Mid-frequency transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with tamoxifen for the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia.
- Author:
Tao LI
1
;
Sheng XIE
1
;
Yan TAN
1
;
Zi-Ping XIE
1
;
Wan-Rong WANG
1
;
Heng LI
2
Author Information
1. Department of Andrology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei Medical University, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China.
2. Department of Medical Records and Statistics, Renmin Hospital, Hubei Medical University, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
male infertility;
oligoasthenozoospermia;
tamoxifen;
mid-frequency transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
- MeSH:
Acupuncture Points;
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal;
administration & dosage;
therapeutic use;
Asthenozoospermia;
blood;
therapy;
Combined Modality Therapy;
methods;
Electroacupuncture;
methods;
Feasibility Studies;
Follicle Stimulating Hormone;
blood;
Humans;
Male;
Oligospermia;
blood;
therapy;
Prolactin;
blood;
Semen Analysis;
Sperm Count;
Sperm Motility;
Tamoxifen;
administration & dosage;
therapeutic use;
Testosterone;
blood
- From:
National Journal of Andrology
2017;23(10):928-932
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the feasibility, safety and clinical effect of mid-frequency transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with oral tamoxifen (TAM) in the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia.
METHODS:We randomly and equally assigned 120 patients with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia to receive oral TAM, mid-frequency TEAS, or TAM+TEAS, all for 8 weeks. Before and after treatment, we recorded the semen volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration, sperm motility, percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS), and the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotrophic hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) in the peripheral serum and compared these parameters among the three groups of patients.
RESULTS:Compared with the baseline, none of the patients showed significant improvement in the semen volume (P >0.05) but all exhibited remarkably elevated levels of serum FSH, LH and T after treatment (P <0.05); TAM significantly improved the total sperm count (［25.16 ± 2.05］ vs ［42.65 ± 5.78］ ×106, P <0.05) and sperm concentration (［12.15 ± 2.51］ vs ［24.31 ± 2.59］ ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05), but not total sperm motility (［21.78 ± 8.81］ vs ［22.61 ± 5.75］ %, P >0.05) or PMS (［15.87 ± 7.81］ vs ［16.76 ± 5.86］ %, P >0.05); TEAS markedly increased total sperm motility (［24.81 ± 8.27］ vs ［32.43 ± 4.97］ %, P <0.05) and PMS (［19.71 ± 9.15］ vs ［27.17 ± 5.09］%, P <0.05), but not the total sperm count (［23.23 ± 3.14］ vs ［25.87 ± 4.96］ ×106, P >0.05) or sperm concentration (［11.27 ± 2.24］ vs ［14.12 ± 2.47］ ×10⁶/ml, P >0.05); TAM+TEAS, however, improved not only the total sperm count (［26.17 ± 5.05］ vs ［ 51.14 ± 3.69］×106, P <0.05) and sperm concentration (［12.78 ± 2.41］ vs ［27.28 ± 1.98］ ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05), but also total sperm motility (［23.89 ± 9.05］ vs ［37.12 ± 5.33］%, P <0.05) and PMS (［17.14 ± 8.04］ vs ［31.09 ± 7.12］%, P <0.05). The total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the TAM+TEAS group than in the TAM and TEAS groups (97.5% vs 72.5% and 75.0%, P <0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:Mid-frequency TEAS combined with tamoxifen can significantly improve semen quality and increase sex hormone levels in patients with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia.
