Do reproductive hormones explain the association between body mass index and semen quality? / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To examine whether reproductive hormones play a role in the association between body mass index (BMI) and semen quality.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Semen quality and testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E(2)) were evaluated in 990 fertile males with age 38.9 +/- 9.7 (mean +/- SD) years recruited from the Chinese general population in 2001 and 2002.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Semen quality was reduced among underweight (BMI < 18.5) compared with normal (BMI 18.5-24.9) and overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), but the associations were independent of reproductive hormones. After adjustment for the potential confounders, underweight men had reductions in sperm concentration (22.4 X 10(6)/mL), total sperm count (52.9 X 10(6)) and percentage of normal sperm forms (6.9%) compared with men with normal BMI. Being underweight may be a risk factor for low sperm concentration (OR: 4.68, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.01-10.91). Otherwise, being overweight may be a protected factor for low sperm concentration (OR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.08-0.83) and low total sperm count (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.15-0.87).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Low BMI was associated with reduced semen quality. The associations between BMI and semen quality were found statistically significant even after adjustment for reproductive hormones. Reproductive hormones cannot explain the association between BMI and semen quality.</p>

A case-control study on the risk factor of perinatals' congenital malformations in seven cities of Guangxi / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the possible risk factors of congenital malformations in cities of Guangxi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study was carried out on 281 cases of congenital malformations and 730 controls. Analysis of simple factor and multiple factors unconditional logistic regression were done.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The analysis of simple factor and multiple factors showed that main risk factors of congenital malformations as multiple pregnancies (OR = 2.6), pregnancy complications (OR = 3.2), exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancy (OR = 3.0), taking sedatives (OR = 10.2), hormone drug (OR = 9.4) or Chinese herbal medicines (OR = 2.5) during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' blood type as AB (OR = 3.5) or A (OR = 2.2), mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy (OR = 2.6), mothers' occupation being workers (OR = 3.8) or peasants (OR = 3.0), fathers' exposure to noise (OR = 5.7) or suffering from chronic diseases (OR = 2.8).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Some risk factors were identified as having important effect on perinatal congenital malformations, including taking sedatives, hormone drug or Chinese herbal medicines during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy, multiple pregnancies, pregnancy complications, exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancies, mothers' blood type as AB or A, mothers' occupation being workers or peasants, fathers' exposure to noise or suffering from chronic diseases.</p>