title: Semen characteristics and sperm DNA fragmentation in infertile men with low and high levels of seminal reactive oxygen species.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine sperm motility, total antioxidant level (TAC), DNA fragmentation, and medical history in infertile men with high seminal high reactive oxygen species (ROS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertile men (n=101).
  
  
  METHODS
  Group I (n=57) included men with seminal ROS (<250 relative light units/sec/×10(6) sperm) while group II (n=44) included men with seminal ROS levels (≥250 relative light units/sec/×10(6) sperm).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seminal ROS, TAC, sperm DNA fragmentation, ROS/TAC score were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group II had a high incidence of sperm DNA fragmentation than group I. The odds ratio of 1.25 for elevated ROS levels corresponded to >10% greater DNA fragmentation in our patients (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.53). Group II showed poor motility, a higher incidence of leukocytospermia, and higher ROS-TAC scores compared with group I. ROS was negatively correlated with sperm curvilinear velocity (r=-.24), linearity (r=-.24), and sperm motility (r=-.31). Sperm motility was correlated with %TUNEL(+ve) sperm (r=-.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in seminal ROS levels by 25% was associated with a 10% increase in sperm DNA fragmentation. Sperm motility was affected by seminal ROS and sperm DNA fragmentation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Reda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan
authors.forename: Vaishali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Sajal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Edmund
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabanegh
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species