Dataset Information

Does air pollution exposure affect semen quality? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 93,996 Chinese men.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Air pollution may impair male fertility, but it remains controversial whether air pollution affects semen quality until now.

Objectives

We undertake a meta-analysis to explore potential impacts of six pollutants exposure during the entire window (0-90 days prior to ejaculation) and critical windows (0-9, 10-14, and 70-90 days prior to ejaculation) on semen quality.

Methods

Seven databases were retrieved for original studies on the effects of six pollutants exposure for 90 days prior to ejaculation on semen quality. The search process does not limit the language and search date. We only included original studies that reported regression coefficients (β) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The β and 95% CIs were pooled using the DerSimonian-Laird random effect models.

Results

PM_2.5 exposure was related with decreased total sperm number (10-14 lag days) and total motility (10-14, 70-90, and 0-90 lag days). PM₁₀ exposure was related with reduced total sperm number (70-90 and 0-90 lag days) and total motility (0-90 lag days). NO₂ exposure was related with reduced total sperm number (70-90 and 0-90 lag days). SO₂ exposure was related with declined total motility (0-9, 10-14, 0-90 lag days) and total sperm number (0-90 lag days).

Conclusion

Air pollution affects semen quality making it necessary to limit exposure to air pollution for Chinese men. When implementing protective measures, it is necessary to consider the key period of sperm development.

SUBMITTER: Liu J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10435904 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Does air pollution exposure affect semen quality? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 93,996 Chinese men.

Liu Junjie J Dai Yanpeng Y Li Runqing R Yuan Jiayi J Wang Quanxian Q Wang Linkai L

Frontiers in public health 20230803

<h4>Background</h4>Air pollution may impair male fertility, but it remains controversial whether air pollution affects semen quality until now.<h4>Objectives</h4>We undertake a meta-analysis to explore potential impacts of six pollutants exposure during the entire window (0-90 days prior to ejaculation) and critical windows (0-9, 10-14, and 70-90 days prior to ejaculation) on semen quality.<h4>Methods</h4>Seven databases were retrieved for original studies on the effects of six pollutants exposu ...[more]

PMID: 37601219

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Project description:ImportanceThe health effects of exposure to particulate matter (PM) on male fertility remain unclear. Although PM exposure has been linked with semen quality, the results were inconsistent.ObjectiveTo examine the association of different size fractions of PM (<2.5 μm [PM2.5], 2.5-10 μm [PM2.5-10], and ≤10 μm [PM10]) exposure with semen quality in China.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted using data on men whose wives underwent assisted reproductive technology procedures in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China, from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2019. Participants were from 340 prefecture-level cities of China and were followed up from the date of their first visit until December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2020, to May 15, 2021.ExposuresExposure to PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10 during the entire period (0-90 days before semen ejaculation) and key periods of sperm development (0-9, 10-14, and 70-90 days before semen ejaculation).Main outcomes and measuresSemen quality, including sperm count, concentration, and motility.ResultsA total of 33 876 men were included in the final analysis, with a mean (SD) age of 34.1 (5.7) years and large variation of PM exposure. For example, the median exposure to PM2.5 during the entire period of sperm development was 46.05 (IQR, 34.38-61.65) μg/m3. During the entire period of sperm development, exposures to higher levels of PM were significantly associated with lower total and progressive sperm motility. For total sperm motility, an IQR increase in PM2.5 exposure was associated with an estimated effect decrease of -3.60% (95% CI, -3.93% to -3.26%); an increase in PM2.5-10 exposure, with an estimated effect decrease of -0.45% (95% CI, -0.76% to -0.14%); and an increase in PM10 exposure, with an estimated effect decrease of -2.44% (95% CI, -2.91% to -1.96%). Similar results were observed for progressive motility. An IQR increase in PM2.5 or PM10 exposures was associated with an estimated effect decrease on sperm progressive motility of -1.87% (95% CI, -2.37% to -1.36%) and -1.05% (95% CI, -1.45% to -0.64%), respectively. However, no significant associations were observed between PM exposure during the entire period of sperm development and sperm count or concentration.Conclusions and relevanceThese findings suggest that PM exposure may adversely affect sperm motility and highlight the need to reduce ambient particulate air pollution exposure for reproductive-aged men.

Project description:IntroductionIt is hypothesized that air pollutants could be associated with semen parameters. This systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was conducted to reach a firm conclusion regarding the possible association between outdoor air pollution and semen parameters among the adult population.MethodsPubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science were systematically searched using the text keywords and MeSH terms, including "air pollution" and "semen parameters,". The population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework was used as follows: P (Adult men), I (Individuals with the highest exposure to the air pollutants), C (Individuals with the lowest exposure to the air pollutants), O [Semen parameters, including semen volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, normal morphology rate, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI)]. The overall effect was presented as a weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) analyzed via a fixed (inverse-variance) or random (DerSimonian-Laird) weighted model. Low, moderate, and high heterogeneity were defined as I2 index < 40, 40-75, and > 75%, respectively.ResultsSeventeen studies covering 24,065 participants were enrolled in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Higher exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with significant decreases in semen volume (WMD: -0.13 mL; 95% CI, -0.21 to -0.05; P = 0.001; I2 = 32.1%), sperm concentration (WMD: -12.41 × 106/mL; 95% CI, -23.29 to -1.53; P = 0.03; I2 = 98.7%), total motility (WMD: -5.96%; 95% CI, -10.76 to -1.16; P = 0.01; I2 = 96.2%), progressive motility (WMD: -4.89%; 95% CI, -9.23 to -0.55; P = 0.03; I2 = 98.0%), normal morphology rate (WMD: -2.64%; 95% CI, -4.36 to -0.92; P = 0.003; I2 = 94.6%), and significant increases in DNA fragmentation index (WMD: 5.41%; 95% CI, 3.24 to 7.59; P < 0.001; I2 = 70.4%).ConclusionBased on the results, it can be stated that air pollution can impair sperm parameters. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to illuminate this issue and clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Project description:Several experimental and observational studies have demonstrated the antiandrogenicity of several phthalates. However, there is limited evidence of an association between phthalate exposure in adult life and semen quality. The aim of this study was to examine phthalate exposure during adulthood in relation to semen quality in fertile US men. This multi-center cross-sectional study included 420 partners of pregnant women who attended a prenatal clinic in one of five US cities during 1999-2001. Nine phthalate metabolites [mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP)], as well as mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) and mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono (three carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and monoethyl phthalate (MEP)] were measured in urine collected at the same time as the semen sample. We regressed natural log-transformed (ln) sperm concentration, ln(total sperm count), ln(total motile sperm count), percent motile spermatozoa, and percent spermatozoa with normal morphology on each of the nine natural log-transformed metabolite concentrations and on the molar-weighted sum of DEHP metabolites in separate models. We fit unadjusted models and models that adjusted for confounders determined a priori. In unadjusted models, ln(MiBP) was significantly and positively associated with motility and ln(MBzP) significantly negatively associated with ln(total sperm count). In adjusted linear models, urinary metabolite concentrations of DEHP, DBP, DEP, and DOP were not associated with any semen parameter. We found an inverse association between ln(MBzP) concentrations and sperm motility (β = -1.47, 95% CI: -2.61, -0.33), adjusted for ln(creatinine concentration), geographic location, age, race, smoking status, stress, recent fever, time from sample collection and time to complete analysis. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these associations. This study and the available literature suggest that impacts of adult exposure to phthalates at environmental levels on classical sperm parameters are likely to be small.

Dataset Information

Does air pollution exposure affect semen quality? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 93,996 Chinese men.

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Does air pollution exposure affect semen quality? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 93,996 Chinese men.

Similar Datasets

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