Serum sex hormones in men occupationally exposed to dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro ethane (DDT) as young adults.
To explore endocrine effects in relation to para,para'-dichloro-diphenyl-dichloro ethylene (p,p'-DDE) body burden and past occupational exposure to its precursor dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro ethane (DDT), we assayed serum sex hormones, including serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 17beta-estradiol (E2), testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and p,p'-DDE levels in 107 male participants in a 1946-1950 anti-malarial campaign in Sardinia, Italy. Cumulative DDT exposure during the anti-malarial operations was retrospectively estimated from detailed reports of the anti-malarial agency. Ortho,para-DDE, and its precursor ortho,para-DDT were always below the detection limit. p,p'-DDT was detected in 14/107 subjects, and p,p'-DDE in 106/107 subjects. The median lipid-adjusted p,p'-DDE serum concentration over the total study population was 396 parts per billion (interquartile range 157-1045), and it did not vary according to the job at the time of anti-malarial operations, nor was it affected by cumulative DDT exposure. LH, FSH, and SHBG, but not testosterone or E2, showed a significant positive correlation with age. Neither current serum p,p'-DDE nor past cumulative DDT exposure affected sex hormone concentrations. Our results suggest that (1) the low current p,p'-DDE serum concentration does not affect serum hormone levels, and (2) past cumulative DDT exposure is not correlated with the current p,p'-DDE serum level, nor does it show persistent effects on serum hormone levels.
Cocco
Pierluigi
P
Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Section, University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124 Cagliari, Italy. coccop@pacs.unica.it
Loviselli
Andrea
A
Fadda
Domenica
D
Ibba
Antonio
A
Melis
Massimo
M
Oppo
Alessandro
A
Serra
Stefano
S
Taberlet
Alessandro
A
Tocco
Maria Giuseppina
MG
Flore
Costantino
C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003634:DDT / Q000633:toxicity*; D005019:Ethyl Ethers / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005019:Ethyl Ethers; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007306:Insecticides; C052560:bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) ether; D003634:DDT