title: Effect of cigarette smoking on antioxidant levels and presence of leukocytospermia in infertile men: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on antioxidant levels and the presence of leukocytospermia in infertile men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten fertile donors and 112 infertile patients were included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization guideline. The activity of the superoxide dismutase was based on the adrenochrome concentration, and the catalase activity was determined by the velocity of hydrogen peroxide consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase were seen in infertile patients compared with fertile donors. Superoxide dismutase was significantly correlated with sperm concentration and negatively correlated with leukocytospermia. In addition, leukocytospermia was inversely correlated with sperm motility. Superoxide dismutase levels were negatively related to cigarette smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cigarette smoking may impair sperm motility and decrease the antioxidant activity (negative correlation with superoxide dismutase) in the seminal plasma.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil. fabio@conception-rs.com.br
authors.forename: Fábio Firmbach
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Pasqualotto
authors.forename: Fernanda Medeiros
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Umezu
authors.forename: Mirian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Bernardo Passos
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Sobreiro
authors.forename: Eleonora Bedin
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Pasqualotto
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood*; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase