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  • Title: [Evaluation of reproductive disorders in men occupational exposed to lead].
    Author: Sitarek K, Szymczak W, Berlińska B.
    Journal: Med Pr; 1998; 49(2):137-45. PubMed ID: 9695061.
    Abstract:
    The objective of the study was to define the prevalence of reproductive disorders in men occupationally exposed to lead in concentrations occurring usually in the work environment. The period of time preceding the conception in couples in which men were occupationally exposed to lead was adopted as the measure of the disorder. A cross-section survey was performed. Men of selected plants of Upper Silesia and Głogów responded to questions included in the questionnaire regarding age, education, occupation, occupational exposure, health condition, addictions, the situation in the family as well as questions concerning the respondent's spouse (age, education, occupation, addictions, health condition). The blood lead concentrations in persons exposed to this metal in the period preceding the conception were defined on the basis of medical data stored by the plant occupational outpatient clinics. The control group consisted of workers of the metallurgic industry, living in Lódź or its vicinity, and non-occupationally exposed men living in Silesia. In total 341 exposed men and 510 non-exposed controls participated in the study. The investigated groups were rather homogeneous as to the age of those under study and their spouses, education, addictions and the number of children. The analysis of the survey results indicated that in 5% of couples in the control group the time before conception exceeded one year. A similar occurrence of reproductive disorders was found in couples in which man was occupationally exposed to lead. The proportion of couples with reproductive disorders in this group (regardless of the size of Pb exposure) was 6%. The stratification of the Pb-exposed groups, taking into account the exposure size in accordance with the WHO criteria (group 1-220 micrograms/l, that is below the accepted value above which the ZnPP level increases; group II-PbB 200-400 micrograms/l that is up to the level recommended as the highest level for the population occupationally exposed to lead; and group III-PbB above 400 micrograms/l) allowed the analysis of the frequency of reproductive disorders depending on the size of the exposure. The percentage of couples with delayed conception accounted for 4.5% in group I; 8.7% in group II, and in group III did not differ significantly from that in the control group. These results show that men's occupational exposure to lead below allowable concentration in the biological material (500 micrograms/Pb/l blood in Poland or 400 micrograms/Pbl recommended by WHO) does not pose the risk for prolonged period preceding the conception in their partners.
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