%0 Journal Article
%T Role of Organochlorine Pesticides in Children with Idiopathic Seizures
%A Shilpa Khanna Arora
%A Prerna Batra
%A Tusha Sharma
%A Basu Dev Banerjee
%A Sushan Gupta
%J ISRN Pediatrics
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/849709
%X Background. Organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are persistent organic pollutants that have been implicated in causing several deleterious effects in humans. These are known neurotoxins in high doses, but the role of environmentally acquired OCPs in the body to induce seizures in children has not been investigated yet. Objectives. To assess the serum levels of OCPs in children aged 2¨C12 with idiopathic seizure and to find out any association between the two are our objectives. Methods. It was a cross-sectional pilot study. Twenty developmentally normal children aged 2¨C12, presenting with idiopathic generalized seizures, were recruited. Twenty age-matched controls without any history of seizures were also taken. Their serum levels of , , and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH); and aldrin; dieldrin; p,p-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), o,p-DDT, and p,p dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE); and and endosulfan were analysed using gas chromatography (GC). Mann-Whitney test was used to compare OCP levels between the groups. Spearman correlation was used to find the correlation between individual pesticide levels with age and seizure duration. Results. Levels of , , and total HCH were significantly higher among cases as compared to the control group ( ). Conclusion. There exists a possible association between idiopathic seizures and high serum levels of OCPs, especially HCH. 1. Introduction Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are amongst the most commonly used pesticides in developing countries because of their low cost and broad spectrum of activity against various pests. India hosts one of the largest pesticide manufacturing industries in the world, producing around 90,000 metric tons of pesticides every year [1]. OCPs are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are toxic and bioaccumulative in nature [2, 3]. These pesticides not only tend to accumulate in adipose tissue but also biomagnify through food chain due to their lipophilic nature and long half-lives [4]. They have a wide range of acute and chronic health effects like cancer, reproductive disorders, immune suppression, congenital defects, and endocrine dysfunction [5¨C7]. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers including lindane ( -HCH) are anticipated to be human carcinogens based on animal experiments that have generated sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity [5]. Many cases of human aplastic anemia, leukemia, and lung cancer have also been reported in association with HCH exposure. Prenatal exposure to HCH has been implicated in causing thyroid dysfunction in children [6]. Transplacental transfer of OCPs,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.pediatrics/2013/849709/