Clinical use of redox biomarkers for diagnosis of male infertility.

The aim of the study was to analyze the activity of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione reductase, catalase, superoxide dismutase) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in a population of men with abnormal semen parameters and in a population of men diagnosed with normozoospermia. This study was performed using data collected at the Infertility Treatment Clinic 'Genesis' , Bydgoszcz, Poland, between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2017. A total number of 321 men meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and divided into the control group (162 men) and the infertility group (159 men). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR) were measured using ready-made kits; lipid peroxidation intensity was determined by the thiobarbituric acid method. No statistically significant differences were found for the activity of SOD, GR, CAT between the groups. MDA values measured in the serum of patients in the healthy group were higher than in the group with semenological disorders. Although our study did not demonstrate the usefulness of the above blood tests, further studies are needed to explore the potential use of assessing redox parameters to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for male infertility.

Relationships between CD34-, CD105- and bcl-2-Expression Levels and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound-Based Differential Diagnosis of Adnexal Tumours.

The relationships between CEUS parameters of adnexal tumours and postoperative immunohistochemical assessments of CD34, CD105 and bcl-2 were analysed. This study aimed to investigate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) parameters depend on the microvascular density of the tumour lesion found after surgery. Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of adnexal tumours were included in this single-centre, prospective study. Participants underwent preoperative CEUS (contrast-enhanced ultrasound). Colour Doppler enhancement characterisation parameters (Ystart, Ymax and S) were determined. Immunohistochemical examination of histological specimens of the adnexal lesions was then carried out to determine the expression levels of the CD34, CD105 and bcl-2 proteins. Relationships between the aforementioned parameters were investigated. No significant statistical correlations were observed between CD34, CD105 and bcl2 expression levels and CEUS parameters, independently of whether the operated lesion was malignant or benign. Transvaginal CEUS is diagnostic for the detection of pathological neoplastic vascularisation of an adnexal lesion independent of the density of microcapillaries found postoperatively.

The Role and Place of Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility Caused by Varicocele.

The inability to become pregnant for at least 1 year despite regular unprotected intercourse may indicate infertility of one or both partners. This problem affects approximately 10-20% of couples worldwide, regardless of race, with male infertility reported to account for 25-60% of cases. Among the most common pathological causes of male infertility is the presence of varicocele and chronic infections of the male reproductive system. This study was performed using data collected at the Genesis Infertility Treatment Clinic, Bydgoszcz, Poland, between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2017. A total of 163 men meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and divided into the idiopathic infertility group (78 men) and varicocele-related infertility group (85 men). All patients received treatment with a male fertility supplement containing a combination of 1725 mg of L-carnitine fumarate, 500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, 90 mg of vitamin C, 20 mg of coenzyme Q10, 10 mg of zinc, 200 µg of folic acid, 50 µg of selenium, and 1.5 µg of vitamin B12 (Proxeed® Plus, Sigma-Tau, Italy) twice a day for a period of 6 months from the time of the diagnosis of infertility. The treatment resulted in significant improvements in general semen parameters, particularly sperm count, sperm concentration, total motility, and progressive motility. This antioxidant therapy produced a particularly marked therapeutic benefit in patients with Grade III varicocele, with a greater improvement in progressive motility than in men with less severe or no varicocele. The use of the antioxidant preparation examined here seems reasonable in men with idiopathic infertility and as an adjuvant in those with varicocele-related infertility in whom surgical treatment has resulted in no improvement. Its use should be considered particularly in patients with Grade III varicocele who do not wish to undergo surgical treatment or in whom such a treatment is not possible for various reasons.