Alexander B H, Checkoway H, van Netten C, Muller C H, Ewers T G, Kaufman J D, Mueller B A, Vaughan T L, Faustman E M
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Occup Environ Med. 1996 Jun;53(6):411-6. doi: 10.1136/oem.53.6.411.
To evaluate the effects of recent and long term occupational lead exposure on indicators of male reproductive health.
In a cross sectional study of male employees of a lead smelter (n = 2469), blood samples were obtained from 152 workers including 119 who also provided semen samples. Semen analysis and serum concentrations of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinising hormone were used as indicators of reproductive health. Semen and hormone variables were examined in relation to measures of current and long term body lead burden estimated from current blood lead concentrations and historical blood lead monitoring data.
For current blood lead concentration groups of < 15, 15-24, 25-39, > 40 micrograms/dl, the geometric mean sperm concentrations were, respectively, 79.1, 56.5, 62.7, and 44.4 million cells/ml and geometric mean total sperm counts were 186, 153, 137, and 89 million cells (P for trend 0.04). Compared with workers with blood lead concentrations less than 15 micrograms/dl, workers with current blood lead concentrations of 40 micrograms/dl or more had an increased risk of below normal sperm concentration (odds ratio (OR) 8.2, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2-57.9) and total sperm count (OR 2.6, 95% CI 0.4-15.7), based on World Health Organisation standards. Independent of current lead exposure, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and total motile sperm count were inversely related to measures of long term lead exposure. No association was found between lead exposure and measures of sperm motility, sperm morphology, or serum concentrations of reproductive hormones.
Blood lead concentrations below the currently accepted worker protection criteria seem to adversely affect spermatogenesis.
评估近期和长期职业性铅暴露对男性生殖健康指标的影响。
在一项对铅冶炼厂男性员工（n = 2469）的横断面研究中，采集了152名工人的血样，其中119人还提供了精液样本。精液分析以及血清睾酮、促卵泡激素和促黄体生成素浓度被用作生殖健康指标。根据当前血铅浓度和历史血铅监测数据估算的当前和长期身体铅负荷测量值，对精液和激素变量进行了检查。
对于当前血铅浓度<15、15 - 24、25 - 39、>40微克/分升的组，几何平均精子浓度分别为79.1、56.5、62.7和4440万个细胞/毫升，几何平均总精子数分别为1.86亿、1.53亿、1.37亿和8900万个细胞（趋势P值为0.04）。根据世界卫生组织标准，与血铅浓度低于15微克/分升的工人相比，当前血铅浓度为40微克/分升或更高的工人精子浓度低于正常水平（比值比（OR）8.2，95%置信区间（95%CI）1.2 - 57.9）和总精子数（OR 2.6，95%CI 0.4 - 15.7）的风险增加。独立于当前铅暴露，精子浓度、总精子数和总活动精子数与长期铅暴露测量值呈负相关。未发现铅暴露与精子活力、精子形态或生殖激素血清浓度测量值之间存在关联。
低于当前公认的工人保护标准的血铅浓度似乎会对精子发生产生不利影响。
