Clinical features and fertility outcomes of rare patients with globozoospermia syndrome / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the clinical characteristics and reproductive outcome of patients with globozoospermia syndrome (also called round-headed spermatozoa).Methods:The data of 5 patients with round-headed spermatozoa and 20 healthy men in the reproductive center of Shanxi Maternal and Child Hospital and Shanxi People′s Hospital from July 2016 to March 2020 were collected. Among them, the wife was healthy. The peripheral blood chromosome, AZF gene, semen routine and morphology, sex hormone series were detected for the man, and the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was observed for the patients.Results:The average length of infertility in 5 patients with round-headed sperm was (4.4±1.8)years, and the round-headed sperm rate of 5 patients were all over 95% (including 1 case with round-headed sperm rate of 99%, 3 cases with round-headed sperm rate of 98%, and 1 case with round-headed sperm rate of 96%). The chromosome, AZF gene of 5 patients were normal. The sperm motility [progressive motility(PR) rate+ non progressive motility (NP) rate] of patients with globozoospermia syndrome was significantly lower than that of the healthy control group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in sex hormone, sperm count, sperm density, PR(%) and sperm DNA fragmentation rate compared with normal fertility group ( P>0.05). All the 5 patients were treated by assisted reproductive technology with ICSI. Two patients were pregnant, including one patient with abortion and one patient with singleton. Conclusions:There are no other abnormal phenotypes in patients with round-headed spermatozoa except for the low morphology and motility of round headed spermatozoa. Assisted reproductive technology may be an effective way to assist pregnancy.