title: Impact of clinical varicocele and testis size on seminal reactive oxygen species levels in a fertile population: a prospective controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate: 1) the impact of clinical varicocele on reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in neat and washed semen in a proven fertile population; and 2) the correlation between ROS levels, testicular volume, and varicocele grade in the same population of fertile men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective controlled clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Andrology laboratory at tertiary-care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fourteen healthy fertile men (81 normal fertile and 33 fertile with clinical varicocele) and 30 infertile patients (control subjects).
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard semen analysis and measurement of sperm ROS production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seminal parameters, seminal ROS levels, seminal leukocyte levels, clinical varicocele, and testis size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three of the 114 (29%) fertile men had clinical varicocele (grade 1, n = 14; grade 2, n = 11; and grade 3, n = 8), and the remaining 81 (71%) had a normal physical examination. Levels of ROS and semen quality did not differ significantly between the fertile men with or without varicocele. No significant differences in ROS levels in neat and washed semen were observed compared with fertile men with grades 2 and 3 varicocele and with fertile men with varicocele grade 1. The ROS levels in neat and washed semen were not significantly correlated with varicocele grade in fertile men. No significant correlations between ROS levels and testis volume were observed between the fertile groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of clinical varicocele in fertile men is not associated with higher seminal ROS levels or abnormal semen parameters. Levels of ROS are not correlated with varicocele grade or testis volume in the same population of fertile men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. mcocuzza@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cocuzza
authors.forename: Kelly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Athayde
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pagani
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sikka
authors.forename: Antonio M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lucon
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srougi
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species