Meside GÜNDÜZÖZ, Lutfiye TUTKUN, Servet Birgin İRİTAŞ, Aybike DİP, Serdar DENİZ

The evaluation of the effects of occupational arsenic exposure on man reproductive hormones

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between arsenic levels and reproductive hormones of workers with occupational arsenic exposure. Forty arsenic exposed workers, who applied to Ankara Occupational Disease Hospital, Occupational Health Outpatient Clinic between 2013-2017 with no complaints about infertility and erectile dysfunction (ED), were included in this study. Arsenic exposed individuals in the study group were working in the recycling and pest control companies. A healthy group, who consists of 57 office workers with no heavy metal exposure at workplace, was selected as the control group. Workers who have chronic disease, prescripted or herbal medicines were not included in this study. Whole group was composed of 97 male subjects, with 40 arsenic exposed workers and 57 control subjects. In the study group, urine arsenic levels (UAL) was significantly higher than the control group (57.98±26, 70 μg/L and 12.84±6.82 μg/L respectively) (p=0.000). Serum follicle stimulated hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were found to be higher in the study group (FSH: 4.52±2.08/3.58±2.10, LH: 4.66±1.92/ 4.20±1.92). Total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and prolactin levels were significantly lower than in the control group (TT: 5.63±2.01/6.80±2.43, FT: 10.31±2.87/16,74±4,32, Prolactin: 12.61±7.03/15.55±6.93). Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), uric acid (UA), creatinine, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels were similar in both groups. In the complete blood count (CBC) parameters, the HGB and HTC values were found lower in the study group. This is a pilot study that shows the toxic effects of arsenic exposure on male reproductive hormones.

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