Bone marrow transplantation or hydroxyurea for sickle cell anemia: long-term effects on semen variables and hormone profiles.
Ten male subjects affected by sickle cell anemia (SCA) were studied to evaluate the long-term effects of therapies on their fertility. Their ages ranged from 18 to 34 years (median: 32 years). Four subjects were treated by hydroxyurea (HU) and 6 by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The median follow-up after HU initiation and HSCT was 10.5 years (range: 8-15 years) and 15.5 years (range: 8-21 years), respectively. Three of the 6 in the HSCT group and two of the 4 in the HU group were azoospermic. One HSCT subject had normal semen and hormone variables, showing that normal fertility can occasionally be expected after transplantation in SCA. The remaining 4 patients (2 HSCT and 2 HU) were oligozoospermic. With regard to HU, semen impairment appears to be related to the duration of treatment. To draw general conclusions, further research with a large number of patients treated since childhood with HU or HSCT is warranted.
Department of Pediatric Hematology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. aimekaz@yahoo.fr
Aimé Kazadi
AK
Lukusa
Christiane
C
Vermylen
Bernard
B
Vanabelle
Mara
M
Curaba
Benedicte
B
Brichard
Christophe
C
Chantrain
Sophie
S
Dupont
Augustin
A
Ferrant
Christine
C
Wyns
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D000986:Antisickling Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006728:Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013995:Time; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000986:Antisickling Agents; D006728:Hormones; D006918:Hydroxyurea