Effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors on Leydig cell secretory function in oligoasthenospermic infertile men: a randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5-i) on Leydig cell secretory function (LCSF).


METHODS
in all, 75 men with oligoasthenospermia were treated daily for 12 weeks with either vardenafil (23 men, group A), sildenafil (25 men, group B) or l-carnitine (26 men, group C); a further group of 22 men with oligoasthenospermia (group D) received no treatment. Serum levels of insulin-like-3 peptide (INSL3) were evaluated before and after the end of the treatment in each of groups A, B and C, respectively. Serum INSL3 levels were measured in each participant of group D before and after the 12-week experimental period.


RESULTS
within group A and B, the peripheral serum mean INSL3 concentration, sperm concentration, percentage of motile spermatozoa, and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa were significantly greater after PDE5-i treatment than before.


CONCLUSIONS
we suggest that PDE5-i enhances LCSF, as the mean INSL3 concentration was significantly greater after PDE5-i administration than before, within groups A and B. This enhancement in LCSF might contribute to the increase in sperm concentration and sperm motility after administration of PDE5-i.
Dimitriadis
Fotios
F
Department of Urology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Tsambalas
Stavros
S
Tsounapi
Panagiota
P
Kawamura
Hiroshi
H
Vlachopoulou
Evlalia
E
Haliasos
Nikolaos
N
Gratsias
Stavros
S
Watanabe
Takeshi
T
Saito
Motoaki
M
Miyagawa
Ikuo
I
Sofikitis
Nikolaos
N
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002331:Carnitine; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011687:Purines; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013450:Sulfones; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride
D007093:Imidazoles; D007328:Insulin; C084797:Leydig insulin-like protein; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011506:Proteins; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D002331:Carnitine