Does treatment with testosterone undecanoate improve the in-vitro fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa in patients with idiopathic testicular failure? (results of a double blind study).
Seventy-seven couples in whom conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) had remained unsuccessful because of low fertilization rate and abnormal sperm characteristics were given either testosterone undecanoate 120 mg/day, or placebo during 3 months, after which a new IVF treatment was applied under identical technical conditions. There were no significant changes in sperm characteristics among the treated and placebo couples and the fertilization rate showed a similar increase after treatment in both groups. No significant difference in pregnancies occurred, with 32% pregnancies in the placebo controls and 17% among couples treated with testosterone undecanoate. It is concluded that testosterone undecanoate intake does not improve sperm characteristics, or the in-vitro fertilizing potential, or pregnancy rate over those observed in the placebo controls in cases with primary idiopathic testicular failure.
Comhaire
F
F
University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent, Belgium.
Schoonjans
F
F
Abdelmassih
R
R
Gordts
S
S
Campo
R
R
Dhont
M
M
Milingos
S
S
Gerris
J
J
D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D010919:Placebos; D013739:Testosterone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate