The effect of environmental cigarette smoke on the testicle functions of 7-10 years old children

Objective: Involuntary inhalation of the environmental cigarette smoke, described as passive smoking is a frequently encountered situation. Levels of serum oxidative stress products and urinary cotinine which is an indicator of exposure to cigarette smoke were found increased in passive smoking children. At childhood, the effect of passive smoking on the testicle functions is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of environmental cigarette smoke on the testicle functions of 7-10 years old children.Materials and methods: The study included boys atending to primary school, aging between 7-10 years, without having any kind of health problems. Based on the questionnaire data passive smoking 50 cases and passive smoking free 50 controls were determined. Serum levels of cotinine, and biochemical parameters of the testicle functions; testosterone, inhibin B, anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) along with FSH and LH levels were studied.Findings: Serum cotinine levels in passive smoking group were found significantly higher than the controls (p<0,05). Testosterone, inhibin-B, FSH, LH levels of the control group were found higher than the passive smoking group; and AMH levels which tends to be inversely proportional with the testosterone within this age group were found lower in the controls in comparison with the passive smoking group (p<0,05).Conclusion: Child testicle is an organ keeping its development until the adult age. Our results showed that environmental cigarette smoke leads to testicular dysfuntions. We think that it may be a causative factor of infertility arising in the adult age.Keywords: Testicle, cigarette, environmental cigarette smoke, cotinine, inhibin B, anti-mullerian hormone, testosterone, FSH, LH.