Semen quality and sperm ultrastructure in infertile men with varicocele / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine and analyze semen quality and sperm ultrastructural characteristics of infertile patients with varicocele.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 118 infertile patients with varicocele (the VC group) and 76 normal semen donors (the control group). We obtained routine semen parameters, seminal plasma biochemical markers and the levels of reproductive hormones in the subjects, and observed the changes in sperm structure under the scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal control, the VC patients showed significantly decreased sperm concentration, sperm progressive motility, sperm viability (P < 0.05), but no remarkable difference in semen volume and non-progressive motility (P > 0.05). The concentrations of zinc and alpha-glycoside enzyme in the seminal plasma were markedly reduced in the VC group in comparison with the controls (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the level of fructose (P > 0.05), nor in such seminal plasma biochemical markers as FSH, LH, T and E2 between the two groups (P > 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was dramatically lower in the VC than in the control group ([56.76 +/- 15.32]% vs [12.34 +/- 6.58]%, P < 0.05), and the sperm deformities were mostly in the head and neck, mainly tapering pin head accompanied by complex abnormal differentiation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study demonstrated that VC may lead to oligo-astheno-terato zoospermia, and hence male infertility, which may be attributed to the changes of seminal plasma microenvironment and sperm ultrastructure.</p>

SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE improves the viability and movement parameters of human sperm in vitro / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE on the movement parameters and viability of human sperm in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected sperm samples from 33 normal fertile men, divided each into two, and cultured them in vitro with SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE + Hams-F10 and Hams-F10 alone, respectively. Then we measured the straight line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP) and the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) of the sperm by computer-aided semen analysis at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h. And the sperm viability was detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VCL was significantly higher at 8 h (P < 0.05) and very significantly higher at 12 h (P < 0.01) in the SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE + Hams-F10 group than in the Hams-F10 group. VSL, VAP and ALH were significantly increased in the former group at 4, 8 and 12 h as compared with the latter (P < 0.05). The sperm viability was significantly decreased in the Hams-F10 group at 12 h (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE can improve sperm movement parameters and increase sperm viability in vitro.</p>

Effects of co-administration of growth hormone(GH) and aspirin to women during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of the co-administration of growth hormone (GH) and aspirin to women with suboptimal response to GnRHa/FSH hyperstimulation protocol during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty cases of poor ovarian response in previous IVF-ET cycles were randomly divided into 2 groups: the studied group of GH and aspirin (n = 20), and the control group without GH or aspirin (n = 20).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The co-administration of GH and aspirin significantly increased the rates of retrieved oocytes (P < 0.01), promoted the maturation of oocytes (P < 0.01) and improve the fertilization rates (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically differences between the two groups in the number of replaced embryos (P > 0.05) and the pregnancy rate (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The co-administration of GH and aspirin to poor ovarian responders is effective to increase the rates of retrieved oocytes, promote the maturation of oocytes and improve the fertilization rate in IVF-ET.</p>

The effect of Chinese medicine yiqihuoxuetang on T-lymphocyte subpopulation in peripheral blood of infertile men with antisperm antibodies / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study whether Chinese Medicine Yiqihuoxuetang(YQHXT) could inhibit antisperm antibodies in infertile men, and to explore the therapeutical mechanism of YQHXT.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty infertile men with antisperm antibodies took YQHXT continuously for 60 days. Indirect immuno-fluorescence technique (IFT) was used to detect the levels of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8 ratio before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CD4 value and CD4/CD8 ratio after treatment were significantly lower than before treatment (P < 0.05); CD8 value became significantly higher(P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results indicated that YQHXT could inhibit antisperm antibodies by keeping the balance of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in immunoinfertile men.</p>