Relationship between Urinary N-Desmethyl-Acetamiprid and Typical Symptoms including Neurological Findings: A Prevalence Case-Control Study

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 4;10(11):e0142172. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142172. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Neonicotinoid insecticides are nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists used worldwide. Their environmental health effects including neurotoxicity are of concern. We previously determined a metabolite of acetamiprid, N-desmethyl-acetamiprid in the urine of a patient, who exhibited some typical symptoms including neurological findings. We sought to investigate the association between urinary N-desmethyl-acetamiprid and the symptoms by a prevalence case-control study. Spot urine samples were collected from 35 symptomatic patients of unknown origin and 50 non-symptomatic volunteers (non-symptomatic group, NSG, 4-87 year-old). Patients with recent memory loss, finger tremor, and more than five of six symptoms (headache, general fatigue, palpitation/chest pain, abdominal pain, muscle pain/weakness/spasm, and cough) were in the typical symptomatic group (TSG, n = 19, 5-69 year-old); the rest were in the atypical symptomatic group (ASG, n = 16, 5-78 year-old). N-desmethyl-acetamiprid and six neonicotinoids in the urine were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The detection of N-desmethyl-acetamiprid was the most frequent and highest in TSG (47.4%, 6.0 ppb (frequency, maximum)), followed by in ASG (12.5%, 4.4 ppb) and in NSG (6.0%, 2.2 ppb), however acetamiprid was not detected. Thiamethoxam was detected in TSG (31.6%, 1.4 ppb), in ASG (6.3%, 1.9 ppb), but not in NSG. Nitenpyram was detected in TSG (10.5%, 1.2 ppb), in ASG (6.3%, not quantified) and in NSG (2.0%, not quantified). Clothianidin was only detected in ASG (6.3%, not quantified), and in NSG (2.0%, 1.6 ppb). Thiacloprid was detected in ASG (6.3%, 0.1 ppb). The cases in TSG with detection of N-desmethyl-acetamiprid and thiamethoxam were aged 5 to 62 years and 13 to 62 years, respectively. Detection of N-desmethyl-acetamiprid was associated with increased prevalence of the symptoms (odds ratio: 14, 95% confidence interval: 3.5-57). Urinary N-desmethyl-acetamiprid can be used as a biomarker for environmental exposure to acetamiprid. Further multi-centered clinical research in larger patients groups with more metabolites analysis is needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Creatinine / urine
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Cystatin C / urine
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Insecticides / chemistry
  • Insecticides / metabolism
  • Insecticides / urine*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Pyridines / metabolism*
  • Pyridines / urine*
  • Sex Factors
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Cystatin C
  • Insecticides
  • N-desmethylacetamiprid
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Pyridines
  • acetamiprid
  • Creatinine

Grants and funding

This study is partially supported by the Japan Endocrine-disruptor Preventive Action awarded to Dr. K. Taira, Yamada Research Grant awarded to Dr. K. Taira (No. 182), and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) awarded to Dr. Y. Ikenaka (No. 26304043) and Dr. K. Taira (No.15K00559). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. No additional external funding was received for this study.