Study on organochlorine pesticide levels in chronic kidney disease patients: association with estimated glomerular filtration rate and oxidative stress

Nephrotoxicity of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) has been established in experimental animal models. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship of the blood OCPs level with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and oxidative stress (OS) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Patients in different stages of CKD (n = 150) and age, sex matched healthy controls (n = 96) were recruited. The blood OCPs level were analyzed by gas chromatography, and plasma levels of several OS parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and total thiols were quantified by standard spectrophotometric methods. We observed significantly higher levels of hexachlorocyclohexane (α, γ), endosulfan, aldrin, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and total pesticides in CKD patients. Negative correlation was also observed for aldrin, p,p'-DDE and total pesticides (p < 0.05) with eGFR. Plasma levels of MDA and AOPP showed significant positive association with the total pesticides level, indicating augmentation of OS with increased accumulation of OCPs in CKD patients.