Correlation between urinary phthalate concentration and semen quality parameters

Objective To explore the correlation between urinary phthalate concentration and semen quality parameters. Methods A total of 112 males with infertility in our hospital were set as infertility group. Another 65 healthy males who had given birth during the same period in our hospital were selected as control group. The semen samples obtained by urine and masturbation were collected in all the subjects. The semen quality parameters were detected by automatic color sperm quality detection system, and the concentrations of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Di 2-Ethyl Hexyl Phthalate (DEHP) in urine were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and the correlation between concentrations of four phthalates and semen quality parameters was analyzed by spearman correlation coefficient. Results The concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP, DEHP and total phthalate in infertility group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The sperm density, sperm survival rate and ratios of a+ b level sperm and forward movement in infertility group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05), and the ratio of abnormal sperm was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP and DEHP in urine were negatively correlated with sperm density, sperm survival rate and ratios of a+ b level sperm and forward movement (P<0.05), and were positively correlated with abnormal sperm ratio (P<0.05). Conclusions The concentration of phthalate is high in urine of infertile males, and its concentration is negatively correlated with semen quality. Phthalate accumulation may be one of the important reasons for male infertility. Key words: Urinalysis; Phthalate; Semen analysis; Infertility, male