A Four-Year Reassessment of Workers with Dibromochloropropane-Induced Testicular Dysfunction

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Abstract
A 4 yr follow-up of 20 production workers with DBCP[dibromochloropropane]-induced testicular dysfunction was summarized. In 4 of the 13 initially azoospermic men, sperm density increased to 1.5-48.0 million/ml. Five of the 7 initially oligozoospermic workers showed a marked increase in sperm count. In all men with improved spermatogenesis, plasma levels of FSH, LH [luteinizing hormone] and testosterone were within the normal range when first evaluated. Nine spontaneous pregnancies occurred in the spouses of 7 of the recovered workers. All pregnancies went to term and culminated in the spontaneous birth of normal healthy infants. There was no improvement in the sperm counts of all azoospermic and oligozoospermic men with prolonged exposure to the chemical. The gonadotoxic effect of DBCP in human males was reversible, being inversely related to previous exposure time and most likely to occur in the presence of normal FSH values. The further increase in plasma FSH and LH and the moderate decrease in the mean testosterone level in the non-recovered workers was of prime importance. This was probably a delayed toxic effect of DBCP on Sertoli and Leydig cell function during the 4-yr follow-up period and explained the lack of spermatogenic recovery over a prolonged period of time.