Jiangman Gao1, Renpei Yuan2, Siwei Yang2, Yuanyuan Wang1, Ying Huang2, Liying Yan3, Hui Jiang4, Jie Qiao5. 1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. 2. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. 3. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. 4. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: jianghui55@163.com. 5. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: jie.qiao@263.net.
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the correlations between male age, traditional semen parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS) in a sufficiently large sample size? DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of 18,441 semen samples, with data divided into seven age groups according to male age: ≤25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, 41-45, 46-50 and ≥51 years. RESULTS: Age was negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm count, motility and HDS, and positively correlated with sperm concentration and DFI (P < 0.001). After 35 years of age, semen volume and total sperm count began to decline. After 30 years of age, motility and HDS decreased consistently. Sperm concentration and DFI increased from 26-30 years of age. DFI was negatively correlated with sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and normal morphology (P < 0.001) and positively correlated with semen volume and HDS (P < 0.001). HDS was negatively correlated with all parameters (P < 0.001) except semen volume (r = -0.013, P = 0.074) and DFI (r = 0.124, P < 0.001). Patients aged ≥40 years had higher DFI than those aged <40 years in the entire cohort, in the abnormal semen parameters cohort, and in the normal semen parameters cohort (OR 2.145, 2.042, 1.948, respectively, P < 0.001). The ≥40 years age group had a lower HDS than the <40 years age group in the entire cohort and abnormal semen parameters cohort (OR 0.719, 0.677, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ageing is a negative effector of sperm quantity and quality, and routine sperm parameters have weak but significant correlations with sperm DNA/chromatin integrity.
RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the correlations between male age, traditional semen parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS) in a sufficiently large sample size? DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of 18,441 semen samples, with data divided into seven age groups according to male age: ≤25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40, 41-45, 46-50 and ≥51 years. RESULTS: Age was negatively correlated with semen volume, total sperm count, motility and HDS, and positively correlated with sperm concentration and DFI (P < 0.001). After 35 years of age, semen volume and total sperm count began to decline. After 30 years of age, motility and HDS decreased consistently. Sperm concentration and DFI increased from 26-30 years of age. DFI was negatively correlated with sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and normal morphology (P < 0.001) and positively correlated with semen volume and HDS (P < 0.001). HDS was negatively correlated with all parameters (P < 0.001) except semen volume (r = -0.013, P = 0.074) and DFI (r = 0.124, P < 0.001). Patients aged ≥40 years had higher DFI than those aged <40 years in the entire cohort, in the abnormal semen parameters cohort, and in the normal semen parameters cohort (OR 2.145, 2.042, 1.948, respectively, P < 0.001). The ≥40 years age group had a lower HDS than the <40 years age group in the entire cohort and abnormal semen parameters cohort (OR 0.719, 0.677, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ageing is a negative effector of sperm quantity and quality, and routine sperm parameters have weak but significant correlations with sperm DNA/chromatin integrity.
Authors: Robert West; Arri Coomarasamy; Lorraine Frew; Rachel Hutton; Jackson Kirkman-Brown; Martin Lawlor; Sheena Lewis; Riitta Partanen; Alex Payne-Dwyer; Claudia Román-Montañana; Forough Torabi; Sofia Tsagdi; David Miller Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2022-05-30 Impact factor: 6.353