Serum inhibin-B and follicle stimulating hormone as predictors of the presence of sperm in testicular fine needle aspirate in men with azoospermia.
OBJECTIVE
Inhibin-B (Inh-B) is produced by Sertoli cells and controls Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) secretion through a negative feedback mechanism. The primary aim of this study was to compare Iotanh-B with FSH as predictors of the recovery of sperm in testicular fine needle aspirate in men with azoospermia.


METHODS
In 51 men with azoospermia basal values of Luteinizing Hormone (LH), FSH, prolactin and testosterone as well as Inh-B values before and 24 h and 48 h after the administration of 300 IU recombinant human FSH were determined. Testicular Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) was also carried out. Thirty-one young healthy men were also enrolled in the study as controls.


RESULTS
There was significant difference between men with azoospermia and controls with regard to the basal Inh-B levels [median (interquartile range) 37.2 (36) vs. 103.0 (90) pg/mL, respectively, p=0.003] but not to the stimulated Inh-B levels [40.5 (41) vs. 73.0 (44) pg/mL, p=0.113 at 24 h and 34.3 (34) vs. 82.0 (50) pg/mL, p=0.098 at 48 h)]. The Area Under Curve in Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were similar for Inh-B and FSH (0.610 vs. 0.716, respectively, p=0.151) as far as prediction of sperm retrieval is concerned.


CONCLUSIONS
Basal serum Inh-B values are significantly lower in men with azoospermia compared to controls. However, Inh-B is not superior to FSH in predicting the presence of sperm in testicular fine needle aspirate.
Goulis
Dimitrios G
DG
Unit of Reproductive Endocrinology, First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. dimitrios.goulis@otenet.gr
Polychronou
Paris
P
Mikos
Themistokis
T
Grimbizis
Grigorios
G
Gerou
Spiridon
S
Pavlidou
Vassiliki
V
Papanikolaou
Athanasios
A
Tarlatzis
Basil C
BC
Bontis
Ioannis N
IN
Papadimas
Ioannis
I
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology
D015415:Biomarkers; C422402:INHBB protein, human; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits