ENDOCRINE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-STATUS OF MEN WHO HAD EXPERIENCED SHORT-TERM RADIATION EXPOSURE AT CHERNOBYL

Hormonal and semen parameters in 416 men aged 25-45 years were examine d: 328 were men who cleaned the territory around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor (called 'liquidators') and 88 were healthy age-matched contro ls. The dose of radiation received by the liquidators was 0.16 +/- 0.0 8 Gy. LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone and cortisol levels were assaye d using WHO-matched reagents. Semen analyses were performed according to the WHO Manual (1992). The mean concentration of all hormones in li quidators and controls were within the WHO-defined normal range. The m ean levels of LH and cortisol in liquidators were significantly lower (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001, respectively) and testosterone significantly higher (p = 0.023) than in controls. The variations in hormone levels in liquidators were not correlated with the acquired doses of radiati on as measured by personal dosimeters (film badges). Semen parameters in a sub-group of 70 liquidators were within the normal WHO-defined ra nge. The percentage of normal forms of spermatozoa in liquidators (35. 0 +/- 13.1%) was significantly lower (p < 0.015) than in a control gro up (42.8 +/- 8.9%). The study has shown that exposure of men to relati vely short-term radiation did not cause long-lasting disruption of the ir endocrine status and spermatogenesis. The study was 7-9 years retro spective and it is therefore impossible to infer what the immediate ef fects of the radiation exposure were on these parameters.