Sperm autoimmunity and abnormal semen parameters in insulin-dependent diabetic men

ABSTRACT

To evaluate sperm autoimmunity in IDDM, 20 men with IDDM [mean age 30 +/- 7.1 years] and ten healthy fertile men of comparable age, were studied. Fasting blood glucose, serum fructosamine, LH, FSH, testosterone and insulin were measured. Complete semen analysis was performed. Insulin was also measured in seminal plasma. The presence of antisperm antibodies was detected in both blood serum and seminal plasma using the slide agglutination method. Antisperm antibodies were detected in serum and seminal plasma in 60% and 50% of men with IDDM, respectively, and in none of healthy men. The presence of these antibodies did not correlate with the degree of metabolic control. In diabetic men, the volume of the ejaculate and the sperm motility were reduced, while the abnormal forms of sperms were more common in comparison to healthy subjects. None of these abnormalities correlated with the presence of sperm antibodies, with the degree of metabolic control, or with the level of seminal plasma insulin which was lower than normal in diabetics. Serum LH, FSH and testosterone were normal in diabetic men, thus sperm autoimmunity is in association with IDDM