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A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Eskenazi, B; Wyrobek, AJ; Fenster, L; Katz, DF; Sadler, M; Lee, J; Hudes, M; Rempel, DM
Published in: American journal of industrial medicine
January 1991

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of perchloroethylene (PCE) exposure on human semen quality. We compared the semen quality of 34 dry cleaners with that of 48 laundry workers. We examined the relationships of 17 semen parameters to expired air levels of PCE and to an index of exposure based on job tasks in the last three months. The average sperm concentration was over 80 million for both dry cleaners and laundry workers, but approximately one-quarter of each group was oligospermic. The overall percentage of abnormal forms was similar for the two groups; however, sperm of dry cleaners were significantly more likely to be round (t = -3.29, p = 0.002) and less likely to be narrow (t = 2.35, p = 0.02) than the sperm of laundry workers. These effects were dose-related to expired air levels and to the exposure index after controlling for potential confounders (e.g., heat exposure). The average percent motile sperm for both groups was slightly over 60%; however, sperm of dry cleaners tended to swim with greater amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) than those of laundry workers (t = -1.73, p = 0.09), and level of PCE in expired air was a significant predictor of ALH in the multiple regression model (t = 2.00, p = 0.05). In addition, exposure index was a significant negative predictor of the sperm linearity parameter (t = -2.57, p = 0.01). These results suggest that occupational exposures to PCE can have subtle effects on sperm quality. Additional analyses are required to determine whether these effects are associated with changes in fertility.

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Published In

American journal of industrial medicine

DOI

EISSN

1097-0274

ISSN

0271-3586

Publication Date

January 1991

Volume

20

Issue

5

Start / End Page

575 / 591

Related Subject Headings

  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Spermatozoa
  • Sperm Motility
  • Sperm Count
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Linear Models
  • Laundering
 

Citation

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Eskenazi, B., Wyrobek, A. J., Fenster, L., Katz, D. F., Sadler, M., Lee, J., … Rempel, D. M. (1991). A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 20(5), 575–591. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700200502
Eskenazi, B., A. J. Wyrobek, L. Fenster, D. F. Katz, M. Sadler, J. Lee, M. Hudes, and D. M. Rempel. “A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers.American Journal of Industrial Medicine 20, no. 5 (January 1991): 575–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700200502.
Eskenazi B, Wyrobek AJ, Fenster L, Katz DF, Sadler M, Lee J, et al. A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers. American journal of industrial medicine. 1991 Jan;20(5):575–91.
Eskenazi, B., et al. “A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers.American Journal of Industrial Medicine, vol. 20, no. 5, Jan. 1991, pp. 575–91. Epmc, doi:10.1002/ajim.4700200502.
Eskenazi B, Wyrobek AJ, Fenster L, Katz DF, Sadler M, Lee J, Hudes M, Rempel DM. A study of the effect of perchloroethylene exposure on semen quality in dry cleaning workers. American journal of industrial medicine. 1991 Jan;20(5):575–591.
Journal cover image

Published In

American journal of industrial medicine

DOI

EISSN

1097-0274

ISSN

0271-3586

Publication Date

January 1991

Volume

20

Issue

5

Start / End Page

575 / 591

Related Subject Headings

  • Tetrachloroethylene
  • Spermatozoa
  • Sperm Motility
  • Sperm Count
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Linear Models
  • Laundering