Work

Association of glyphosate exposure with kidney function impairment in the adolescents and young adults’ population in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013 to 2016

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives: Recently, glyphosate has gained extensive utilization as a global herbicide. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that glyphosate can affect kidney function, but the human evidence is scarce. The study seeks to assess the association between glyphosate exposure and kidney function within the general U.S. populace by analysing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2013 to 2016. Methods: Data derived from 1614 participants aged 12 to 40 years were employed. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) functioned as key markers for the assessment of kidney function. Multivariable linear regression models were established to assess associations of urinary glyphosate levels with UACR and eGFR. Log-binomial regression models were conducted to evaluate the risks of impaired kidney function in connection with urinary glyphosate concentrations. Results: The study disclosed that approximately 74.6% of the examined population in U.S. manifested detectable glyphosate levels in urine. The geometric mean values and 95% confidence interval (CI) of traditional and novel creatinine-adjusted glyphosate were 0.33 ng/mg creatinine (95% CI: 0.32, 0.34) and 0.38 ng/mL creatinine (95% CI: 0.37, 0.40), respectively. Notably, individuals in the fourth quartile of glyphosate exposure displayed a decrement of 0.06 mL/min/1.73 m² (95% CI: -0.13, -0.00) in eGFR, compared with participants in the first quartile of exposure, after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusions: The study suggests a negative association between urinary glyphosate concentrations and eGFR. In contrast, individuals characterized by high levels of glyphosate exposure exhibited elevated UACR when compared with those with low glyphosate exposure.

Source: Paediatrics & Child Health

DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxae111