Relationship between sperm quality and chromatin condensation measured by sperm DNA fluorescence using flow cytometry.

DNA flow cytometry of sperm from 100 randomly chosen men undergoing fertility investigation revealed a general association between reduced sperm quality, as judged by conventional parameters, and the appearance of sperm with lower degrees of chromatin condensation in the ejaculate as measured by DNA fluorescence intensity. Chromatin hypocondensation, as measured by increased fluorescence, was manifested to different degrees in different samples. In many cases of more extreme sperm pathology, such as oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT), the whole population of spermatozoa appeared to be affected.

Short-term effects of treatment with simvastatin on testicular function in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

The effects of simvastatin 40 mg per day for 14 weeks on the pituitary-testis axis of 19 men with familial hypercholesterolaemia have been examined in a single-blind study. Simvastatin significantly reduced serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides by 45% and 30%, respectively, and significantly increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 15%. The alterations, which were stable 4 weeks after the start of treatment, were not associated with any significant change in sperm quality, the seminal plasma concentrations of various sex gland products (prostate-specific acid phosphatase, polyamines, citrate, fructose, alpha-glucosidase), or the serum concentrations of cortisol, testosterone, LH, FSH, or prolactin.

Sperm quality in men with chronic abacterial prostatovesiculitis verified by rectal ultrasonography.

Semen analyses were performed on 50 men with chronic abacterial prostatovesiculitis (CPV) and 25 asymptomatic control subjects. All subjects had had symptoms of at least three months' duration, and the diagnosis was verified by rectal ultrasonography and after microbiologic culture of seminal plasma. Fifty-eight percent had increased concentrations of leukocytes (greater than 1 x 10(6)/mL) in the ejaculate compared with 15 percent in the controls.

Epididymal secretory function in men with asthenoteratozoospermia.

Epididymal function was evaluated in normozoospermic men and men with asthenoteratozoospermia using alpha-glucosidase as a secretory parameter. No difference was observed in the total quantity of the enzyme secreted into the ejaculate in spite of major differences between the two groups in the proportion of spermatozoa exhibiting progressive motility and normal morphology. In general, the secretion of alpha-glucosidase was positively correlated with the sperm concentration in the normozoospermic group, but not in asthenozoospermic subjects.

Effects of varying the abstinence period in the same individuals on sperm quality.

Fourteen men each provided semen samples after 3, 6, and 10 days abstinence in a sequence decided by the individual and over a period of approximately 6 weeks. The proportion of sperm displaying progressive motility remained relatively constant up to 6 days but declined after a further 4 days of abstinence. This decrease was not associated with any major changes in sperm morphology or vitality.

Stability of sperm characteristics in men with disturbances in sperm quality.

Sixty-one men referred to our laboratory for semen analysis, and subsequently judged to exhibit some form of sperm pathology, were asked to return for a second analysis, not less than 2 months after the first, in order to assess the stability of the pathological changes observed. In almost half of the cases, the referring physician had, on his own initiative, started hormone or antibiotic treatment. The sperm parameters studied included sperm count, sperm motility judged by laser-Doppler spectroscopy, and sperm morphology and viability.

Correlates of human sperm motility assessed by laser Doppler spectroscopy.

The sperm motility characteristics of 140 men (percentage motile and average velocity of all sperm in motion; percentage progressive and the average velocity of sperm swimming more than 15 microns/sec) were determined using a laser-Doppler technique and correlated with other aspects of sperm quality, including the concentration and the proportion of abnormal and dead sperm in the ejaculate. In addition, the influence of the length of the period of abstinence, the viscosity of seminal plasma and the volume of the ejaculate were also assessed. The four motility characteristics were all highly correlated with each other.