[Relationship between pathological alterations of spermatogenic impairment and serum inhibin B concentration in patients with azoospermia].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between pathological alterations of spermatogenic impairment in seminiferous tubules and serum inhibin B concentration in patients with azoospermia and to verify the significance of INH B in evaluating spermatogenesis.


METHODS
Eighty-three cases of azoospermia underwent testicular biopsy for the purpose of diagnosis. In accordance with the pathological alterations of spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules, the samples were divided into four groups: Sertoli cell-only syndrome (n = 21); hypospermatogenesis (n = 20); maturation arrest (n = 24) and almost normal spermatogenesis (n = 18). Serum INHB and FSH, LH, T concentrations were tested before testicular biopsy for each patient respectively.


RESULTS
The INHB levels were (20. 85 +/- 18.78) pg/ml, (67.25 +/- 40.98) pg/ml, (73.63 +/- 25.54) pg/ml and (149.48 +/- 27.92) pg/ml in the above four groups, respectively. There was no significant statistical difference in the level of serum INH B between maturation arrest and hypospermatogenesis groups (P > 0.05), and there was a very significant difference in almost normal spermatogenesis group and the other three groups, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the concentration of serum FSH when maturation arrest group compared with spermatogenesis group (P > 0.05), whereas between the other two groups and between each of them and maturation arrest or almost normal spermatogenesis there was a very significant difference in the level of serum FSH (P < 0.05); The concentrations of LH and T were not significantly different among the four groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum INHB concentration was decreased when spermatogenesis got impaired. It dropped the most markedly in Sertoli cell-only syndrome group. INH B reflects directly the spermatogenic function in seminiferous tubules of the testis. Therefore, it could be considered valuable for spermatogenesis and potential fertility in patients with azoospermia.
Reproduction Center of the Bethune International Peace Hospital of PLA, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050082, China.
Zhi-ying
ZY
Dong
Rong-lian
RL
Zhang
Zheng-xin
ZX
He
Hui-chen
HC
Sun
D000328:Adult; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
C422364:inhibin B; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone