Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-245
Table AX6-9.6 (cont’d). Effects of Lead on the Endocrine System in Adults
Reference, Study
Location, and Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings, Interpretation
Europe (cont’d)
Assennato et al. (1987)
Italy
NR
Govoni et al. (1987)
Italy
NR
Rodamilans et al.
(1988)
Spain
NR
Design: cross-sectional
Subjects: adult male battery manufacture
workers (n = 39), mean age 41 yr (SD 10);
reference cement plant workers (n = 18), mean
age 40 yr (SD 10)
Outcome measures: serum FSH, LH, PRL,
TES; urinary 17-ketosteroids
Analysis: parametric comparison of outcome
measures between Pb and reference groups
Design: cross-sectional
Subjects: adult male pewter manufacture
workers (n = 78), mean age 35 yr (SD 19,
range 19–52)
Outcome measures: serum PRL
Analysis: parametric comparison of outcome
measures between blood Pb and ZPP strata
Design: cross-sectional cohort
Subjects: adult male Pb smelter workers
(n = 23), age range 21–44 yr; reference group
(n = 20), age range 20–60 yr
Outcome measures: serum FSH, LH, TES,
FTES, SHBG
Analysis: comparison of outcome measures
between exposure duration strata
Blood Pb (µg/dL) mean
(SD):
Pb: 61 (20)
Reference: 18 (5)
Urinary Pb (µg/L) mean
(SD):
Pb: 79 (37)
Reference: 18 (8)
Blood Pb (µg/dL) mean
(SD)/blood ZPP (µg/dL)
mean (SD):
A (n = 22):
28.2 (7.1)/24.4 (8.7)
B (n = 33):
60/3 (19.3)/131 (107)
C (n = 13):
33.1 (6.7)/77.0 (42.2)
D (n = 8):
49.1 (4.2)/34.0 (4.8)
Blood Pb (µg/dL) mean
(SD)
Pb 5 yr (n = 10): 76 (11)
Reference (n = 20): 17.2
(13)
No significant association (p > 0.05) between blood Pb and
hormone levels.
Significantly (p < 0.02) higher serum PRL in high ZPP strata (B and
C, compared to low ZPP strata A).
Serum TES (p = 0.01) and FTES (p = 0.001) significantly lower and
SHBG significantly higher (p < 0.025) in >5-yr exposure group
compared to reference group; serum LH was significantly (p < 0.01)
higher in all exposure groups compared to reference group.