AIMTo assess the changes in semen parameters in men with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the possible causes of these changes.

METHODSThe study included 45 subjects with SCI. Semen retrieval was done by masturbation (2), vigorous prostatic massage (n = 13), penile vibratory stimulation (n = 13) or electroejaculation (n = 17).

RESULTSThe semen of men with SCI showed normal volume (2.3 +/- 1.9 mL) and sperm count (85.0 X 10(6) +/- 83.8 X 10(6)/mL) with decreased motility (11.6% +/- 0.1%), vitality (18.5% +/- 5.2%) and normal forms (17.5% +/- 3.4%), and pus cells has been increased (6.0 X 10(6) +/- 8.2 X 10(6)/mL). Total (13.4 +/- 9.9 vs. 7.1 +/- 6.8) and progressive (4.4 +/- 3.9 vs.2.2 +/- 2.1) motility were significantly higher in subjects with lower scrotal temperatures. There was no statistical significant difference between electroejaculation and penile vibratory stimulation groups as regards any of the semen parameters. Subjects'age, infrequent ejaculation, injury duration and hormonal profile showed no significant effect on semen parameters.

CONCLUSIONThe defining characteristics of the seminogram in men with SCI are normal volume and count with decreased sperm motility, vitality and normal forms, and the increased number of pus cells. The most acceptable cause of the deterioration of semen is elevated scrotal temperature.

Disease Progression ; Ejaculation ; Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Masturbation ; Movement ; Prostate ; physiopathology ; Semen ; physiology ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; Vibration

AIMTo assess seminal plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level relationships in fertile and infertile males.

METHODSEighty-four male cases were studied and divided into four groups: fertile normozoospermia (n = 16), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n = 15), obstructive azoospermia (OA) (n = 13) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) (n = 40). Conventional semen analysis was done for all cases. Testicular biopsy was done with histopathology and fresh tissue examination for testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in NOA cases. NOA group was subdivided according to TESE results into unsuccessful TESE (n = 19) and successful TESE (n = 21). Seminal plasma AMH was estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) was estimated in NOA cases only by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSMean seminal AMH was significantly higher in fertile group than in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia with significance (41.5 +/- 10.9 pmol/L vs. 30.5 +/- 10.3 pmol/L, P < 0.05). Seminal AMH was not detected in any OA patients. Seminal AMH was correlated positively with testicular volume (r = 0.329, P = 0.005), sperm count (r = 0.483, P = 0.007), sperm motility percent (r = 0.419, P = 0.021) and negatively with sperm abnormal forms percent (r = -0.413, P = 0.023). Nonsignificant correlation was evident with age (r = -0.155, P = 0.414) and plasma FSH (r = -0.014, P = 0.943). In NOA cases, seminal AMH was detectable in 23/40 cases, 14 of them were successful TESE (57.5%) and was undetectable in 17/40 cases, 10 of them were unsuccessful TESE (58.2%).

CONCLUSIONSeminal plasma AMH is an absolute testicular marker being absent in all OA cases. However, seminal AMH has a poor predictability for successful testicular sperm retrieval in NOA cases.

Adult ; Anti-Mullerian Hormone ; Asthenozoospermia ; therapy ; Azoospermia ; therapy ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; analysis ; Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Semen ; chemistry ; physiology ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testicular Hormones ; analysis ; Tissue and Organ Harvesting ; methods