Urine bisphenol-A (BPA) level in relation to semen quality

Urine bisphenol-A (BPA) level in relation to semen quality

De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D.a, ZhiJun Zhou, M.D., Ph.D.b, Maohua Miao, Ph.D.c, Yonghua He, Ph.D.b, JinTao Wang, Ph.D.d, Jeannette Ferber, M.P.H.a, Lisa J. Herrinton, Ph.D.a, ErSheng Gao, M.D., M.P.H.ce, Wei Yuan, M.D., Ph.D.ce

Received 28 May 2010; received in revised form 9 August 2010; accepted 16 September 2010. published online 29 October 2010.
Corrected Proof

Objective
To determine whether urine bisphenol-A (BPA) levels are associated with lower semen quality.

Design
Cohort study.

Setting
Four regions in China where high exposure to BPA in the workplace existed.

Patient(s)
218 men with and without BPA exposure in the workplace.

Intervention(s)
None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)
Semen parameters.

Result(s)
After adjustment for potential confounders using linear regression, increasing urine BPA level was statistically significantly associated with [1] decreased sperm concentration, [2] decreased total sperm count, [3] decreased sperm vitality, and [4] decreased sperm motility. Compared with men who did not have detectable urine BPA levels, those with detectable urine BPA had more than three times the risk of lowered sperm concentration and lower sperm vitality, more than four times the risk of lower sperm count, and more than twice the risk of lower sperm motility. The urine BPA level was not associated with semen volume or abnormal sperm morphology. Similar dose-response associations were observed among men with environmental BPA exposure at levels comparable with those in the U.S population. Despite a markedly reduced sample size, the inverse correlation between increased urine BPA levels and decreased sperm concentration and total sperm count remained statistically significant.

Conclusion(s)
These results provide the first epidemiologic evidence of an adverse effect of BPA on semen quality.

Key Words: Bisphenol A, BPA, endocrine disruptor, epidemiology, male fertility, semen quality
a Division of Research, Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California

b Department of Occupational Health and Toxicology, School of Public Health and WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational Health, Fudan University

c Department of Epidemiology and Social Science on Reproductive Health, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, and WHO Collaborating Center for Research in Human Reproduction

d Department of Epidemiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, People’s Republic of China

e National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and Devices, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

Reprint requests: De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

Wei Yuan, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Epidemiology and Social Science on Reproductive Health, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

D-K.L. has nothing to disclose. Z.J.Z. has nothing to disclose. M.M. has nothing to disclose. Y.H. has nothing to disclose. J.T.W. has nothing to disclose. J.F. has nothing to disclose. L.J.H. has nothing to disclose. E.S.G. has nothing to disclose. W.Y. has nothing to disclose.

Supported by a grant from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (R01 OH007580).

PII: S0015-0282(10)02587-2

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.09.026

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Urine bisphenol-A (BPA) level in relation to semen quality