Table 2.
Comparison of blood and seminal fluid concentrations of heavy metals in participants in the EMI study stratified by semen quality reference value
| Variable | Study group A (low-quality semen) (n = 61) | Study group B (normal-quality semen) (n = 55) |
|---|---|---|
| Blood | ||
| Pb | 32.57 (51.98 ± 7.08) | 30.98 (35.75 ± 2.51) |
| Cd | 6.80 (16.93 ± 5.08) | 6.04 (25.51 ± 7.16) |
| As | 12.10 (19.70 ± 2.32) | 12.29 (21.55 ± 3.97) |
| Ba | 9.30 (134.78 ± 52.74) | 7.40 (63.40 ± 22.82) |
| Hg | 12.50 (20.54 ± 3.82) | 10.40 (90.54 ± 51.14) |
| U | 0.60 (1.39 ± 0.40) | 0.90 (1.10 ± 0.15) |
| Seminal fluid | ||
| Pb | 5.88 (16.26 ± 4.46) | 4.70 (12.85 ± 3.50) |
| Cd | 6.22 (55.69 ± 29.84)* | 3.67 (11.35 ± 2.76)* |
| As | 17.80 (43.26 ± 7.54) | 17.87 (31.15 ± 4.78) |
| Ba | 11.00 (64.16 ± 22.90)* | 8.60 (39.17 ± 23.29)* |
| Hg | 10.61 (50.54 ± 13.66) | 10.90 (54.89 ± 25.62) |
| U | 1.70 (2.79 ± 0.46) | 0.95 (5.44 ± 2.58) |
Values in micrograms per liter are median (mean ± SE)
*Significance levels (p value < 0.05) when comparing low-quality semen study group A and normal-quality semen study group B, using Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test (italicized characters)