Abnormal semen quality and low serum testosterone in men with inflammatory bowel disease treated for a long time with sulfasalazine.
Our purpose was to study the effects of long-term salazopyrine treatment on male fertility. Seven patients, 21-37 years old, who had been treated for ulcerative colitis with 3 g/day of salazopyrine for more than 6 months, were examined. All their semen samples showed abnormal sperm motility (17% +/- 9.3) and abnormal morphology (36.3% +/- 14.4) with the predominance of large-headed spermatozoa. The endocrine picture and pituitary reserve were evaluated by GnRH and TRH tests. The basal values of testosterone were lower than the normal in our laboratory (greater than 3 ng/ml) and significantly lower (2.4 +/- 0.7 ng/ml, p less than 0.025) than in the control group (fertile men). LH was significantly higher (9 +/- 2 mIU/ml, p less than 0.005) but still within the limits of normal. The responses of FSH and LH to GnRH and of PRL to TRH were normal. The mechanisms by which salazopyrine may affect fertility are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D013739:Testosterone; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone