Reproductive Endocrine Effects of Acute Exposure to Toluene in Men and Women

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brodkin CA ; Faustman EM ; Kalman DA ; Luderer U ; Morgan MS
• Description:
  OBJECTIVES: Despite observation of adverse reproductive effects of toluene, including alterations of serum gonadotropins (luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)) in humans, little is known of the mechanism of toxicity. The hypothesis was tested that toluene acutely suppresses pulsatile gonadotropin secretion by measuring LH and FSH at frequent intervals during controlled exposure to toluene. METHODS: Women in the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and men were randomised to inhale filtered air with or without 50 ppm toluene through a mouthpiece for 3 hours (19% of the OSHA permissible exposure limit). Blood was sampled by intravenous catheter at 20 minute intervals for 3 hours before, 3 hours during, and 3 hours after exposure. Plasma LH, FSH, and testosterone were measured. Pulse amplitude, pulse frequency, and mean concentrations of LH and FSH for each of the 3 hour periods before, during and after exposure to toluene versus sham exposure were calculated with the ULTRA pulse detection program and compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures. RESULTS: In men mean concentrations of LH showed a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between exposure and sampling period, with a greater LH decline during exposure to toluene than sham exposure. However, there was no concomitant effect on testosterone concentrations. The LH pulse frequency of women in the luteal phase showed a trend towards a significant interaction between exposure and sampling period (p = 0.06), with a greater decline in pulse frequency during exposure to toluene than sham exposure. There were no other significant effects of exposure to toluene. CONCLUSIONS: Three hour exposure to 50 ppm toluene did not result in abnormal episodic LH or FSH secretion profiles, however, subtle effects on LH secretion in men and women in the luteal phase were found. The clinical relevance of these effects is unclear, indicating the need for further study of reproductive function in exposed workers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Endocrine System Endocrine System Diseases Hematologic Tests Occupational Health Safety Toluene Toxicology Urogenital Diseases Urogenital System
• Keywords:
  Blood-sampling Endocrine-system-disorders Exposure-levels Exposure-methods Hormone-activity Hormones Humans Reproductive-effects Reproductive-system-disorders Toluenes
• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  56
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20031293
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 1999 Oct; 56(10):657-666
• Contact Point Address:
  University of Washington, Department of Environmental Health, Seattle, W A 98105
• CAS Registry Number:
  Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington, Department of Environmental Health, Seattle, Washington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19970930
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  19990929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:629585fe2092ff7019a6ddd2a681f8cb11d5ff3208385d93722b8e3adb9eb1aaed7dc17a49a6e1da3a186df58a895a192d27c545289d40c5c9ab30042565245b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191587/cdc_191587_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 204.84 KB ]