Considering that the potential confounding effect of extraneous factors was controlled for by restricting the study population and by matching traffic police and controls on the above-mentioned variables, our results suggest that occupational exposure to urban pollutants, EDs included, might alter E2 plasma concentrations. E2 could be used in occupational set as an early biomarker of exposure to urban pollutants, valuable for the group, even before the onset of the related pathologies (adverse pregnancy outcome and mental health disorders).
The aim of the study was to determine if occupational exposure to automobile exhaust can cause alterations in plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in female traffic police. After excluding the subjects with confounding factors, traffic police and controls were matched by age, lifestyle, menstrual cycle day, body mass index, alcohol intake, cigarette smoking habits, and habitual consumption of soy and Italian coffee. Subjects were studied on the seventh, 14th, and 21st days of the cycle. On the seventh day, FSH mean levels were significantly higher in traffic police versus controls. On the 14th and 21st days, FSH levels were not different in traffic police versus controls. The results suggest that occupational exposure to the pollutants in automobile exhaust can alter FSH plasma concentrations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.