Organ-Specific Toxic Effects and Biomarker Evidence of Pyrethroid in Vulnerable Populations: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Pyrethroid exposure through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact may trigger toxic effects in the human body, with severity potentially increasing in certain vulnerable populations. We aim to summarize the evidence regarding pyrethroid exposure and organ-specific toxic effects in children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and the elderly. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used in this study. The search strategy was designed considering the population, exposure, controls, and outcomes (PECO). The scientific databases PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were systematically searched for relevant literature published from 1990 to April 2025. Observational studies which meeting the inclusion criteria of were included. Two authors independently searched the database, assessed the risks of bias and extracted the data from the shortlisted articles. Out of the 7259 records collated, 25 studies were included in this review, there are 13 crossectional studies and 12 cohort studies. The studies investigated the related to the nervous system (n= 14), the endocrine system (n= 5), the lungs (n= 3), the reproductive organs (n= 2), and the auditory system (n= 1). The quality of the studies varied with overall grades derived from the bias analysis ranging from low to moderate bias. Selected articles revealed that the reproductive organs, lungs, ears, as well as the nervous and endocrine systems are particularly vulnerable to pyrethroid toxicity. All studies suggest a possible role for pyrethoid exposure and organ-specific toxic effects characterized by alterations in biochemical markers and organ function. Although further research is still needed, existing studies suggest that 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) is commonly used as a urinary biomarker of pyrethroid exposure.
Keywords: pyrethroid, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, pyrethroid
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.21705/ijbcs.v1i1.755
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