Predictive value of hypo-osmotic swelling test to identify viable non-motile sperm.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the predictive value of the hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test to identify viable, non-motile sperm.


METHODS
Semen samples from 20 men with severe asthenozoospermia underwent traditional seminal analysis, eosin-nigrosin (EN) staining and the HOS test. A further EN stain was then performed on a HOS pre-treated aliquot and a total of 2000 further sperm examined.


RESULTS
The median sperm density was 5.1 million/mL (IQR 4.3 approximately 13.1) and the median motility was 3.0% (IQR 0 approximately 7). Seven samples showed complete asthenozoospermia. Initial EN staining showed 59% viability (range 48 approximately 69) despite the poor standard parameters and 47% (range 33 approximately 61) in the complete asthenozoospermia subgroup. The HOS test showed 49.9% reacted overall (range 40 approximately 59) and 41.7% (range 22 approximately 61) in the complete asthenozoospermia subgroup. The combined HOS/EN stain showed the positive predictive value of the HOS test to identify viable sperm was 84.2 % overall and 79.7% in the complete asthenozoospermia subgroup.


CONCLUSIONS
The HOS test can effectively predict sperm viability in patients with severe and complete asthenozoospermia.
Buckett
William M
WM
University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK. william.buckett@muhc.mcgill.ca
D000328:Adult; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS); D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C002712:nigrosin; D004801:Eosine Yellowish-(YS)