Exposure to N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide and cardiovascular diseases in adults

Although growing evidence suggests that N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) has adverse effects on public health, the relationship of DEET with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still largely unknown. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the association between DEET exposure and total and specific CVD among the US adults. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 5,972 participants were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2014. CVD was defined as a combination of congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary heart disease (CHD), angina, heart attack, or stroke. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between DEET metabolites and the risks of total and specific CVD. Compared to the lowest quartile, 3-(diethylcarbamoyl) benzoic acid (DCBA) in the highest quartile was associated with the increased risks of CVD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.03-1.68, P for trend = 0.025) and CHD (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.10-2.25, P for trend = 0.017), after adjustment for potential covariates. Nevertheless, exposure to DCBA was not significantly associated with heart attack, CHF, angina, and stroke. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and identify the underlying mechanisms.