Erectile dysfunction in copper and cobalt miners: a cross-sectional study in the former Katanga province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Copperbelt global health male sexual health mining metals

Journal

Sexual medicine
ISSN: 2050-1161
Titre abrégé: Sex Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101631053

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Oct 2023
Historique:
received: 11 07 2023
revised: 05 09 2023
accepted: 12 09 2023
medline: 23 10 2023
pubmed: 23 10 2023
entrez: 23 10 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

The African Copperbelt is a site of intense artisanal and industrial mining and refining of copper and cobalt. We aimed to investigate factors that are possibly associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) in metal miners in the former Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a cross-sectional study of 138 miners and 139 controls (bakers), we administered questionnaires to obtain sociodemographic and occupational data and to assess male sexual function (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]) and marital relation quality (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale). Furthermore, we measured trace metals in blood and urine, as well as testosterone and thyroid hormones in serum. Outcomes included the prevalence of questionnaire-derived ED and the relation of ED with individual characteristics, serum testosterone, and environmental factors. Miners were on average 4 years older than bakers (mean ± SD, 37.5 ± 6.9 vs 33.3 ± 5.7 years). Miners had significantly lower scores than bakers on the IIEF (median [IQR], 66 [49-73] vs 73 [66-74]) and the 3 domains of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (consensus, satisfaction, cohesion). Free testosterone was significantly lower in miners than bakers (ng/dL; 8.11 [6.90-10.10] vs 10.52 [8.83-12.58]; The high prevalence of ED found in artisanal mine workers indicates that work-related factors should be considered as possibly contributing, directly or indirectly, to sexual dysfunction in men. Strengths include being the first epidemiologic study documenting ED with validated questionnaires and its possible determinants, including exposure to toxic metals, among young artisanal miners vs a suitable control group. Limitations are the cross-sectional design with convenience sampling and absence of objective confirmation of ED. As compared with controls, miners reported poorer sexual function and lower quality of their marital relationship, and they had lower free testosterone levels, which may be due to their high exposure to trace metals.

Sections du résumé

Background UNASSIGNED
The African Copperbelt is a site of intense artisanal and industrial mining and refining of copper and cobalt.
Aim UNASSIGNED
We aimed to investigate factors that are possibly associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) in metal miners in the former Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Methods UNASSIGNED
In a cross-sectional study of 138 miners and 139 controls (bakers), we administered questionnaires to obtain sociodemographic and occupational data and to assess male sexual function (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]) and marital relation quality (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale). Furthermore, we measured trace metals in blood and urine, as well as testosterone and thyroid hormones in serum.
Outcomes UNASSIGNED
Outcomes included the prevalence of questionnaire-derived ED and the relation of ED with individual characteristics, serum testosterone, and environmental factors.
Results UNASSIGNED
Miners were on average 4 years older than bakers (mean ± SD, 37.5 ± 6.9 vs 33.3 ± 5.7 years). Miners had significantly lower scores than bakers on the IIEF (median [IQR], 66 [49-73] vs 73 [66-74]) and the 3 domains of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (consensus, satisfaction, cohesion). Free testosterone was significantly lower in miners than bakers (ng/dL; 8.11 [6.90-10.10] vs 10.52 [8.83-12.58];
Clinical Implications UNASSIGNED
The high prevalence of ED found in artisanal mine workers indicates that work-related factors should be considered as possibly contributing, directly or indirectly, to sexual dysfunction in men.
Strengths and Limitations UNASSIGNED
Strengths include being the first epidemiologic study documenting ED with validated questionnaires and its possible determinants, including exposure to toxic metals, among young artisanal miners vs a suitable control group. Limitations are the cross-sectional design with convenience sampling and absence of objective confirmation of ED.
Conclusion UNASSIGNED
As compared with controls, miners reported poorer sexual function and lower quality of their marital relationship, and they had lower free testosterone levels, which may be due to their high exposure to trace metals.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1093/sexmed/qfad052 PMID: 37869070 PMC: PMC10588613
pubmed: 37869070
doi: 10.1093/sexmed/qfad052
pii: qfad052
pmc: PMC10588613
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

qfad052

Informations de copyright

© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society of Sexual Medicine.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Auteurs

Paul Musa Obadia (P)

Unité de Toxicologie et Environnement, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Joseph Pyana Kitenge (J)

Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Unité de Santé au travail et Santé environnementale, Département de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Trésor Carsi Kuhangana (T)

Unité de Toxicologie et Environnement, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Kolwezi, 07301 Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Georges Kalenga Ilunga (G)

Unité de Toxicologie et Environnement, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Jaak Billen (J)

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Leuven University Hospitals, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Tony Kayembe-Kitenge (T)

Unité de Toxicologie et Environnement, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales, 4748 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Vincent Haufroid (V)

Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.

Abdon Mukalay Wa Mukalay (A)

Unité d'Epidémiologie clinique et Pathologies tropicales, Département de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Laurence Ris (L)

Département de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium.

Célestin Banza Lubaba Nkulu (C)

Unité de Toxicologie et Environnement, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université de Lubumbashi, 1825 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Benoit Nemery (B)

Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Paul Enzlin (P)

Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Classifications MeSH