title: [Male hormonal profile in workers exposed to toluene in an industrial packaging plant].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to identify changes in the male hormonal profile (MHP), consisting of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone, in workers exposed to toluene.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study that included 42 workers, formed in two groups: with high and low exposure to toluene (HET and LET, respectively); the hippuric acid in urine, and the serum concentration in FSH, LH, and testosterone were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hippuric acid in subjects with LET was 2.53 ± 1.20 g/g creatinine, and with HET: 6.31 ± 3.83 g/g creatinine (p = 0.02). Seric FSH concentration was 5.12 ± 0.77 and 3.55 ± 0.3 mU/mL (p = 0.02) in LET and HET, respectively; LH: 2.66 ± 0.45 and 2.77 ± 0.21 (p = 0.81), and testosterone 3.91 ± 0.34 and 4.86 ± 0.23 ng/mL (p = 0.04). By regression analysis, the correlation coefficient of FSH with hippuric acid was r = -0.33 (p = 0.031), with coefficient of determination of 11 %; the LH correlation coefficient was r = -0.037 (p = 0.88) and 0.05 %, respectively; and the one for testosterone was r = 0.61 (p = 0.0001) and 34 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in HET group, FSH and LH serum levels diminished; testosterone shows an opposite response, perhaps explained by a different sensitivity of the male gonads exposed to toluene.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Central Sur de Alta Especialidad, Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), Distrito Federal, México, Mexico. luisharo2@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Genezareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miranda-Figueroa
authors.forename: María del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Paz-Román
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Madrid
authors.forename: Cuauhtémoc Arturo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Juárez-Pérez
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Basurto-Acevedo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haro-García
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019064:Product Packaging; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014050:Toluene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014050:Toluene; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone
keywords: follicle stimulating hormone; luteinizing hormone; occupational exposure; testosterone; toluene