Parkinson's disease and occupational exposures: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses

2017 · No effect · High evidence

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No effectHigh evidencePaper 2301

In meta-analyses of occupational risk factors for Parkinson's disease, pesticide exposure was associated with increased risk (weighted RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.42–1.97). Studies on exposure to metals or electromagnetic fields did not show increased risk.

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2017
Study typemeta_analysis
Reported directionNo effect
Evidence ratingHigh

Abstract

Parkinson's disease and occupational exposures: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses Gunnarsson LG, Bodin L. Parkinson's disease and occupational exposures: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2017 Apr 5. pii: 3641. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3641. Abstract Objectives We conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies fulfilling good scientific epidemiological standards for use in meta-analyses of relevant risk factors for Parkinson's disease. Methods Our search identified 103 original publications on associations between work and Parkinson's disease. GRADE guidelines were used to ensure high scientific quality, and reliable guidelines were applied to classify the papers. Of the 103 articles, 47 fulfilled good scientific standards while 56 were methodologically deficient and thus excluded from our meta-analyses. Results A total of 23 publications concerned work exposure to pesticides. The weighted relative risk estimate was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.42-1.97). A funnel plot and bias test indicated that some publication bias concerning smaller studies might have been present. The risk estimate was not influenced by study design (case-control, cohort, or cross-sectional study) or gender. Higher estimates were found when there was a hereditary taint or onset below age 60. Studies on exposure to metals or electromagnetic fields did not show increased risk. Conclusions Using an elaborated quality protocol, there is now strong evidence that exposure to any pesticide involves a ≥50% increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typemeta_analysis
Effect directionno_effect
PopulationNot supplied
Sample sizeNot supplied
ExposureNot supplied
Evidence strengthHighConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In meta-analyses of occupational risk factors for Parkinson's disease, pesticide exposure was associated with increased risk (weighted RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.42–1.97). Studies on exposure to metals or electromagnetic fields did not show increased risk.

Outcomes measured

  • Parkinson's disease risk

Limitations

  • Some publication bias concerning smaller pesticide studies might have been present (per funnel plot and bias test).
  • 56 of 103 identified articles were excluded as methodologically deficient (selection based on quality protocol).
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "meta_analysis",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "occupational",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Parkinson's disease risk"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In meta-analyses of occupational risk factors for Parkinson's disease, pesticide exposure was associated with increased risk (weighted RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.42–1.97). Studies on exposure to metals or electromagnetic fields did not show increased risk.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Some publication bias concerning smaller pesticide studies might have been present (per funnel plot and bias test).",
    "56 of 103 identified articles were excluded as methodologically deficient (selection based on quality protocol)."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "high",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "Parkinson's disease",
    "occupational exposure",
    "systematic review",
    "meta-analysis",
    "pesticides",
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "metals",
    "GRADE"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Review/meta-analyses focus on work-related exposures, including electromagnetic fields."
    }
  ]
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3641
PubMed: Not supplied

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