Table 1. Characteristics of the eligible studies.
Study Study
design
Country Studied
population
Age (Years) Exposure Duration of exposure Measured outcome
Alexander
et al., 1996
cross sectional Cominco smelter in Trail, British Columbia. 2469(male workers employed on 1 May, 1993 (n = 2123) and workers laid off in the preceding year (n = 346) 39.7-42.3 Occupational lead exposure, Blood lead concentration. June and July, 1993 Sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, testosterone, LH, FSH, Blood and semen lead concentration
Alexander
et al., 1998
cross-sectional Trail, British Columbia (n = 2,469) 39.0-40.1 Occupational lead exposure, Blood lead concentration. Sperm concentration, sperm count, Blood and semen lead concentration
Bonde
et al., 2014
cross-sectional United Kingdom, Italy, and Belgium 503 35.7-40.0 seminal plasma and spermatozoa 2 YEARS Sperm concentration, total sperm count, semen volume, blood and semen lead concentration
Eibensteiner et al., 2005 cross-sectional study Arequipa, Peru. (n = 43) 20-55 years Blood lead concentration 15 DAYS Sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count. Morphology, viability, testosterone, concentration
Farag et al., 2024 case-control
cross-sectional
Egypt 80 adult 30 to 50 years Blood lead concentration 1 year Sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, viability, Blood and semen lead concentration
Hovatta
et al., 1998
cross-sectional
retrospective
Helsinki, Finland. N = 424 20-46 spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration 1 year? Sperm concentration, motility, morphology
Hsu et al., 2009 cross-sectional Taiwan. N=80 29.2 + 3.9 Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration 1.7 year Sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, Blood and semen lead concentration
Kasperczyk et al., 2008 cross-sectional Poland (n= 63) 34-38 Occupational lead exposure, Blood lead concentration 13 years Sperm concentration, motility, volume total sperm count, Blood and semen lead concentration
Kuo et al., 1997 cross-sectional Taiwan. N=13 Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration viscosity, motility, total sperm count, Blood and semen lead concentration
Mahmoud
et al., 2005
cross-sectional Belgium N=159 25-57 Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration Sperm concentration, volume, inhibin, FSH, Blood and semen lead concentration
Moran-Martinez
et al., 2013
cross-sectional USA N=47 20-27 years Environmental lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration 2 years Sperm motility, viability, volume, morphology Blood and semen lead concentration
Naha and Chowdhury, 2006 cross-sectional Kolkata, India N=130 (31-45years Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration group ll: 7 to 1O years (group iii: more than 1O to 15 years Sperm viability, sperm MDA Blood and semen lead concentration
Naha and Manna, 2007 cross-sectional Bangalore, India N=100 31-45years Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration group ll: 7 to 1O years (group iii: more than 1O to 15 years Sperm concentration, motility, viability, volume, morphology testosterone, LH, FSH, Blood and semen lead concentration
Naha et al., 2005 cross-sectional Kolkata, India N=120 31-45years Occupational lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration 7-15 years exposure Sperm concentration, motility, Viability, volume, viscosity, total sperm count, , Blood and semen lead concentration
Saaramen et al., 1987 cross-sectional Kuopio, finland N=160 22-47years Environmental lead exposure, spermatozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration Sperm morphology, motility, density, Blood and semen lead concentration
Telisman et al., 2000 cross-sectional Zagreb, Croatia N=149 20-43years Environmental lead exposure, spematozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration 15years Sperm concentration, motility, density, volume,morphology total sperm count, testosterone, LH, FSH, Blood and semen lead concentration
Wijesekara et al., 2020. cross-sectional Colombo (n = 300) 34.9 (5.30)
34.8 (5.37)
spematozoa and seminal plasma lead concentration Sperm concentration, motility, total sperm count, progressive motility Blood and semen lead concentration