospital. A random sample of males of the same age (1 -16 years) admitted for any reason during the same period was used to estimate inpatient control rates. Each municipality was assigned to on e of four levels of pesticide use. We used Poisson homogeneity tests t o detect significant differences in rates of orchidopexy between distr icts and between levels of pesticide use. Poisson and logistic regress ion models were also used to estimate the strength of association betw een orchidopexy and level of pesticide use. Orchidopexy rates tended t o be higher in districts near the Mediterranean coast where intensive farming is widespread. The city of Granada, where the reference hospit al is located, also had higher figures both for orchidopexy and inpati ent control rates. Regression models showed that the strength of assoc iation between orchidopexy and level of pesticide use tended to increa se with higher levels of use, with the exception of level 0 (mainly in the city of Granada). Our results are compatible with a hypothetical association between exposure to hormone-disruptive chemicals and the i nduction of cryptorchidism. Several methodological limitations in the design make it necessary to evaluate the results with caution.