Thyroid autoantibodies in euthyroid women with recurrent abortions and infertility

Evidences suggest an association between the prevalence of thyroid peroxidase [anti-TPO] and anti thyroglobulin [anti-Tg] with recurrent abortions and infertility. Iodine deficiency was once endemic in Iran and little data is available about the prevalence of these antibodies in different groups of fertile or infertile individuals. This case control study was designed to compare the presence of anti-TPO and anti-Tg in four groups of women to reveal their role in the etiology of recurrent abortion and infertility. Four groups of euthyroid women referring to Avicenna Infertility Clinic in Tehran were selected; 95 cases as fertile controls and 70, 78 and 137 cases with male and female factor infertility and recurrent abortion respectively. TSH, anti-TPO and anti-Tg were evaluated by chemiluminescent immunoassay. The prevalence of the above mentioned autoantibodies in euthyroid controls was about 25% and the percentage of people with an anti-Tg >500 was two times bigger in the abortion group compared to the control group [p<0.05] and the proportion of people with an anti-Tg>500 in younger cases in the abortion group was significantly higher than the rest of the cases [p<0.05]. Anti-TPO distribution had no significant differences. There were no statistically significant differences among four groups. It seems that more comprehensive studies are needed to reach a common conclusion about thyroid autoantibodies in women with recurrent abortions in different groups and different parts of Iran. In addition, dividing the recurrent abortion and infertility groups on the basis of their etiologies could be effective

[Evaluation of extremely low frequency [ELF] electromagnetic fields and their probable relationship with hematological changes among operators in heavy metal industry]

It is important that biological and health effects from the induction of currents and fields in the body by extremely low frequency [ELF] fields are fully explored to determine the effects produced at the molecular, cellular and organ levels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intensity of ELF electromagnetic fields and its probable relationship with hematological changes among operators in a heavy metal industry site. This is a case study. In the present study, 205 workers exposed to electromagnetic fields [EMF] were working in four categories:[1] induction furnace workers, [2] induction hardening workers, [3] welders, [4] computer operators. A variety of methods for exposure assessment have been devised and applied to epidemiological studies of the effects of EMF in occupational settings. The methods range from rather crude job-classification methods, to sophisticated job-exposure matrix [JEM] modeling based on personal exposure measurements and reconstruction of past exposure. Monitoring procedures were carried out to measure the levels of exposure to ELF electric and magnetic fields. The strength of the electric and magnetic fields was measured by a dosimetric method [NIOSH 203]. Workers' blood samples were collected and analyzed for identifying different blood parameters. The results of hematological changes of workers in their medical files were also used for evaluation. Measurements showed a high strength of ELF filed at the induction furnace workplace. Total electric field ranged from 2.3 to 2452.3 V/M and magnetic field from 1 to 325.1 micro T. In other workshops including induction hardening, total electric field ranged from 2.45 to 68.5 V/M, magnetic field from 1.3 to 20.4 micro T, total electric filed from 1.02 to 11.23 V/M, magnetic field from 0.12 to 3.25 micro T in the welding department and finally for computer operators this range was 20.1 to 186.2 V/m for electric field and 0.07 to 0.25 mirco T for magnetic field. Mean value of WBC and MCV increased significantly among exposed induction furnace workders group [P<0.05], but RBC decreased. Mean value of WBC, MCHC and MCV increased significant among the exposed induction hardening workers group [P<0.05], but RBC and Hgb decreased. Mean value of WBC, MCV and Hgb increased significantly among the exposed welders group [P<0.05], but Hgb in relation with age decreased. Mean value of RVc and MCH decreased significantly among exposed computer operators group / [P<0.05]