{"title":"Association of occupational testicular radiation exposure with offspring sex ratio.","authors":"Yasukazu Hijikata, Tsukasa Kamitani, Yosuke Yamamoto, Takahiro Itaya, Yoshinori Matsuoka, Koichi Morota, Haruki Funao, Masayuki Miyagi, Tadatsugu Morimoto, Haruo Kanno, Akinobu Suzuki, Yoshihisa Kotani, Ken Ishii","doi":"10.1093/annweh/wxae093","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The association between paternal occupational radiation exposure and the sex ratio of offspring remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to explore testicular radiation exposure in spine surgeons and its association with their offspring's sex ratio.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Minimally Invasive Spine Treatment Society in Japan administered a survey in October 2020. Male surgeons were divided into high- and low-radiation exposure groups according to the type of lead protectors used during the time frame surrounding the child's conception. Apron-type lead protectors were associated with high exposure, while no radiation or using a coat-type protector was considered low exposure. Risk ratios were calculated via generalized estimating equations with a log link binomial distribution. A secondary analysis was conducted wherein the high-exposure group was further divided into 2 categories based on whether they were in a posture that facilitated exposure during the procedures.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 209 male surgeons participated, providing responses regarding 436 children, of which 308 and 128 were associated with high and low radiation exposure, respectively. There were more female children in the high-exposure group (53% versus 39%). The adjusted risk ratio for the child being female with high exposure was 1.35 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.73). A dose-response relationship was observed: the adjusted risk ratios for high exposure with and without an exposure-prone posture were 1.36 (1.04 to 1.78) and 1.30 (0.96 to 1.78), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>High radiation exposure to the testes is associated with a lower male-sex ratio in offspring. Medical professionals using radiation should ensure proper radiation protection.</p>","PeriodicalId":8362,"journal":{"name":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals Of Work Exposures and Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxae093","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: The association between paternal occupational radiation exposure and the sex ratio of offspring remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to explore testicular radiation exposure in spine surgeons and its association with their offspring's sex ratio.
Methods: The Minimally Invasive Spine Treatment Society in Japan administered a survey in October 2020. Male surgeons were divided into high- and low-radiation exposure groups according to the type of lead protectors used during the time frame surrounding the child's conception. Apron-type lead protectors were associated with high exposure, while no radiation or using a coat-type protector was considered low exposure. Risk ratios were calculated via generalized estimating equations with a log link binomial distribution. A secondary analysis was conducted wherein the high-exposure group was further divided into 2 categories based on whether they were in a posture that facilitated exposure during the procedures.
Results: A total of 209 male surgeons participated, providing responses regarding 436 children, of which 308 and 128 were associated with high and low radiation exposure, respectively. There were more female children in the high-exposure group (53% versus 39%). The adjusted risk ratio for the child being female with high exposure was 1.35 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.73). A dose-response relationship was observed: the adjusted risk ratios for high exposure with and without an exposure-prone posture were 1.36 (1.04 to 1.78) and 1.30 (0.96 to 1.78), respectively.
Conclusions: High radiation exposure to the testes is associated with a lower male-sex ratio in offspring. Medical professionals using radiation should ensure proper radiation protection.
期刊介绍:
About the Journal
Annals of Work Exposures and Health is dedicated to presenting advances in exposure science supporting the recognition, quantification, and control of exposures at work, and epidemiological studies on their effects on human health and well-being. A key question we apply to submission is, "Is this paper going to help readers better understand, quantify, and control conditions at work that adversely or positively affect health and well-being?"
We are interested in high quality scientific research addressing:
the quantification of work exposures, including chemical, biological, physical, biomechanical, and psychosocial, and the elements of work organization giving rise to such exposures;
the relationship between these exposures and the acute and chronic health consequences for those exposed and their families and communities;
populations at special risk of work-related exposures including women, under-represented minorities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups such as temporary, contingent and informal sector workers;
the effectiveness of interventions addressing exposure and risk including production technologies, work process engineering, and personal protective systems;
policies and management approaches to reduce risk and improve health and well-being among workers, their families or communities;
methodologies and mechanisms that underlie the quantification and/or control of exposure and risk.
There is heavy pressure on space in the journal, and the above interests mean that we do not usually publish papers that simply report local conditions without generalizable results. We are also unlikely to publish reports on human health and well-being without information on the work exposure characteristics giving rise to the effects. We particularly welcome contributions from scientists based in, or addressing conditions in, developing economies that fall within the above scope.