title: The effects of combined conventional treatment, oral antioxidants and essential fatty acids on sperm biology in subfertile men.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of combined conventional treatment, oral antioxidants (N-acetyl-cysteine or vitamins A plus E) and essential fatty acids (FA) on sperm biology in an open prospective study including 27 infertile men. The evaluation included sperm characteristics, seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS), FA of sperm membrane phospholipids, sperm oxidized DNA (8-OH-dG), and induced acrosome reaction (AR). Treatment did not improve sperm motility and morphology, nor decrease the concentration of round cells and white blood cells in semen. Sperm concentration increased in oligozoospermic men (7.4+/-1.3 to 12.5+/-1.9 million/ml). Treatment significantly reduced ROS (mean+/-SEM) (775.3+/-372.2 to 150.3+/-105.2 x 10(3)counts/10 second) and 8-OH-dG (45.3+/-10.4 to 16. 8+/-3.3 fmol/microg DNA). Treatment increased the AR (55.1+/-2.2 to 71.6+/-2.2%), the proportion of polyunsaturated FA of the phospholipids, and sperm membrane fluidity. The overall pregnancy rate was 4.5% in 134 months. The per month pregnancy rate tended to be higher in partners of (ex)-smokers (7.15%, n=14,70 months) than in never-smokers (1.6%, n=13,64 months) (OR:4.57, 95% Cl:0.55-38.1).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Endocrinology, University Hospital Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, B 9000 Ghent, Belgium. frank.comhaire@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Comhaire
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Christophe
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zalata
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Dhooge
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Depuydt
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020101:Acrosome Reaction; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012907:Smoking; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010743:Phospholipids; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D004247:DNA; D000111:Acetylcysteine