Table 3.
Semen characteristics and serum hormone levels in men
| Characteristics |
Non exposed workers (n = 45) |
Pesticide-exposed banana plantation workers (n = 42) |
P |
| Semen characteristics | |||
| Volume of the ejaculate (mL), mean (SD) | 3.8 (1.7) | 3.4 (1.7) | 0.44* |
| pH, mean (SD) | 7.9 (0.2) | 7.9 (0.2) | 0.65* |
| Sperm concentration (millions/mL), mean (SD) | 89.8 (81.1) | 70.3 (59.4) | 0.27* |
| Total sperm count (millions), mean (SD) | 308 (236) | 231 (229) | 0.19* |
| Rapid and progressive sperm motility (%), mean (SD) | 15.2 (8.6) | 15.0 (6.8) | 0.82* |
| Progressive sperm motility (%) mean (SD) | 42.4 (11.9) | 42.7 (13.9) | 0.62* |
| Morphologically normal sperm (%), mean (SD) | 13.9 (7.4) | 13.0 (8.0) | 0.36* |
| Multiple anomaly index, mean (SD) | 1.71 (0.25) | 1.73 (0.29) | 0.79* |
| Live sperm (%), mean (SD) | 54.1 (13.4) | 54.5 (17.3) | 0.56* |
| Serum hormones | |||
| FSH (IU/L), mean (SD) | 6.3 (4.4) | 5.9 (4.1) | 0.81† |
| LH (IU/L), mean (SD) | 4.7 (1.9) | 5.5 (2.6) | 0.16† |
| Testosterone (ng/mL), mean (SD) | 7.5 (2.5) | 6.8 (1.7) | 0.33† |
| Inhibin B (pg/mL), mean (SD) | 170 (72) | 168 (67) | 0.63† |
* adjusted for age, tobacco use, solvents, genital infections, season of sperm analysis and sexual abstinence.
† adjusted for age and body mass index