title: Circulating immune complexes and sperm antibodies following vasectomy in Austrian men.
abstract: The incidence of circulating immune complexes (CICs) following vasectomy in men and the timing of their appearance and disappearance remain unsettled. A prospective study was initiated to measure CICs and sperm antibody formation in 44 Austrian men undergoing a vasectomy. Using the Raji cell assay, the incidence of CICs was 11% (5 of 44) prior to surgery, 24% (10 of 42) at 2-3 months, 10% (1 of 10) at 4-6 months and 0% (0 of 23) at 15-26 months following surgery. The incidence of sperm antibodies, employing a sperm agglutination assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was 7% (3 of 44), 17% (9 of 52), 25% (3 of 12) and 27% (3 of 11), at 0, 2-6, 15-20 and 21-26 months following vasectomy, respectively. CICs and sperm antibody levels were not correlated at any time point. These results support previous studies indicating a transient increase in the incidence of CICs, detectable by the Raji cell assay, only at early times following vasectomy.
mesh_terms: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D001317:Austria; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014659:Vasectomy
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies