Private MD News

Home | News | Autoimmune Diseases

Household insecticide study may encourage autoimmune disease testing

Updated: 2009-10-19 22:15:47 CST Category: Autoimmune Diseases

by Brendan Missett

Household insecticides like roach and mosquito killers may play a role in the development of certain autoimmune disorders in women, research suggests.

A research team from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences examined nearly 77,000 postmenopausal women between 50- and 79-years-old, according to HealthDay News. Their study found that women who reported using insecticides has a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; those who reported the most use had double the risk of women who reported never or rarely handling the pest killers.

Previous research liked agricultural pesticides to development of the two diseases, which are caused by abnormal behavior in the immune system. Notably, farmers seem to be at a higher risk of developing the illnesses.

Though the scientists did not find a cause-and-effect relationship between exposure to insecticides and development of the diseases, the study's lead researcher Dr Christine Parks conceded, "more research on environmental risk factors and better understanding of what factors might explain these findings, what chemicals might be associated with these risks."

Parks mentioned that the potentially harmful products identified include ant, wasp, termite, mosquito and roach killers, and exclude most insect repellents.

According to WebMD, a C-reactive protein test is a blood test that can identify rheumatoid arthritis and lupus for those at risk.

Related Articles from Private MD:

• Doctor: Women at higher risk for autoimmune diseases
  
• Vitamin D tests may reveal risk for Lupus
  
• New rheumatoid arthritis drug shows promise
  
• Potential new lupus drug on the horizon
  
• Doctor: Michael Jackson had Lupus
  

Share on Facebook

Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed:

News Categories:

Advanced Lipid Treatment I   Allergy Testing   Anemia and RBC disorders   Autoimmune Diseases   Bariatric Lab Testing   Blood and Blood Diseases   Breast   Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers   Celiac Disease Testing   Chlamydia   Coagulation and blood clotting disorders   Colon   Diabetes   DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing   Drug Screening   Environmental Toxin Testing   Female Specific Tests   Gastrointestinal Diseases   General Health   General Wellness   Heart Health and Cholesterol   Herpes   HIV   HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos   Hormones and Metabolism   Infectious Diseases   Infertility Testing-Male   Infertitlity Hormone Testing   Kidney Diseases   Leukemia and WBC disorders   Liver   Liver Diseases   Lyme Disease   Male Specific Tests   Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis   Organ Specific Testing   Ovarian   Prostate   Sexually Transmitted Diseases   Thyroid Diseases   Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment   

Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here

Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click here to get started or call us toll-free at 1.877.283.7882. Our certified professionals are ready to assist you.