Polychlorinated biphenyls and semen quality - life study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Barr D ; Buck Louis GM ; Chen Z ; Kim S ; Schrader, Steven M. ; Sweeney AM
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE: Preliminary evidence suggests that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may be associated with diminished male fecundity, though much of available evidence utilizes clinical rather than population-based sampling frameworks. In response, we designed the LIFE Study to assess the relation between 36 PCB congeners and semen quality. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 501 couples with a male partner aged >17 years were recruited from households located in 16 counties in Texas and Michigan with presumed environmental PCB exposure. Men (95%) collected semen samples following a two-day abstinence period during the first two months attempting pregnancy and shipped specimens overnight to an andrology laboratory. PCB congeners were summed as a simple total then categorized by purported biologic activity into estrogenic, antiestrogenic and other groupings (ng/g serum). Multiple linear regression utilizing the weighted least squares approach modeled total PCBs and each grouping separately in relation to semen quality endpoints (left continuous) adjusting for age (years), location (Texas/Michigan), and serum cotinine (log transformed). RESULTS: Total PCBs were negatively associated with total sperm count (beta = -12.5; p<0.04) and anti-estrogenic PCBs with amplitude of lateral head displacement (um) (beta = -10.8; p<0.02) and beat cross frequency (Hz) (beta = -57.6; p<0.02). Serum lipids were not associated with semen quality. CONCLUSION: Select PCB congeners at environmentally relevant concentrations were negatively associated with aspects of semen quality in this population-based cohort of couples attempting pregnancy. Our findings underscore the importance of assessing chemical mixtures by purported biologic activity of PCBs relative to aspects of semen quality to aid future mechanistic research. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Estrogens Lipids Men Occupational Health Polychlorinated Biphenyls Safety Urogenital Diseases Urogenital System
• Keywords:
  Biological-function Environmental-exposure Estrogenic-hormones Fertility Mathematical-models Polychlorinated-biphenyls Reproductive-effects Reproductive-system-disorders Sampling
• ISSN:
  0015-0282
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Maryland ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  94
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20037733
• Citation:
  Fertil Steril 2010 Sep; 94(4)(Suppl 1):S73-S74
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2010
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Fertility and Sterility
• Supplement:
  1
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0c1fcc99814c15bbf96183c04b7fa77dd0fe2b82be7ba51596e710a596a4d7779c1d9d21d6ef81bdfbb0f2487c13061dc534dbc528c3fa703701d3f2f27d62bb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191720/cdc_191720_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 44.66 KB ]