Antioxidants for male infertility: therapeutic scheme and indications. A retrospective single-center real-life study.

BACKGROUND: This single-center real-life study was conducted to evaluate the most effective combination of nutraceuticals and the most appropriate indications for the treatment of male infertile patients. METHODS: Infertile patients aged 20-55 years were treated with a combination of antioxidants (Androlen®; Enfarma, Misterbianco, Catania, Italy) (group A), with Androlen® (Enfarma) and a mixture of fibrinolytic molecules (Lenidase®, Enfarma) (group B), or Androlen® (Enfarma) and other molecules different from those used for the patients of the group B (group C). Patients were also subdivided according to the presence of varicocele, mild testicular hypotrophy, idiopathic infertility, and chronic male accessory gland infection. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were enrolled. In the overall analysis, only progressive motility significantly improved after therapy. Subgroup analysis showed a significant increase in progressive motility, total motile sperm count (TMSC), and in the percentage of alive spermatozoa after treatment in the group A. Progressive motility improved significantly in patients with varicocele, while the TMSC in patients with varicocele and those with idiopathic infertility. The percentage of alive spermatozoa increased in patients with testicular hypotrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with antioxidants increased progressive sperm motility, especially in patients with varicocele or idiopathic infertility.

Long-term services for the care and rehabilitation of people with severe acquired brain injury: a multicentre, cross-sectional study of 536 Italian families.

BACKGROUND: People with severe acquired brain injuries (ABIs) require complex, long-term multidisciplinary healthcare, and social welfare programmes, and their families experience social and emotional consequences that profoundly condition their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the possibility of gaining access to local rehabilitation and other services positively influences not only the quality of life of the patients but also the quality of life of their families. METHODS: The sample consisted of 536 families of patients with severe ABIs. They were administered a specific 50-item questionnaire with a mix of multiple choice answers, dichotomous (yes/no) answers, or answers based on a Likert-type scale. RESULTS: The results suggest that the long-term services provided to patients are substantially satisfactory but the data concerning the patients' social and working reintegration are discomforting. Furthermore, the families experience profound social discomfort related to their economic, emotional and caregiving burden regardless of the number and quality of the rehabilitation services activated, or the amount of welfare support received. CONCLUSIONS: Post-severe ABI services provided at a local level should include not only long-term rehabilitative and social support for the patients, but also long-term social and psychological support for their families.