Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6352398 | Environmental Research | 2015 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
Health concerns surrounding human exposure to phthalates include diminished semen quality. Epidemiological findings remain inconsistent. We have performed a quality appraisal and meta-analysis to quantitatively summarize evidence for associations between phthalate exposures and human semen quality. Pubmed and Web of Science were searched for pertinent studies through October 2014. Cited references were reviewed to identify secondary studies. Studies that reported quantitative estimates of the association between phthalates or their metabolite levels in humans and semen quality were eligible. Random effects models were used to calculate pooled effects estimates. Overall, 20 studies met our inclusion criteria. Subsequently, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Urinary monobutyl phthalate (MBP) and monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) were associated with reduced sperm concentration (MBP [7.4-25.3 µg/L], pooled odds ratio [OR]=2.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.32-5.15; MBzP [14.0-540.2 µg/L], pooled OR=2.23, 95% CI=1.16-4.30). Both MBP (24.6-14,459.0 µg/L) and MEHP (3.1-208.1 µg/L) were inversely associated with straight line velocity (VSL; MBP, pooled β=-2.51, 95% CI=-4.44, -0.59; MEHP, pooled β=-1.06, 95% CI=-1.99, -0.12). An IQR increase in MBzP and MEP levels (MBzP, IQR=11.35 µg/L; MEP, IQR=449.4 µg/L) was associated with an increase in comet extent (CE; MBzP, pooled β=3.57, 95% CI=0.89-6.25; MEP, pooled β=4.22, 95% CI=1.66-6.77). No associations were observed between monomethyl phthalate and any semen parameters. Our meta-analysis strengthens the evidence that specific phthalates or their metabolite levels may affect semen quality.
Keywords
MEHPDEPdibutyl phthalateLMWHMWBBzPDEHPDiDPTDMMBzPDnOPdi-n-octyl phthalateVSLMEHHPMEOHPstraight line velocityVCLMEPMMPCMRTRIMBPDBPDiNPmono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalateROSUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe European UnionEpidemiologybutylbenzyl phthalatedi (2-ethylhexyl) phthalateDiethyl phthalatediisodecyl phthalatediisononyl phthalateLinearityWorld Health OrganizationCurvilinear velocityconfidence intervalPhthalatesMeta-analysisLinToxics release inventorymonoethyl phthalatemonobenzyl phthalatemonobutyl phthalateMonomethyl phthalateodds ratiohigh molecular weightlow molecular weightPVCPolyvinyl chlorideWHOSemen qualityReactive oxygen species
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Environmental Science
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Authors
Hongquan Cai, Weiwei Zheng, Pai Zheng, Shu Wang, Hui Tan, Gengsheng He, Weidong Qu,