New treatment of idiopathic severe oligozoospermia with mast cell blocker: results of a single-blind study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether mast cell blocker (tranilast) improves fertility and/or semen parameters in severe oligozoospermia.


METHODS
Placebo-controlled single-blind clinical study.


METHODS
Nagoya University Hospital Andrology Clinic, Nagoya, Japan.


METHODS
Fifty men with sperm density < 5 x 10(6) sperm/mL, normal serum gonadotropins, and T, and a fertile partner were enrolled in this study.


METHODS
Patients were prescribed randomly 300 mg/d tranilast or a placebo, three tablets per day, for 3 months. Semen and blood samples were collected before and after therapy. Semen parameters, serum gonadotropins, T, and PRL were evaluated before and after therapy.


RESULTS
The pregnancy rate (PR) in the mast cell blocker group was 28.6% compared with 0% in the placebo group. There was a statistical difference in the PR between groups. The mast cell blocker group had significantly higher levels of sperm density, sperm motility, and total motile sperm count. There were no differences between the mast cell blocker and placebo groups in seminal volume and normal sperm morphology.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that mast cell blocker is clinically useful for the treatment of idiopathic severe oligozoospermic men.
Yamamoto
M
M
Department of Urology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Hibi
H
H
Miyake
K
K
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates; C012293:tranilast