The quality of semen among a sample of young, healthy men from Lower Silesia (AndroLS).

INTRODUCTION: Contrary to other parts of the continent, little information is available regarding semen quality among subjects from central and eastern Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated semen profiles among a sample of men from an industrialised region of Poland. We directly invited 5000 healthy inhabitants of the region (aged 18-35 years; with unchecked fecundity) to participate in the study. Among the 500 who were eligible and willing to participate, we acquired detailed information and semen and blood samples from 177 subjects. RESULTS: Semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count were, respectively, (mean ± SD): 3.1 ± 1.5 ml, 60 ± 44 x 106/ml and 170 ± 137 x 106/ml. Percentage of normal forms was 14.7 ± 6.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the relatively low sperm motility (mean ± SD: 54 ± 16%) and vitality (mean ± SD: 60 ± 15%) values, these variables require special attention during routine evaluations. The WHO 2010 criteria for these two parameters were met in only 60% and 66% of the samples, respectively. Further studies on men with different educational levels, social environments, or living conditions are needed to confirm our results.

Analysis of free serum light chains in patients suffering from multiple myeloma complicated by light-chain amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: AL amyloidosis is an acquired systemic disease in which a pathologic amorphous substance produced as a result of abnormal protein metabolism is deposited in the extracellular space of various tissues. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the kappa and lambda serum free light chains (sFLCs) and the development of AL amyloidosis in patients suffering from multiple myeloma (MM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigations included 70 MM patients, 40 females and 30 males, aged 28-83 years. In 37 persons, MM was had been diagnosed recently; 33 patients had been undergoing treatment. Amyloidosis was diagnosed in 18 patients (25.7%), including nine females, nine males; six had newly diagnosed disease. Fifteen patients developed kidney failure. The control group consisted of 10 healthy donors. The concentration of sFLC ls were determined using the immunonephelometric method and expressed in mg/L. RESULTS: In 18 MM patients with amyloidosis the concentration of κ sFLCs ranged from 0.3 to 4780 (x = 854.5, SD = 1289), and was significantly higher (p = 0.039) than in the group without amyloidosis, where the range was from 0.3 to 426.0 (x = 68.9, SD = 98.1). The highest concentration of κ sFLCs was observed in the group of five patients with amyloidosis and renal failure. The concentration of λ sFLCs in patients with amyloidosis ranged from 0.5 to 41600 (x = 3035.7, SD = 9735) and was higher than in MM patients without amyloidosis, where it ranged from 0.5 to 834.0 (x = 79.3, SD = 193). In amyloidosis patients, the concentration of λ sFLCs was significantly higher (p = 0.05) in cases of renal failure as compared with the patients with normal renal function. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of sFLCs is a strong indicator of amyloidosis development in MM patients.

Inhibin B and FSH as markers of Sertoli cell function in impaired spermatogenesis.

INTRODUCTION: The relationships between inhibin B, FSH and sperm count have never been fully elucidated. Our aim was to search for associations between serum concentrations of inhibin B/FSH and the impairment of spermatogenesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In an observational study, we compared sperm count, serum levels of inhibin B and FSH in men with oligozoospermia (n = 46) and in normozoospermic, fertile controls (n = 38). RESULTS: Concentration of FSH was 10.27 ± 11.24 IU/L in the oligozoospermic and 3.84 ± 2.76 IU/L in the normospermic group (p 〈 0.01). Although the concentration of inhibin B was higher in the oligozoospermic group (424 ± 443 v. 297 ± 219 pg/mL), the difference was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there is a tendency toward increased serum inhibin B levels in subjects with altered sperm count and increased serum FSH.