Histological changes in testicular biopsies from chronic alcoholics with and without liver disease.

Testicular and liver biopsies were obtained from thirty consecutive patients at the age of 30 and 64 years with chronic alcoholism (daily consumption of 72 g of alcohol or more for at least five years). The spermatogenesis was normal in 12 patients (40 per cent), moderately reduced in 15 patients (50 per cent) and severely reduced in 3 patients (10 per cent). No relation between the presence of liver disease as assessed by histological examination of the liver biopsy and the impairment in the spermatogenesis could be demonstrated.