title: Correlation between seminal lead and cadmium and seminal parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermic males.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The exact causes of the decline in semen quality are not yet known, environmental factors have been considered to play an important role. Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) are two of the well-known reproductive toxicants to which humans are exposed occupationally and environmentally and can lead to negative effects on the testicular functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma of men with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia in comparison to fertile healthy controls and to correlate these levels with conventional semen parameters, sperm hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) percentage, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage, and semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty infertile male patients with idiopathic oligo and/or asthenozoospermia and thirty healthy fertile men, which was the control group, were included in the study. Lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma, semen parameters, sperm HOS, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS assay were measured in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in seminal lead and cadmium levels among infertile males in comparison to controls. There were significant negative correlations between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and certain semen parameters especially progressive sperm motility and vitality (HOS). Importantly, significant positive correlations were noted between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS level in infertile men and controls on the other hand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, men with idiopathic male infertility had higher levels of lead and cadmium in their semen which correlated with impairment of sperm motility and vitality percentages and more importantly with higher sperm DNA fragmentation% and semen ROS level.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Dermatology & Andrology.
authors.forename: Emad A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology.
authors.forename: Sohair K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology.
authors.forename: Nagwa M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ghandour
authors.affiliation: Departments of Dermatology & Andrology.
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahran
authors.affiliation: Public Health & Community Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Medhat A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magdy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Cairo University, Egypt and Department of Urology, University of Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Rany
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shamloul
keywords: azoospermia; cadmium; lead