Increasing incidence of human male reproductive health disorders in relation to environmental effects on growth- and sex steroid-induced alterations in programmed development.

Informazioni relative al progetto

ENVIR. REPROD.HEALTH

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: QLK4-CT-1999-01422

Progetto chiuso

Data di avvio 1 Febbraio 2000

Data di completamento 31 Luglio 2005

Finanziato da

• Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002

Costo totale € 5 689 074,00

Contributo UE € 2 685 895,00

Coordinato da

COPENHAGEN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Denmark

Risultati finali

databases on human exposure to different environmental effects

1. Regional database on human exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors. Database on human exposure to persistent organohalogenated chemicals. In numbers, the database contains information on 18 chemical residues quantified in 350 placentas, 150 samples of cord blood, and 150 samples of blood from mothers, 650 samples from 18-70-year-old women, 180 from 2-12-year-old boys, 280 from 18-23-year-old men and 250 from 25-70-year-old men. 2. Database on human semen quality (280 18-23 year-old men) 3. Bio-repository on human tissues: placenta, serum and adipose tissue. Samples, obtained following ethical and technical requirements, are stored at the Regional Bank of Human Tissues, located in the Hospital Clinico, and maintained by the Regional Government. 4. A new methodology for assessment of human exposure to environmental estrogens.

Reproductive function in young men in Latvia

Investigation of the reproductive function of young men in Latvia was performed. We determined physical appearance, testis volume measured by orchidometer, semen quality (sperm concentration, motility and morphology) and reproductive hormone levels in the blood of 300 military conscripts. Sperm count of < 20 mln/ml was detected in 11 percent of young Latvian men. Testis volume by orchidometer was about 23 ml, and sperm concentration was about 83 mln/ml, while sperm volume was around 3,4 ml. These findings are related with information on lifestyle, including information of ante-natal and childhood exposure, and previous or current diseases.These data will be compared with findings within the European Union countries. Additional information is provided from the Baltic area to the centralized European database on male reproductive health.

Reproductive function in young men in Lithuania

Investigation of the reproductive function of young men in Lithuania was performed. We determined physical appearance, testis volume measured by orchidometer and by ultrasound, semen quality (sperm concentration, motility and morphology) and reproductive hormone levels in the blood of 325 military conscripts from Kaunas. Sperm count of < 20 mln/ml was detected in 14 percent of young Lithuanian men. Testis volume by orchidometer was about 23 ml, and sperm concentration was about 83 mln/ml, while sperm volume was around 3,4 ml. These findings are related with information on lifestyle, including information of ante_natal and childhood exposure, and previous or current diseases. These data will be compared with findings within the European Union countries. Additional information is provided from the Baltic area to the centralized European database on male reproductive health.