Neuropathy caused by pesticide exposure on farmers in Ngablak District, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia: An electroneuromyography study

Uncontrolled and unsafe use of pesticides can lead to acute and chronic toxicity in farmers, with neuropathy being one of the most common symptoms of chronic toxicity. However, the effects of this toxicity on farmers' electroneuromyography (ENMG) are still unclear. To address this, we conducted a cross-sectional study from July to October 2017 in Ngablak District, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. Eligible farmers who were exposed to pesticides underwent electrophysiology examinations, as well as additional tests such as physical examination and laboratory testing. We collected general information such as age and work history by interview. In total, 64 farmers were included in this study. Out of these, 44 farmers were found to have polyneuropathy, with 41 of them having motor polyneuropathy and 19 of them having sensory polyneuropathy. Our findings showed that low blood cholinesterase was associated with distal latency prolongation (p-value: 0.014). The group exposed to organophosphate/carbamate pesticides was also significantly associated with prolonged distal latency (p-value: 0.012). However, motor polyneuropathy was significantly associated with chronic exposure to organophosphate/carbamate pesticides (p-value: 0.009) and not with low blood cholinesterase levels (p-value: 0.454). The study concludes that chronic exposure to organophosphate or carbamate pesticides could result in polyneuropathy disease, particularly in the motor system.