Luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in male workers exposed to urban stressors

Early biological effects in outdoor workers exposed to urban air pollution: A systematic review

Urban outdoor workers (OWs), identified as professionals spending most of their working shifts in an urban environment, are exposed for at least 8 h/day to traffic air pollution, leading to potential health risks. This paper reports the results of a systematic review aimed at identifying the potential health outcomes of exposure to air pollutants for OWs, focusing mainly on police officers, drivers and street vendors. Health outcomes were analysed in terms of early biological effects quantified with specific measured indicators. The main inclusion criterion was the assessment of at least one early biological effect (genetic and epigenetic damage/alterations, inflammation or oxidative stress indicators, or hormonal imbalance) in a population of OWs exposed to urban air pollution. By applying the PRISMA workflow, 82 papers were included in this study. The results showed that the measured pollutant concentrations were significantly below the current occupational limit values, while exceeds the indications of WHO for urban air pollution. This exposure led to significant alterations of biological markers in OWs with respect to non-exposed subjects. In particular, OWs presented an increased frequency of micronuclei and DNA adducts as the main DNA alterations, while police officers (a category of highly exposed OWs) showed hormonal alterations affecting mainly the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Concerning oxidative stress and inflammation, all the analysed matrices (i.e. blood, sputum, urine and lachrymal fluids) showed increased indices for OWs respect to non-exposed groups. Therefore, the evaluation of effect biomarkers to detect early alterations provides crucial information for supporting the occupational risk management of OWs and, at broader level, allows for an insight of the early-stage health outcomes due to urban air pollution.

Considering hormones as sex- and gender-related factors in biomedical research: Challenging false dichotomies and embracing complexity

The inclusion of sex and gender considerations in biomedicine has been increasing in light of calls from research and funding agencies, governmental bodies, and advocacy groups to direct research attention to these issues. Although the inclusion of both female and male participants is often an important element, overreliance on a female-male binary tends to oversimplify the interactions between sex- and gender-related factors and health, and runs a risk of being influenced by cultural stereotypes about sex and gender. When biomedical researchers are examining how hormones associated with gender and sex may influence pathways of interest, it is of crucial importance to approach this work with a critical lens on the rhetoric used, and in ways that acknowledge the complexity of hormone physiology. Here, we document the ways in which discourses around sex, gender and hormones shape our scientific thinking and practice in biomedical research, and review how the existing scientific knowledge about hormones reflects a complex and dynamic reality that is often not reflected outside of specialist niches of hormone biology. Where biomedical scientists take up sex- and gender-associated hormones as a way of addressing sex and gender considerations, it is valuable for us to bring a critical lens to the rhetoric and discourses used, to employ a sex contextualist approach in designing experimentation, and be rigorous and reflexive about the approaches used in analysis and interpretation of data. These strategies will allow us to design experimentation that goes beyond binaries, and grapples more directly with the material intricacies of sex, gender, and hormones.

Urinary Nickel and Progesterone in Workers Exposed to Urban Pollutants

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the exposure to a low dose of nickel could determinate a variation in levels of progesterone in outdoor workers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred sixty one subjects were divided by sex, task, age, seniority, and cigarette smoking habit. For each workers was evaluated the dose of blood progesterone and urinary nickel.The statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The Pearson correlation showed a statistically significant correlation between urinary nickel levels and progesterone. The multiple linear regression showed a significant correlation between progesterone and urinary nickel in the total sample and in the subgroups of smokers and workers with tasks of traffic direction.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study suggest that occupational exposure to low doses of nickel present in urban pollution may influence to progesterone levels in outdoor workers.

No Correlation between Blood Benzene Levels and Luteinizing Hormone Plasma Values in Outdoor Workers

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether low-dose exposure to benzene, an environmental pollutant to which male and female traffic policemen are daily exposed to could cause alterations in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels.

METHODS

From an initial sample of 1594 workers, we only selected 95 workers of whom study we knew the values of late-shift benzene and LH hormone. All subjects underwent biological monitoring (final blood benzene evaluation) and luteinizing hormone dosing. Excluding subjects with the main confounding factors, the final sample included 76 workers. The normal distribution of the variables was evaluated using the Kolmogorov - Smirnov test, followed by the logarithmic transformation of the LH and benzene values. The comparison among means was performed by using the t-test for the independent samples. The ANOVA test was performed for variables with more than 2 modes (ages and seniority) and Pearson correlation index between variables in the total sample and after subdivision as to sex, job, sports activity and smoking. The results were considered significant when p values were less than 0.05.

RESULTS/CONCLUSION

The study did not show a correlation between benzene levels and LH plasma levels in outdoor workers.

Correlation between urinary cadmium and thyroid hormones in outdoor workers exposed to urban stressors

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether exposure to low concentrations of cadmium (Cd) can have effects on the thyroid hormone level of outdoor workers exposed to urban pollutants.

METHODS

The study was conducted on a final sample of 277 individuals (184 males and 93 females). The environmental monitoring of Cd was evaluated through the use of portable dosimeters, while the biological monitoring was achieved through the assessment of urinary Cd and thyroid hormones. The total sample was divided according to sex and task. The Pearson's correlation coefficient among the variables was calculated after subdivision on the basis of sex and task. The multiple linear regression was performed to take into account the major confounding factors.

RESULTS

Statistical tests showed a negative correlation between urinary Cd levels and free triiodothyronine and free thyroxine and a positive correlation between urinary Cd and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Our early results seem to point out that occupational exposure to low concentrations of Cd present in urban air affects the thyroid hormone levels in exposed workers.

Effect of chronic cabergoline treatment and testosterone replacement on metabolism in male patients with prolactinomas

INTRODUCTION

Hyperprolactinemia and hypogonadism are reportedly associated with an impaired metabolic profile. The current study aimed at investigating the effects of testosterone replacement and cabergoline (CAB) treatment on the metabolic profile in male hyperprolactinemic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty-two men with prolactinomas, including 22 with total testosterone (TT) <8 nmol/l (HG, 69%) and 10 with TT >8 nmol/l (non-HG, 31%), were entered in the study. In all patients, metabolic parameters were assessed at diagnosis and after 12- and 24-month treatment.

RESULTS

Compared to non-HG patients, at baseline the HG patients had higher waist circumference (WC). TT significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI). Twelve-month CAB induced PRL normalization in 84%. HG prevalence significantly decreased (28%) and non-HG prevalence significantly increased (72%). Anthropometric and lipid parameters, fasting insulin (FI), insulin sensitivity index (ISI0), homeostatic model assessment of insulin secretion (HOMA-β) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) significantly improved compared to baseline. TT was the best predictor for FI. Percent change (Δ) of TT significantly correlated with ΔCholesterol, ΔWeight and ΔBMI. Compared to non-HG patients, the HG patients had a higher weight, BMI, WC and HOMA-β. In HG, testosterone replacement was started. After 24 months, PRL normalized in 97%. HG prevalence significantly decreased (6%) and non-HG prevalence significantly increased (94%). Anthropometric and lipid parameters, FI, ISI0, HOMA-β and HOMA-IR significantly improved compared to baseline, with FI, ISI0, HOMA-β and HOMA-IR further ameliorating compared to the 12-month evaluation. Compared to non-HG patients, the HG patients still had a higher weight, BMI and WC.

CONCLUSIONS

In hyperprolactinemic hypogonal men, proper testosterone replacement induces a significant improvement in the metabolic profile, even though the amelioration in the lipid profile might reflect the direct action of CAB.

Particulate matter beyond mass: recent health evidence on the role of fractions, chemical constituents and sources of emission

Particulate matter (PM) is regulated in various parts of the world based on specific size cut offs, often expressed as 10 or 2.5 µm mass median aerodynamic diameter. This pollutant is deemed one of the most dangerous to health and moreover, problems persist with high ambient concentrations. Continuing pressure to re-evaluate ambient air quality standards stems from research that not only has identified effects at low levels of PM but which also has revealed that reductions in certain components, sources and size fractions may best protect public health. Considerable amount of published information have emerged from toxicological research in recent years. Accumulating evidence has identified additional air quality metrics (e.g. black carbon, secondary organic and inorganic aerosols) that may be valuable in evaluating the health risks of, for example, primary combustion particles from traffic emissions, which are not fully taken into account with PM2.5 mass. Most of the evidence accumulated so far is for an adverse effect on health of carbonaceous material from traffic. Traffic-generated dust, including road, brake and tire wear, also contribute to the adverse effects on health. Exposure durations from a few minutes up to a year have been linked with adverse effects. The new evidence collected supports the scientific conclusions of the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines and also provides scientific arguments for taking decisive actions to improve air quality and reduce the global burden of disease associated with air pollution.

Urinary nickel and prolactin in workers exposed to urban stressors

The aim of our study is to verify whether the exposure to low Ni doses in urban air may have some effects on the prolactin values of outdoor workers exposed to urban pollutants. 334 workers have been included in the study and divided on the basis of gender, job, age, length of service and smoking habits. Each worker underwent urinary Ni and prolactin sampling. The t-test for independent samples, the Mann-Whitney U test for two mode variables (gender, smoking habit), the univariate ANOVA test and the Kruskal Wallis test for the variables in more than two modes (age, length of service and job duties) were performed on the total sample. Pearson's correlation coefficient (p two-tailed) among the parameters was evaluated both in the total sample and after the stratification by gender, smoking habit and job. Multiple linear regression was performed after taking account of the major confounding factors on the total sample and on the subcategories. The statistical tests showed a significant correlation between urinary Ni and prolactin both in the total sample and in the subcategories. We believe that the occupational exposure to low doses of Ni present in urban pollution may influence the prolactin values in exposed workers.

Exposure to cadmium in male urban and rural workers and effects on FSH, LH and testosterone

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the relationship between exposure to cadmium and circulating reproductive hormone levels in urban and rural male workers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Urinary cadmium, blood cadmium, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were obtained from 86 non-smoking traffic policemen and 86 subjects working as roadmen in a rural area. All subjects were monitored to evaluate airborne exposure to cadmium.

RESULTS

The mean value of exposure to cadmium was 1.3 ng m(-3) in traffic policemen, while the mean value was less than 0.5 ng m(-3) in roadmen. The mean concentrations of urinary cadmium (1.4 vs. 0.9 μg g(-1) creatinine; p=0.001), blood cadmium (1.1 vs. 0.7 μg l(-1); p=0.000), FSH (2.6 vs. 3.2 μlU ml(-1); p=0.02) and LH (2.6 vs. 3.1 μlU ml(-1); p=0.03) were significantly different between traffic policemen and roadmen. No differences were found in the mean values of testosterone between the two groups. Multiple linear regression models showed associations between (a) urinary cadmium, airborne cadmium, working life, job category and consumption of water from water supply (b) blood cadmium, airborne cadmium and job category (c) the values of FSH and age, working life, job category, urinary cadmium and blood cadmium (d) the values of LH and both the age and working life.

CONCLUSION

The above results must be confirmed by further studies, but they indicate the influence of exposure to the cadmium present in urban air on the circulating FSH, even at low doses.

Imprisonment-Associated Sperm Clumping and Male Infertility

OBJECTIVE: This observational, retrospective study investigated infertility among Iraqi men who had been long-term prisoners of war. METHODS: Routine seminal fluid analyses were undertaken in former prisoners with suspected infertility attending the Ramadi Infertility Clinic, Ramadi, Iraq; semen samples were also microscopically evaluated in these patients. RESULTS: In 16 out of 38 patients (42%), male infertility was found to be associated with the formation of unusually large clumps of sperm. These sperm clumps contained large numbers of sperm; clumping led to sperm immobilization and infertility. CONCLUSIONS: The causes of sperm clumping are unclear. It is possible that the sperm clumping observed in the present study might be a result of developmental defects, possibly related to stress or other undiscovered factors, although this requires further investigation.

Plasma cortisol concentrations and lifestyle in a population of outdoor workers

The aim of this study was to assess whether exposure to urban pollution in outdoor workers, may alter plasma cortisol concentrations also in relation to the effect of smoking and drinking habits. The research was carried out on 498 outdoor police workers, divided into three groups; Group A: traffic policemen (TP), Group B: drivers (D), Group C: Other duties (OD). To evaluate separately the effect of using alcohol and smoking, each group was divided into three subgroups: (1) non-smokers and non-drinkers, (2) smokers and non-drinkers, (3) non-smokers and drinkers. Our results show cortisol mean values were significantly higher in the TP group compared to the D and OD groups without significant differences between the last two groups. The results suggest that exposure to pollutants associated with urban psychosocial stress may play a more important role on plasma cortisol levels than smoking and alcohol.

Professional exposure to urban stressors and effects on urinary metanephrines

The aim of the study is to assess whether occupational exposure to urban stressors could cause alterations in urinary metanephrines levels in traffic policemen vs administrative staff of municipal police. A total of 258 subjects were included in the study: 129 traffic policemen exposed to urban stressors (68 males and 61 females) and 129 controls (68 males and 61 females). Urinary metanephrines mean levels were significantly higher in male traffic policemen compared to controls (p < 0.01). No significant differences were in female traffic policemen compared to controls. In the control group, urinary metanephrines mean levels were significantly higher in females compared to males (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in urinary metanephrines mean levels in female traffic policemen vs male traffic policemen. The increase in urinary metanephrines mean levels observed in male exposed compared to controls could be related to chronic occupational exposure to low doses of chemical, physical and psychosocial urban stressors.

Pulmonary nodules in workers exposed to urban stressor

By multilayer spiral low-dose computed tomography (LD-CT) of the chest this study assesses the early detection of lung lesions on a sample of 100 traffic policemen of a big Italian city professionally exposed to urban pollutants and 100 controls non-occupationally exposed to urban pollutants matched by sex, age, length of service and cigarette smoking habit. Exposure to urban pollutants in traffic policemen was characterized using the annual average concentrations of PM(10), NO2 and benzene in the period 1998-2008 measured by fixed monitoring stations located in different areas of the city. A significant and increasing number of suspicious lung nodules with diameters between 5 and 10 mm was observed: in traffic policemen (including smokers and non-smokers) vs. controls (including smokers and non-smokers); in total smokers (including traffic policemen and controls) vs. total non-smokers (traffic policemen and controls); in smoker traffic policemen vs. smoker controls and vs. non-smoker traffic policemen; in non-smoker traffic policemen vs. non-smoker controls. The RR of finding cases with at least one lung nodule with diameters between 5 and 10mm in traffic policemen (including smokers and non-smokers) compared to controls (including smokers and non-smokers) is 1.94 (CI 1.13-3.31); in total smokers vs. non-smokers the RR is 1.96 (CI 1.20-3.19). The comparison between the interaction exposure and smoking shows an increase in smoker traffic policemen than in smoker controls (RR=2.14; CI 1.02-4.52). The RR for smoker traffic policemen was higher than in non-smoker traffic policemen (RR=2.09; CI 1.19-3.66). The results of our study show that: (1) while smoker workers have a higher risk for developing solid suspicious lung nodules, the simple routinely exposure to urban pollutants is unable to produce the same kind of increased risk; (2) the interaction of smoking and exposure to urban pollutants greatly increases the risk for the development of solid suspicious lung nodules. In conclusion, the use of chest LD-CT in workers at risk helps identify suspicious solid lung nodules at early stage.