ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to determine the changes in the concentration of testosterone [T], dihydrotestosterone [DHT], serotonin and interleukin-6 [IL-6] in peripheral venous and internal spermatic vein [ISV] blood and also in seminal plasma in infertile and fertile patients with varicocele as well as in the control fertile subjects without varicocele and to correlate these changes with the autosperm parameters. Thirty-six infertile and five fertile varicocele patients as well as five control fertile non-varicocele subjects were included in the study. Autosperm was used for an objective semi-computerized semen analysis. ELISA kits were used to determine testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, serotonin and interleukin-6 aspiration of internal spermatic vein [ISV] blood was done intra-operatively during varicocelectomy in varicocele patients and during herniorrhaphy in the control subjects. The study concluded that since there was a significant deviation in T, DHT, serotonin and IL-6 in infertile patients with varicocele in comparison with both fertile varicocele and control subjects as well as since these deviations were accompanied by nearly similar changes in the autosperm parameters, it was concluded that no single deviation is solely responsible for such semen alteration but additive effect is most appropriate