A Zini1, G Defreitas, M Freeman, S Hechter, K Jarvi. 1. Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. azini@mtsinai.on.ca
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether varicocele is associated with retention of sperm cytoplasmic droplets in infertile men. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University infertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Nonazoospermic men with idiopathic (n = 69) and varicocele-associated infertility (n = 73), and 20 fertile controls presenting for vasectomy. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES(S): Standard semen parameters and percentage of spermatozoa with cytoplasmic droplets on Papanicolaou smears. RESULT(S): No statistically significant differences were found between the fertile and infertile groups with respect to semen volume. Fertile controls had significantly greater mean percent sperm motility and normal morphology than infertile men. The mean percentage of sperm with residual cytoplasm was statistically significantly different in all three groups. Infertile men with varicocele had the highest percentage of sperm with cytoplasmic droplets, the next highest level being in men with idiopathic infertility and the lowest level in fertile controls (11.7 +/- 1.0, 8.1 +/- 0.9 and 3.2 +/- 0.4%, respectively, P<.0001). CONCLUSION(S): Our data show that idiopathic and even moreso, varicocele-related male infertility are conditions associated with impaired disposal of residual sperm cytoplasm by the testis and/or epididymis. These data provide a possible mechanism for the observed semen abnormalities and reduced fertility potential associated with varicocele and idiopathic male infertility.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether varicocele is associated with retention of sperm cytoplasmic droplets in infertile men. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University infertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Nonazoospermic men with idiopathic (n = 69) and varicocele-associated infertility (n = 73), and 20 fertile controls presenting for vasectomy. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES(S): Standard semen parameters and percentage of spermatozoa with cytoplasmic droplets on Papanicolaou smears. RESULT(S): No statistically significant differences were found between the fertile and infertile groups with respect to semen volume. Fertile controls had significantly greater mean percent sperm motility and normal morphology than infertile men. The mean percentage of sperm with residual cytoplasm was statistically significantly different in all three groups. Infertile men with varicocele had the highest percentage of sperm with cytoplasmic droplets, the next highest level being in men with idiopathic infertility and the lowest level in fertile controls (11.7 +/- 1.0, 8.1 +/- 0.9 and 3.2 +/- 0.4%, respectively, P<.0001). CONCLUSION(S): Our data show that idiopathic and even moreso, varicocele-related male infertility are conditions associated with impaired disposal of residual sperm cytoplasm by the testis and/or epididymis. These data provide a possible mechanism for the observed semen abnormalities and reduced fertility potential associated with varicocele and idiopathic male infertility.
Authors: Anil K Rengan; Ashok Agarwal; Michelle van der Linde; Stefan S du Plessis Journal: Reprod Biol Endocrinol Date: 2012-11-17 Impact factor: 5.211
Authors: Ashok Agarwal; Rakesh Sharma; Sajal Gupta; Renata Finelli; Neel Parekh; Manesh Kumar Panner Selvam; Ralf Henkel; Damayanthi Durairajanayagam; Camila Pompeu; Sarah Madani; Andrea Belo; Neha Singh; Simryn Covarrubias; Sara Darbandi; Raha Sadeghi; Mahsa Darbandi; Paraskevi Vogiatzi; Florence Boitrelle; Mara Simopoulou; Ramadan Saleh; Mohamed Arafa; Ahmad Majzoub; Hussein Kandil; Armand Zini; Edmund Ko; Juan G Alvarez; Marlon Martinez; Jonathan Ramsay; Sunil Jindal; Gian Maria Busetto; Hassan Sallam; Israel Maldonado; Christina Anagnostopoulou; Marco G Alves; Pallav Sengupta; Kambiz Gilany; Donald P Evenson; Sheena E M Lewis; Jaime Gosalvez; Rafael F Ambar; Rupin Shah Journal: World J Mens Health Date: 2021-06-17 Impact factor: 6.494