title: Auto-immunity to spermatozoa and quality of semen in men with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of anti-sperm antibodies in serum, and on spermatozoa, in men with spinal cord injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty men whose injury occurred 1 to 18 years ago compared with 30 men with normal semen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen tetraplegic and 12 paraplegic patients were treated with vibrator or rectal electrostimulation, yielding a total of 25 ejaculates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semen analyses (WHO): volume low, with concentration > 100 million/mL in 80%; 8/30 exhibited sperm agglutinating antibodies, but with low titres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low titres of serum antibodies and absence of attached IgA antibodies indicate autoimmunity is not the cause of low sperm motility and penetration capacity in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sahlgrenska Hospital, Ostra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siösteen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forssman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000276:immunology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A