Correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation index with semen parameters / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To explore the relationship of sperm DNA fragmenation index (DFI) with semen parameters and assess its application value in the evaluation of semen quality.@*METHODS@#A total of 9 694 semen samples were collected and examined for sperm DFI and high DNA stainability (HDS) by flow cytometry-assisted sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA). According to the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed), the samples were divided into a normal group and abnormal groups A (sperm concentration ［SC］: ［11.3－14.0］ ×10⁶/ml, total sperm motility ［TSM］: 30%－39%, progressively motile sperm ［PMS］: 24%－31%), B (SC: ［7.5－11.2］ ×10⁶/ml, TSM: 20%－29%, PMS: 16%－23%), C (SC: ［3.8－7.4］ ×10⁶/ml, TSM: 10%－,19% PMS: 8%－15%) and D (SC: ［0－3.7］×10⁶/ml, TSM: 0－9%, PMS: 0－7%), and also into three sperm DFI groups (DFI 30%). The correlation between sperm DFI and seminal parameters was analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses.@*RESULTS@#DFI was dramatically lower in the normal than in the abnormal groups (P < 0.01), and increased in proportion to the decrease of semen parameters in the abnormal groups A, B, C and D (P < 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that DFI was correlated positively with age (r = 0.15, P < 0.01), abstinence time (r = 0.10, P < 0.01), semen volume (r = 0.05, P < 0.01) and HDS (r = 0.15, P < 0.01), but negatively with semen pH (r = －0.06, P < 0.01), SC (r = －0.27, P < 0.01), TSM (r = －0.53, P < 0.01), PMS (r = －0.52, P < 0.01) and morphologically normal sperm (r = －0.16, P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that TSM, SC, age, abstinence time and semen pH were five important variables associated with DFI, with standardized regression coefficients of －0.47, －0.19, 0.12, 0.07, and －0.04, respectively (all P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#There is a moderate correlation between sperm DFI and semen parameters, which can be used synergistically for the assessment of semen quality.

Correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation index with age and semen parameters in infertile men / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To explore the correlation of the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) with age, sperm concentration and sperm motility in infertile men.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected semen samples from 531 infertile males in our hospital from January 2016 to June 2017. We determined the semen parameters using the computer-assisted semen analysis system, measured the sperm DFI by sperm chromatin structure assay, and analyzed the correlation of the sperm DFI with the age, sperm concentration and sperm motility of the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With the increase of age, the infertile males showed a significantly decreased proportion of the sperm with a DFI ≤15% and elevated proportion of the sperm with a DFI ≥25%, with a positive correlation between age and sperm DFI (r = 0.653, P < 0.01). With the increase of sperm concentration and motility, however, the proportion of the sperm with a DFI ≤15% was remarkably increased while that of the sperm with 15%<DFI<25% and ≥25% markedly reduced, both sperm concentration and motility negatively correlated with the sperm DFI (r = －0.246, P < 0.01 and r = －0.406, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The sperm DFI is significantly correlated with age, sperm concentration and sperm motility, and therefore can be used as an important index for the evaluation of semen quality. A comprehensive analysis of the sperm DFI and semen parameters may contribute to an accurate assessment of male fertility.</p>

Association of Ureaplasma urealyticum with the types of antisperm antibody in infertile men / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection in infertile men, its influence on routine semen parameters and the distribution of antisperm antibody (AsAb) and its types in infertile patients with UU infection.@*METHODS@#We detected the positive rate of UU infection, semen parameters, and the distribution of AsAb and its types in 662 infertile men and 25 normal fertile male controls followed by comparison of the obtained data between the two groups of subjects.@*RESULTS@#The positive rate of UU infection was significantly higher in the infertile men than in the normal controls (52.87% ［350/662］ vs 16.00% ［4/25］, χ2 = 11.68, P 0.05) and AsAb IgA, IgM and IgG in the seminal plasma, or in the percentages of serum AsAb IgM (16.9% vs 20.5%, χ2 = 1.22, P >0.05) and IgG (32.7% vs 28.9%, χ2 = 0.99, P >0.05) except in that of serum AsAb IgA (23.6% vs 17.0%, χ2 = 4.03, P <0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The UU infection rate is high in infertile males, which decreases the semen volume, total sperm count, motile sperm concentration and percentage of progressively motile sperm and increases the positive rate of serum AsAb IgA.

Correlation of oxidative stress with sperm DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the relationship of oxidative stress with DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele (VC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This prospective study included 98 infertile males with VC. According to the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the semen, we divided the patients into a high ROS group (n=44) and a low ROS group (n=54), determined the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), motility and morphology, and analyzed their correlation with ROS in the two groups of patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the patients of the low ROS group, those of the high ROS group showed a significantly higher DFI (27.38±8.10 vs 34.49±6.05, P=0.039) and a higher concentration of seminal leukocytes (［0.65±0.15］×10⁶/ml vs ［0.86±0.41］×10⁶/ml, P=0.022), but lower sperm motility (［36.16±22.83］% vs ［18.22±25.21］%, P=0.017), percentage of progressively motile sperm (［23.34±11.53］% vs ［16.34±9.22］%, P=0.041), sperm curvilinear velocity (［27.03±6.21］ vs ［20.62±4.38］ μm/s, P=0.013), and sperm linearity (［29.75±8.24］% vs ［18.30±7.93］%, P=0.024). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the ROS level was correlated positively with the concentration of seminal leukocytes (r=0.41, P<0.01) and DFI (r=0.21, P=0.006), but negatively with sperm curvilinear velocity (r=－0.24, P=0.017), linearity (r=－0.24, P=0.021), motility (r=－0.31, P=0.002), and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.41, P=0.012). Additionally, the sperm DFI manifested a significant negative correlation with sperm motility (r=－0.29, P<0.01) and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.34, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The level of seminal ROS is positively correlated with the sperm DFI in infertile men with varicocele, and both the ROS level and DNA integrity are associated with semen parameters.</p>