[The effect of carbon disulphide on menopause, concentration of monoamines, gonadotropins, estrogens and androgens in women].

The clinical examinations covered 1710 women. The investigations were performed on 199 women with symptoms of menopause, who were selected and divided into two groups. The first control group (I) included 80 women employed in the Industrial Clothing Factory "Dana" in Szczecin, without contact with carbon disulphide. The second study group (II) comprised 119 women employed in the Synthetic Fibres Factory "Chemitex-Wiskord" and exposed chronically to carbon disulphide in concentration of 9.36-23.4 mg/m3. The microclimate conditions of the production halls in both groups were similar (Tab. 1). Menopause was present in 16.59% of women in the population chronically exposed to carbon disulphide, as compared with 8.05% in the normal population. Mean age at menopause in women of the first group was 48.1 years and 43.9 years in the second group. In the studied group of menopausal women retrospective estimation of menopausal and gestational cycles shows statistically significant increase in abortion and disorders of menstrual cycles (p < 0.001) (Tab. 2). The women chronically exposed to CS2 had significantly more frequently headaches, weight gain and loss of libido (p < 0.001). In the normal group fatigue, palpitations and hot flushes were found significantly more often (p < 0.001) (Tab. 4). The serum concentrations of estrone (p < 0.01), estradiol, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone were significantly decreased in women chronically exposed to CS2 (p < 0.001). No significant differences in the level of FSH or LH were noted between both groups (Tab. 3). The daily excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine concentrations of dopamine in plasma of women chronically exposed to CS2, was significantly lower (p < 0.001), but the serum concentrations of serotonin (Tab. 5), testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) and prolactin in plasma were significantly higher (p < 0.001). No difference concerning the level in serum of dehydroepiandrosterone and beta-endorfine was found (Tab. 6). Significant negative linear correlations between serotonin and FSH (r = -0.45; p < 0.001), serotonin and daily excretion of adrenaline (r = -0.43; p < 0.01) or noradrenaline (r = -0.58; p < 0.001) were disclosed in the exposed group. In this group a positive correlation was noted between the concentration of serotonin and prolactin (r = 0.45; p < 0.001).