title: Follow-up of men in the recovery period immediately after the cessation of gossypol treatment.
abstract: Variables in 46 men who had stopped taking gossypol in two centres in China were investigated for their predictive association with the degree and time of recovery of spermatogenesis. Thirty-nine (87%) were azoospermic at cessation of gossypol treatment. In those with sperm present the geometric mean concentration and total sperm count were 8.3 x 10(6)/ml and 30.7 x 10(6), respectively. Twenty-eight (61%) recovered to a defined threshold spermatogenic function (sperm concentration greater than or equal to 20 x 10(6)/ml), with median recovery time 1.1 years. However, 18 men (39%) had not recovered after a median follow-up of 1.9 years and, of these, 10 (22%) remained azoospermic. The failure of recovery was strongly associated with longer treatment, greater total dose of gossypol, smaller testicular volume, elevated FSH concentrations and, to a lesser extent, with greater body weight.
mesh_terms: D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006072:Gossypol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006072:Gossypol