Effect of cigarette smoking on levels of seminal oxidative stress in infertile men: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate levels of seminal oxidative stress (OS) and sperm quality in a group of infertile men with a history of cigarette smoking.


METHODS
A prospective clinical study.


METHODS
Male infertility clinic, Urological Institute, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.


METHODS
Infertile men who smoked cigarettes (n = 20), infertile men who were nonsmokers (n = 32), and healthy nonsmoking donors (n = 13).


METHODS
Genital examination, standard semen analysis, sperm DNA damage.


METHODS
Levels of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measured by a chemiluminescence assay and seminal OS assessed by calculating a ROS-TAC score. Sperm DNA damage was measured by sperm chromatin structure assay.


RESULTS
Smoking was associated with a 48% increase in seminal leukocyte concentrations (P<.0001), a 107% increase in ROS levels (P=.001), and a 10-point decrease in ROS-TAC scores (P=.003). Differences in standard sperm variables and DNA damage indices between the infertile smokers and infertile nonsmokers were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Infertile men who smoke cigarettes have higher levels of seminal OS than infertile nonsmokers. Given the potential adverse effects of seminal OS on fertility, physicians should advise infertile men who smoke cigarettes to quit.
Saleh
Ramadan A
RA
Center for Advanced Research in Human Reproduction, Infertility, and Sexual Function, Urological Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
Agarwal
Ashok
A
Sharma
Rakesh K
RK
Nelson
David R
DR
Thomas
Anthony J
AJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D014646:Varicocele / Q000503:physiopathology
D002843:Chromatin; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species