Significance of serum inhibin B concentration for evaluating improvement in spermatogenesis after varicocelectomy.
BACKGROUND
The study aim was to clarify the relationship of serum inhibin B concentrations to recovery of spermatogenic function after varicocelectomy, both as a predictor of improvement in the seminogram and as a means of monitoring hormonal function after surgery.


METHODS
Fifty-two varicocele patients, including five with normal sperm concentrations, were studied. Changes in the seminogram, serum hormone concentrations and serum inhibin B were evaluated in the 47 oligozoospermic patients after surgery. Preoperative inhibin B concentrations correlated significantly with serum concentrations of FSH (r = 0.598, P < 0.0001) and testosterone (r = 0.380, P < 0.02). Inhibin B concentrations also correlated significantly with sperm concentration (r = 0.351, P < 0.02) and total testicular volume (r = 0.578, P < 0.0001). No significant correlation was seen between inhibin B and the Johnsen score. Preoperative concentrations of inhibin B were higher in patients who increased their sperm concentration after surgery (responders) than in those without improved concentrations (non-responders). No significant difference was observed between pre- and postoperative inhibin B concentrations in responders or non-responders. However, 15 of 25 (60%) patients with increased inhibin B showed improvement of the seminogram, while only five of 22 (23%) patients with no change or a decrease in inhibin B had any improvement (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative serum inhibin B concentration could not reliably predict a response to varicocelectomy. However, a change in serum inhibin B concentration after varicocelectomy might be helpful to evaluate the improvement of testicular function after varicocelectomy.
Fujisawa
M
M
Department of Urology, Department of Organs Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan. masato@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Dobashi
M
M
Yamasaki
T
T
Kanzaki
M
M
Okada
H
H
Arakawa
S
S
Kamidono
S
S
D000328:Adult; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005544:Forecasting; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014646:Varicocele / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*
D006728:Hormones; C422364:inhibin B; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone