Seminal plasma anti-Müllerian hormone level correlates with semen parameters but does not predict success of testicular sperm extraction (TESE).
OBJECTIVE
To assess seminal plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level relationships in fertile and infertile males.


METHODS
Eighty-four male cases were studied and divided into four groups: fertile normozoospermia (n = 16), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n = 15), obstructive azoospermia (OA) (n = 13) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) (n = 40). Conventional semen analysis was done for all cases. Testicular biopsy was done with histopathology and fresh tissue examination for testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in NOA cases. NOA group was subdivided according to TESE results into unsuccessful TESE (n = 19) and successful TESE (n = 21). Seminal plasma AMH was estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) was estimated in NOA cases only by radioimmunoassay (RIA).


RESULTS
Mean seminal AMH was significantly higher in fertile group than in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia with significance (41.5 +/- 10.9 pmol/L vs. 30.5 +/- 10.3 pmol/L, P < 0.05). Seminal AMH was not detected in any OA patients. Seminal AMH was correlated positively with testicular volume (r = 0.329, P = 0.005), sperm count (r = 0.483, P = 0.007), sperm motility percent (r = 0.419, P = 0.021) and negatively with sperm abnormal forms percent (r = -0.413, P = 0.023). Nonsignificant correlation was evident with age (r = -0.155, P = 0.414) and plasma FSH (r = -0.014, P = 0.943). In NOA cases, seminal AMH was detectable in 23/40 cases, 14 of them were successful TESE (57.5%) and was undetectable in 17/40 cases, 10 of them were unsuccessful TESE (58.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Seminal plasma AMH is an absolute testicular marker being absent in all OA cases. However, seminal AMH has a poor predictability for successful testicular sperm retrieval in NOA cases.
Mostafa
Taymour
T
Andrology and Sexology Deptment, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11553, Egypt. taymour1155@link.net
Amer
Medhat K
MK
Abdel-Malak
Guirgis
G
Nsser
Taha Abdel
TA
Zohdy
Wael
W
Ashour
Shedeed
S
El-Gayar
Dina
D
Awad
Hosam H
HH
D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000628:therapy; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000628:therapy; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013735:Testicular Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D013735:Testicular Hormones; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone