Association between varicocele and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between varicocele and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) via color duplex sonography.


METHODS
Forty-four male patients with COPD (age range, 50-89 years; mean +/- SD, 66 +/- 9) and 44 male healthy controls (age range, 47-75 years; mean +/- SD, 65 +/- 6) were evaluated with color duplex sonography for unilateral or bilateral varicocele.


RESULTS
The incidence of right, left, and bilateral varicocele was 47.7%, 65.9%, and 38.6% respectively, in the COPD group, versus 22.7%, 52.3%, and 13.6% in the control group. The incidence of right and bilateral varicocele in the COPD group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of varicocele also increased with increase in COPD severity.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of varicocele in COPD patients is high. Varicocele might be one of the most important causes of scrotal pain and infertility in COPD patients.
Department of Radiology, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Duzce Medical School, Kenuralp 81620, Duzce, Turkey.
Besir
B
Erdogmus
Burhan
B
Yazici
Oner
O
Balbay
Ali Nihat
AN
Annakkaya
Betul Ayca
BA
Ozdere
Ismet
I
Bulut
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology