[Treatment of male genital infections with enoxacin]. / Trattamento delle flogosi genitali maschili con enoxacina.

Inflammatory disease such as prostatitis and prostatovesiculitis, can affect the fertility potential of the male population. In this study, the Authors tested the therapeutical efficacy of a second generation quinolone, enoxacin, in patients suffering from vesicular and/or prostatic inflammations. This drug has been shown to diffuse into the prostatic fluid, achieving therapeutical concentrations either in acute or chronic pathological conditions. Thirty infertile patients referring to our Andrology Center and showing seminal signs (leukocytes, abnormal sperm forms, chemical and physical alterations, etc) of genital tract inflammations were found to have positive sperm culture for enoxacin-sensitive strains. Further investigations (echotomography) showed that they were affected by prostatic and/or vesicular subacute chronic inflammations. The mean age was 32.2 (range 20-36) ys. All the patients discontinued any previous treatment for at least 90 days. Enoxacin was administered at the dose of 300 mg b.i.d. for two cycles of 10 days each, with intervals of 20 days. At the beginning and at the end of the treatment (days 0 and 60), semen analysis and culture were performed. A paired-T test was employed for the statistical evaluation of data. 26.6% of patients ad an altered fluidification before treatment. Only 10.0% of them showed the same sign after treatment. A condition of hyperviscosity was present in 50% and 16.6% of patients before and after treatment respectively. Likewise, an elevated number of leukocytes (greater than 10(6)/ml) occurred in the ejaculates of 43.3% of patients and in 23.3% after enoxacin treatment. Enoxacin treatment was efficacious in 89.2% of cases, in presence of either Gram positive or Gram negative bacteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Preliminary results on blood carnitine levels in children with hepatic pathology]. / Risultati preliminari sulla carnitinemia in bambini con patologia epatica.

A deficiency of exogenous and endogenous carnitine is present in those pathologies in which the most important clinical sign is represented by weakness and steatosis. We have studied the serum levels of carnitine in 14 children with hepatic disease (8 with acute HAV hepatitis, 2 with acute HBV hepatitis, 2 with toxic hepatitis, 2 with chronic hepatitis). In patients with acute, infective and toxic hepatitis we have found levels of carnitine (25.71 +/- 2.14 nM/ml) below normal (50.87 +/- 1.46 nM/ml). In 5 cases we have performed two blood tests, at admittance to the hospital and at the end of the illness. The variability in carnitine levels in these two blood exams shows a clear correlation with clinical improvement, decrease in aminotransferase and increase in serum carnitine. In chronic hepatitis we have found normal levels of carnitine. Probably it is correlated with the absence of steatosis seen at hepatic biopsy.

Zinc in human semen.

Seminal zinc was measured in normospermic and infertile patients by a new colorimetric method. Analysis of semen from 5 patients with bilateral agenesis of the vas deferens showed high levels of zinc (mean value 1411.2 micrograms/ml). Lower levels were found in 6 patients with monolateral congenital or acquired obstruction (695.2 micrograms/ml). The seminal zinc level in 6 patients who had had a vasectomy or who had an epididymal blockage (125.7 micrograms/ml) was approximately the same as in 41 controls (134.6 +/- 42 +/- SD). Zinc levels were reduced in hypogonadal patients. These data suggest that zinc is secreted mainly by the prostate, while vesicular, epididymal and testicular secretions are devoid of zinc. Evaluation of this metal therefore permits the diagnosis of patency of the seminal pathways, but does not permit identification of prostatitis. No correlation was found between sperm count or motility and the seminal zinc level, nor between the latter and varicocele.

Free L-carnitine in human semen: its variability in different andrologic pathologies.

Free L-carnitine was assayed in semen from patients with various andrologic diseases by an enzymatic-spectrophotometric method. Extremely low concentrations were found in semen from patients with agenesis of the vas deferens (31.8 +/- 18.8 nm/ml). Semen from men with vasectomies contains a higher concentration of free carnitine (105.0 +/- 8.1 nm/ml). When comparing these data with those of ten fertile control subjects (817.0 +/- 200 nm/ml), we assume that seminal free L-carnitine mainly originates from the epididymis. Semen from patients with azoospermia caused by testicular failure also contains a low carnitine concentration. In hypogonadotropic eunuchoids the gonadotropin treatment increased the low basal concentration. A correlation between semen carnitine content and sperm motility and number was also tested in 124 infertile patients. The results show a positive correlation between free L-carnitine and sperm count (r = 0.617; P less than 0.01), between free L-carnitine and sperm motility (r = 0.614; P less than 0.01), and between free L-carnitine and the number of motile spermatozoa per milliliter (r = 0.646; P less than 0.01).