title: Relationship of inhibin serum level to bioactive and immunoreactive FSH in oligospermic and azoospermic patients.
abstract: The purpose of the study described here was to evaluate the relationship between inhibin (INH) and bioactive FSH (B-FSH) or immunoreactive FSH (I-FSH) in oligoazoospermic patients. To accomplish this, the authors measured serum levels of INH, I-FSH, B-FSH, LH and testosterone (T) in 98 male patients attending the andrology Centre at Malphighi Hospital (Bologna) for infertility workup. On the basis of the mean sperm concentration, patients with sperm output > or = 4 x 10(7) ml-1 (n = 30) formed the control group (group A), whereas oligozoospermic patients were divided arbitrarily into three groups. Sperm concentrations for these groups ranged as follows: B, 2-4 x 10(7) ml-1 (n = 14); C, 5 x 10(6)-2 x 10(7) ml-1 (n = 18); D, < 5 x 10(6) ml-1 (n = 17). In addition, the authors studied a group of patients with possible non-obstructive azoospermia (n = 19, group E), confirmed in 16 of them through testicular biopsy. There were no significant differences in serum levels of LH and T among groups. However, azoospermic patients had a significant reduction of the T/LH ratio. Similarly, B-FSH and B/I-FSH ratios were significantly elevated only in group E. INH serum levels did not show any appreciable changes among groups and in azoospermic patients INH correlated significantly and in a positive manner with I-FSH serum levels and negatively with B/I-FSH and T/LH ratios. Within the azoospermic patient group no consistent relationship was evident between INH serum concentration and various degrees of spermatogenetic arrest.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicari
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burrello
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Moncada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maver
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vitali
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonaffini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Agata
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone