title: [The use of FSH in adolescents and young adults with left idiopathic varicocele, not submitted to surgery. Preliminary study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study gonadal function in young patients suffering from left varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  university laboratory and clinical services. patients: 20 boys (age range: 15-20 yrs; mean +/- DS: 17.9 +/- 1.48 yrs), affected by left idiopathic varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  high purified urinary FSH s.c. (Metrodin HP 75, Ares-Serono), three times every week, for three months.
  
  
  METHODS
  seminal fluid examination before and after therapy (WHO).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the study period a statistically increase of sperm density/ml (38.45 x 10(6) vs 49.10 x 10(6)), total sperm number/ejaculate with forward motility (37.41 x 10(6) vs 48.52 x 10(6)) and a decrease of atypical forms (54.35% vs 49.60%) has been observed; the increase of the total sperm number/ejaculate after FSH treatment greater than 50% compared with basal values allows to define 9 patients as responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study the FSH treatment in young people with varicocele leads to a statistically significant increase in the seminal fluid parameters and may characterize a group of patients who may have a better prognostic outcome regarding the tubular gonadal function and thus the fertility potential in adult life.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medica, Università degli Studi di Roma, La Sapienza.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radicioni
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Schwarzenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology; D014646:Varicocele / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone