Naslov
Reproductive toxicity of low-level lead exposure in men

Autori
Telišman, Spomenka ; Čolak, Božo ; Pizent, Alica ; Jurasović, Jasna ; Cvitković, Petar

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
28th International Congress on Occupational Health. Book of Abstracts. / - Milano, 2006, 93-94

Skup
28th International Congress on Occupational Health

Mjesto i datum
Milano, Italija, 11.06.2006. - 16.06.2006

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
human semen quality; sex hormones; toxic and essential metals interaction; lead; cadmium; copper; zinc; selenium; age; smoking; alcohol

Sažetak
Parameters of semen quality (including sperm concentration, motility, morphology and seminal plasma indicators of secretory function of the prostate and seminal vesicles), sex hormones in serum (FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol), and biomarkers of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and selenium were measured in 240 Croatian men aged 19-52 years. The subjects had no occupational exposure to metals and no other known factors suspected of influencing male reproductive function or metal metabolism. After adjusting for potentially confounding variables (age, smoking, alcohol, blood cadmium and serum copper, zinc, and selenium) by multiple regression, an increase in blood lead (BPb) was significantly associated with decreasing percentage of morphologically subnormal sperm (P < 10-5), increasing percentages of pathologic (P < 0.003) and overly wide (P < 10-5) sperm, increasing serum levels of LH (P < 0.02), testosterone (P < 0.003), and estradiol (P < 0.006) and decreasing serum prolactin (P < 0.03). In the multiple regression model where delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity in blood was included instead of BPb, a decrease in ALAD activity was significantly associated with decreasing percentage of morphologically subnormal sperm (P < 0.003), increasing percentages of pathologic (P < 0.03) and overly wide (P < 0.0004) sperm, decreasing seminal plasma zinc (P < 0.04), decreasing serum prolactin (P < 0.02) and increasing serum testosterone (P < 0.02). The median and range values of BPb and ALAD in the 240 subjects were 49 (11-149) microg/L and 57.1 (22.8-97.1) European units, respectively. The results indicate that even low-level environmental lead exposure, that is common for general populations worldwide, can significantly affect reproductive function in men. An independent contribution of age, smoking, alcohol, or blood cadmium, serum copper, zinc, and selenium levels (although all were within the range of so-called normal values) to changes in certain reproductive parameters was also observed.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

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