OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5-i) on Leydig cell secretory function (LCSF). PATIENTS AND METHODS: in all, 75 men with oligoasthenospermia were treated daily for 12 weeks with eithervardenafil (23 men, group A), sildenafil (25 men, group B) or l-carnitine (26 men, group C); a further group of 22 men with oligoasthenospermia (group D) received no treatment. Serum levels of insulin-like-3 peptide (INSL3) were evaluated before and after the end of the treatment in each of groups A, B and C, respectively. Serum INSL3 levels were measured in each participant of group D before and after the 12-week experimental period. RESULTS: within group A and B, the peripheral serum mean INSL3 concentration, sperm concentration, percentage of motile spermatozoa, and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa were significantly greater after PDE5-i treatment than before. CONCLUSION: we suggest that PDE5-i enhances LCSF, as the mean INSL3 concentration was significantly greater after PDE5-i administration than before, within groups A and B. This enhancement in LCSF might contribute to the increase in sperm concentration and sperm motility after administration of PDE5-i.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5-i) on Leydig cell secretory function (LCSF). PATIENTS AND METHODS: in all, 75 men with oligoasthenospermia were treated daily for 12 weeks with either vardenafil (23 men, group A), sildenafil (25 men, group B) or l-carnitine (26 men, group C); a further group of 22 men with oligoasthenospermia (group D) received no treatment. Serum levels of insulin-like-3 peptide (INSL3) were evaluated before and after the end of the treatment in each of groups A, B and C, respectively. Serum INSL3 levels were measured in each participant of group D before and after the 12-week experimental period. RESULTS: within group A and B, the peripheral serum mean INSL3 concentration, sperm concentration, percentage of motile spermatozoa, and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa were significantly greater after PDE5-i treatment than before. CONCLUSION: we suggest that PDE5-i enhances LCSF, as the mean INSL3 concentration was significantly greater after PDE5-i administration than before, within groups A and B. This enhancement in LCSF might contribute to the increase in sperm concentration and sperm motility after administration of PDE5-i.
Authors: Wiep de Ligny; Roos M Smits; Rebecca Mackenzie-Proctor; Vanessa Jordan; Kathrin Fleischer; Jan Peter de Bruin; Marian G Showell Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2022-05-04
Authors: Seung Hun Song; Dong Hyuk Shin; Young Sun Her; Mi Hee Oh; Jung Won Baek; Suye Sung; Jin Hee Eum; Yohan Heo; Dong Suk Kim Journal: Investig Clin Urol Date: 2021-05
Authors: Roos M Smits; Rebecca Mackenzie-Proctor; Anusch Yazdani; Marcin T Stankiewicz; Vanessa Jordan; Marian G Showell Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-03-14