Coal dust affects hypothalamic pituitary testicular axis and impairs glucose homeostasis in coal mine workers

Abstract Results: Coal dust exposed workers showed altered insulin and cortisol level leading to impaired glucose homeostasis as compared to non-exposed workers. Further, increased serum LH and FSH level and decreased serum testosterone level in coal exposed workers pointing out to the compromised hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis. Next, to delineate the possible mechanism of adverse effect of coal dust, we explored erythrocyte oxidative stress. Coal dust exposed worker presented with increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and decreased Na+-K+ ATPase activity simultaneously with decreased antioxidant and antioxidative enzyme activities. Conclusions: metabolic and reproductive health of coal miners is at risk and warrants for the adoption of control measures to reduce coal dust exposure in coal mines workplace. Objective: Coal makes a significant economic contribution to the world as one of the most significant sources of energy. Multiple dust-producing operations are involved in the mining and processing of coal. One of the biggest causes of health risks for coal miners is coal dust. Study on the effect of coal dust on metabolic and reproductive health is still pending. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on coal miners of two underground coal mines of West Bengal, India to assess adverse effect of coal dust on glucose homeostasis and hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis. Total of 124 underground coal dust exposed workers and 87 non-exposed workers were enrolled in this study. Physical and physiological parameters were measured. Blood was collected from all the study participants and glucose homeostasis parameters, reproductive hormones, inflammatory markers, erythrocyte oxidative stress were measured.