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CompletedNCT02530814Updated Sep 19, 2019

Organochlorine Pesticide Exposure in Residents Near Lake Apopka

An observational study in Pesticide Exposure, sponsored by University of Florida. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 90 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-09-19.

Sponsored by University of Florida · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
20
Ages
21 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In the Lake Apopka, Florida area for over 50 years starting in the 1940s, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dieldrin, chlordane, toxaphene and more recently methoxychlor were sprayed on farmlands in order to control pests and to improve crop harvests. For most of those years, the farmworkers were exposed to the pesticides as part of their work. Because of their lipophilic (fat soluble) nature, these organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are readily taken up into the body and not readily eliminated. Therefore, they can be detected in exposed individuals for many years after the exposure. There is some evidence that certain OCPs can cause or exacerbate medical problems in sensitive individuals. For example, exposure to some OCPs has been associated with development of Parkinsonism. Exposure to other OCPs has been associated with development of lupus erythematosus, an auto-immune disease. Other adverse effects of exposure to OCPs are endocrine disruption because some OCPs mimic estrogens and others mimic androgens, or may have mixed interactions with steroid receptors.

In this research study the investigators aim is to test the blood from former farmworkers during the 1940s through the late 1970s who reside in the Lake Apopka area for OCPs and for the auto-antibodies. In addition, questionnaires will provide insight on their health status and health concerns.

Read the detailed description

In this research study, a onetime blood test will be collected from former farmworkers during the 1940s through the late 1970s who reside in the Lake Apopka area for OCPs and for the auto-antibodies. In addition, questionnaires will provide insight on their health status and health concerns.

The investigators will collect existing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) which has monitored the pesticide exposure (with the exception of toxaphene) of people older than 8 years, so there is information on the range of concentrations of these chemicals in the blood of Americans. This data will be use as the control group for comparison with the values found for OCP concentrations.

02

Conditions studied

  • Pesticide Exposure

Keywords

  • organochlorine compounds
  • pesticides
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Florida is the lead sponsor of 1,254 studies on the registry; 201 are open to participants now.

Of its 170 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 136 (80%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Participants for this study will be recruited from the Florida Farmworker Association of Florida, Lake Apopka, FL.

Inclusion criteria

  • Persons who worked on farms near lake Apopka, Florida up to 1998.
  • Preference will be given to those who worked on the farms for over 10 years.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Persons who did not work on farms near Lake Apopka, Florida up to 1998.
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
20 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Lake Apopka Farmworkers

    This group will have a onetime blood collection and questionnaires regarding health status and health concerns.

    Other: Blood Collection

  • Existing Data Group

    The investigators will collect existing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the range of concentrations of these chemicals in the blood of Americans.

Interventions

  • OtherBlood Collection

    Onetime blood collection.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Blood levels of organochlorine pesticides will be compared between the groups

    Blood collected will be analyzed for DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, methoxychlor and the metabolites of DDT and methoxychlor. The data will be compared between the groups.

    Time frame: Day 1

Secondary outcomes

  1. Level of auto-antibodies will be recorded

    Blood collected will be analyzed for measurement of auto-antibodies

    Time frame: Day 1

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Beard J; Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration. DDT and human health. Sci Total Environ. 2006 Feb 15;355(1-3):78-89. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.02.022. PubMed 15894351 ↗
  • Eskenazi B, Chevrier J, Rosas LG, Anderson HA, Bornman MS, Bouwman H, Chen A, Cohn BA, de Jager C, Henshel DS, Leipzig F, Leipzig JS, Lorenz EC, Snedeker SM, Stapleton D. The Pine River statement: human health consequences of DDT use. Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Sep;117(9):1359-67. doi: 10.1289/ehp.11748. Epub 2009 May 4. PubMed 19750098 ↗
  • Xu X, Dailey AB, Talbott EO, Ilacqua VA, Kearney G, Asal NR. Associations of serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides with breast cancer and prostate cancer in U.S. adults. Environ Health Perspect. 2010 Jan;118(1):60-6. doi: 10.1289/ehp.0900919. PubMed 20056587 ↗
  • Chhillar N, Singh NK, Banerjee BD, Bala K, Mustafa M, Sharma D, Chhillar M. Organochlorine pesticide levels and risk of Parkinson's disease in north Indian population. ISRN Neurol. 2013 Jul 8;2013:371034. doi: 10.1155/2013/371034. Print 2013. PubMed 23936670 ↗
  • Wang F, Roberts SM, Butfiloski EJ, Morel L, Sobel ES. Acceleration of autoimmunity by organochlorine pesticides: a comparison of splenic B-cell effects of chlordecone and estradiol in (NZBxNZW)F1 mice. Toxicol Sci. 2007 Sep;99(1):141-52. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfm137. Epub 2007 Jun 19. PubMed 17578864 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Age and years worked on farms will be shared

Supporting information: Study protocol, Icf

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 19, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02530814
Lead sponsor
University of Florida
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 21, 2015
Start date
Nov 2015
Primary completion
Mar 2016
Completion
Mar 2016
Last update
Sep 19, 2019

Study contacts

Margaret O. James, Ph.D.
principal investigator · University of Florida

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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