EFFECTS OF PROLONGED AUTOVEHICLE DRIVING ON MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION - A STUDY AMONG TAXI DRIVERS

This study had the purpose of exploring the possible association betwe en work exposures of professional drivers and their reproductive healt h, by studying a group of 201 taxi drivers in the city of Rome. Data o n work and reproductive history were collected by interviews. Biologic al markers examined in 72 subjects included salivary testosterone leve ls, sperm quality (i.e., sperm concentration, sperm morphology, and mo tility), and fertility experience, including time to pregnancy. Their spermatologic profile was compared with that of a control group of 50 healthy subjects of similar age and smoking habits. The results showed that taxi drivers, compared to the controls, had a significantly lowe r prevalence of normal sperm forms (45.8% vs. 64.0%); this was particu larly true for those with a longer time on this job. This result was c onfirmed by a multivariate analysis in which confounders such as age, smoking, and alcohol consumption were controlled. The other sperm para meters did not differ in the study and the control groups. Among the l ife-style factors, we found smoking to be associated with poorer sperm morphology. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a better seminologic profile, while the pattern in respect to coffee intake wa s inconclusive. Subjects with poor semen quality also more frequently exhibited longer time to pregnancy of the partner. The results suggest s that prolonged urban automobile driving might be a risk factors for sperm quality, and particularly for sperm morphology, but the finding needs further confirmation. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.