title: Steroid treatment of male subfertility caused by antisperm antibodies.
abstract: 47 subfertile men with significant titres of antisperm antibodies were treated with one of two steroid regimens. The results were assessed by changes in sperm-counts and in serum antibody titres and by subsequent pregnancies. 15 oligozoospermic men were treated with prednisone 5 mg three times a day for 3--12 months. Sperm-counts became normal in 10 men and 4 of their wives became pregnant. 14 men with normal sperm-counts received the same treatment: antibody titres fell slightly and 3 of their wives became pregnant. 18 other men with normal sperm-counts were given one or more courses of methylprednisolone 96 mg/day for 7 days. There was a more pronounced fall in antibody titres in these men, and 7 of their wives became pregnant. Testicular biopsies in 3 men with high titres of antibodies and very low sperm-counts which became normal with prednisone showed adequate spermatogenesis; however, focal round-cell infiltration of seminiferous tubules was observed in 1 case. It is suggested that a steroid-responsive immune orchitis can occur spontaneously in man, and may contribute to the infertility of men with antisperm antibodies.
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002452:Cell Count; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011241:Prednisone; D008775:Methylprednisolone