Follicle-stimulating hormone treatment of male infertility.
OBJECTIVE
Treatment with gonadotrophins is very effective in patients affected by hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The success of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatment in these men has brought the utilization of the same therapy in infertile oligozoospermic patients, aimed at obtaining a quantitative increase in sperm count.


RESULTS
FSH plays a crucial role in human reproduction. This physiological role in spermatogenesis has induced various attempts to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH, often inducing the restoration of normal spermatogenesis and spontaneous pregnancy. However, the results obtained so far are still controversial. In this research, attention is focused on the possible criteria able to predict a seminal response to the specific hormonal treatment. Moreover, we have correlated different polymorphisms of FSH receptor gene with the outcome of FSH treatment. In this article, the literature is reviewed, and the authors' experience on using FSH treatment in oligozoospermic patients is discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
FSH treatment may represent a valid tool for infertile men. However, it should be performed on selected patients utilizing some predictive parameters able to identify a priori responder patients with high probability.
Foresta
Carlo
C
Department of Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. carlo.foresta@unipd.it
Selice
Riccardo
R
Garolla
Andrea
A
Ferlin
Alberto
A
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005303:Fertility Agents, Male / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; D005303:Fertility Agents, Male; D011962:Receptors, FSH; C422364:inhibin B; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone