Introduction. A large body of literature suggests that male fertility is declining. Lifestyle, sexual promiscuity and environmental pollution have been called into play. For this reason, many studies have been conducted to evaluate fertility in young men worldwide. Aim. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gonadal function in young men living in Eastern Sicily. Methods. To accomplish this, 300 men aged 18-35 years were invited by letter to undergo physical examination, sperm analysis, sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and chromatin/DNAintegrity evaluation and hormonal measurements. Data are reported as median and range (in parentheses). Results. A total of 93 men accepted the invitation and 44 did not have any disease or life habit known to interfere with the gonadal function. This latter were enrolled in the study. They had a median age of 27.9 (19-35) years and a BMI of 24.05 (19.5-37.8) kg/m2. The median penile length and circumference were 10 (6-15) cm and 10 (6-14) cm, respectively, and the total testicular volume was 22.5 ml (11-30). The conventional and non-conventional sperm parameters were: Volume: 3.15 ml (0.5-8.0), concentration: 60 mil/ml (5-200), total count: 185 mil/ejaculate (2.5-1080), total motility: 57.5% (0-73), progressive motility: 29% (0-44), normal forms: 8% (3-15), low MMP: 43.6% (0.9-97), chromatin/DNA integrity: 2.4% (0.1-55). Median serum hormone concentrations were: LH: 4.35 mIU/ml (1.6-12), FSH: 3.75 mIU/ml (1.3-11.6), 17ß-Estradiol: 22.75 pg/ml) (5- 41.4), prolactin: 197.35 mIU/ml (108-308), testosterone: 5.38 ng/ml (2.1-10 . 47) . Microorchidism (< 1 5 ml) was found in 3 / 44 men (6.8 %), hypotestosteronemia (<2,5 ng/ml) in 1 (2.3%), oligozoospermia in 3 (6.8%), asthenozoospermia in 30 (68.2%) and teratozoospermia in 1 (2.3%). Five out of the 44 men (11.3%) had abnormal sperm mitochondrial function (MMP <11.9%) and 8 (18.2%) had chromatin/DNA damage (<4.6%). Conclusion. These results showed that only a low number of men presents abnormal conventional and nonconventional sperm parameters with the exception of sperm progressive motility which was altered in a relevant number of them. These data on the gonadal function of young men of Eastern Sicily are similar to those of reported in young men in other parts of the world (Mendiola et al., 2014).
EVALUATION OF GONADAL FUNCTION IN YOUNG MEN: A POPULATIONBASED STUDY IN EASTERN SICILY
LA VIGNERA, SANDRO SALVUCCIO MARIA;RA Condorelli;DI MAURO, Maurizio;VICARI, Enzo Saretto;
2014-01-01
Abstract
Introduction. A large body of literature suggests that male fertility is declining. Lifestyle, sexual promiscuity and environmental pollution have been called into play. For this reason, many studies have been conducted to evaluate fertility in young men worldwide. Aim. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gonadal function in young men living in Eastern Sicily. Methods. To accomplish this, 300 men aged 18-35 years were invited by letter to undergo physical examination, sperm analysis, sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and chromatin/DNAintegrity evaluation and hormonal measurements. Data are reported as median and range (in parentheses). Results. A total of 93 men accepted the invitation and 44 did not have any disease or life habit known to interfere with the gonadal function. This latter were enrolled in the study. They had a median age of 27.9 (19-35) years and a BMI of 24.05 (19.5-37.8) kg/m2. The median penile length and circumference were 10 (6-15) cm and 10 (6-14) cm, respectively, and the total testicular volume was 22.5 ml (11-30). The conventional and non-conventional sperm parameters were: Volume: 3.15 ml (0.5-8.0), concentration: 60 mil/ml (5-200), total count: 185 mil/ejaculate (2.5-1080), total motility: 57.5% (0-73), progressive motility: 29% (0-44), normal forms: 8% (3-15), low MMP: 43.6% (0.9-97), chromatin/DNA integrity: 2.4% (0.1-55). Median serum hormone concentrations were: LH: 4.35 mIU/ml (1.6-12), FSH: 3.75 mIU/ml (1.3-11.6), 17ß-Estradiol: 22.75 pg/ml) (5- 41.4), prolactin: 197.35 mIU/ml (108-308), testosterone: 5.38 ng/ml (2.1-10 . 47) . Microorchidism (< 1 5 ml) was found in 3 / 44 men (6.8 %), hypotestosteronemia (<2,5 ng/ml) in 1 (2.3%), oligozoospermia in 3 (6.8%), asthenozoospermia in 30 (68.2%) and teratozoospermia in 1 (2.3%). Five out of the 44 men (11.3%) had abnormal sperm mitochondrial function (MMP <11.9%) and 8 (18.2%) had chromatin/DNA damage (<4.6%). Conclusion. These results showed that only a low number of men presents abnormal conventional and nonconventional sperm parameters with the exception of sperm progressive motility which was altered in a relevant number of them. These data on the gonadal function of young men of Eastern Sicily are similar to those of reported in young men in other parts of the world (Mendiola et al., 2014).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
