Nicolás David Ramírez1, Andrea Tissera2, Rosa Molina2, Pablo Gaggino2, Arnaldo Mangeaud3, Ana Carolina Martini4. 1. Cátedra de Fisiología Humana, Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-FCM, Santa Rosa 1085, X5000ESU, Córdoba, Argentina. 2. Laboratorio de Andrología y Reproducción (LAR), Chacabuco 1089, X5000IIK, Córdoba, Argentina. 3. Cátedra de Bioestadística, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina. 4. Cátedra de Fisiología Humana, Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-FCM, Santa Rosa 1085, X5000ESU, Córdoba, Argentina. acmartini2000@fcm.unc.edu.ar.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To assess the possible variations in semen quality during the last 20 years in Córdoba, Argentina, and to identify possible causal lifestyle or genitourinary factors. METHODS: Retrospective study of 23,130 patients attending an andrology laboratory. The 20-year period (2001-2020) was divided into four quinquenniums. Seminal parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology, viability, and membrane functional integrity) were classified as normal or abnormal according to WHO, and results were expressed as percentage of patients abnormal for each parameter per quinquennium. In addition, the percentage of patients per quinquennium exposed to the different risk factors (daily alcohol and/or tobacco consumption; occupational exposure to heat or toxics; history of parotitis or varicocele; and high body mass index, BMI) was reported. RESULTS: Patients included in our study did not show impairment in seminal quality over time. Beyond a transient decrease in normozoospermia in the second and third quinquennium, possibly explained by a parallel increase in teratozoospermia, other important parameters of the spermogram did not change. In fact, abnormalities in sperm concentration (oligozoospermia), total sperm count, viability and response to hypoosmotic test showed a decreasing trend over time. On the other hand, parotitis, varicocele, morbid obesity and regular exposition to heat/toxics were the factors more frequently associated with semen abnormalities; the last two increased their frequency over the study period. CONCLUSION: The population included in this study did not show a clear impairment in semen quality during the last 20 years. The decreasing patterns found were associated with high BMI and exposure to heat/toxics.
PURPOSE: To assess the possible variations in semen quality during the last 20 years in Córdoba, Argentina, and to identify possible causal lifestyle or genitourinary factors. METHODS: Retrospective study of 23,130 patients attending an andrology laboratory. The 20-year period (2001-2020) was divided into four quinquenniums. Seminal parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology, viability, and membrane functional integrity) were classified as normal or abnormal according to WHO, and results were expressed as percentage of patients abnormal for each parameter per quinquennium. In addition, the percentage of patients per quinquennium exposed to the different risk factors (daily alcohol and/or tobacco consumption; occupational exposure to heat or toxics; history of parotitis or varicocele; and high body mass index, BMI) was reported. RESULTS: Patients included in our study did not show impairment in seminal quality over time. Beyond a transient decrease in normozoospermia in the second and third quinquennium, possibly explained by a parallel increase in teratozoospermia, other important parameters of the spermogram did not change. In fact, abnormalities in sperm concentration (oligozoospermia), total sperm count, viability and response to hypoosmotic test showed a decreasing trend over time. On the other hand, parotitis, varicocele, morbid obesity and regular exposition to heat/toxics were the factors more frequently associated with semen abnormalities; the last two increased their frequency over the study period. CONCLUSION: The population included in this study did not show a clear impairment in semen quality during the last 20 years. The decreasing patterns found were associated with high BMI and exposure to heat/toxics.
Authors: Marion Boulicault; Meg Perret; Jonathan Galka; Alex Borsa; Annika Gompers; Meredith Reiches; Sarah Richardson Journal: Hum Fertil (Camb) Date: 2021-05-10 Impact factor: 2.767
Authors: E M Luque; A Tissera; M P Gaggino; R I Molina; A Mangeaud; L M Vincenti; F Beltramone; J Sad Larcher; D Estofán; M Fiol de Cuneo; A C Martini Journal: Reprod Fertil Dev Date: 2017-04 Impact factor: 2.311