title: Effects of TNF antagonists on sperm characteristics in patients with spondyloarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists on spermatogenesis in a cohort of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples of 26 patients with SpA were analysed according to WHO 1999 guidelines with and without TNF blocking agents (infliximab, etanercept or adalimumab).
  
  
  RESULTS
  were compared with semen samples of 102 healthy volunteers. Results Sperm abnormalities were found in 10/11 patients without anti-TNF therapy. The sperm of these 11 patients had significantly poorer motility (p=0.001) and vitality (p=0.001) than found in 15 patients tested during longstanding anti-TNF therapy, but sperm concentration and morphology were similar in the two groups. There was no significant difference of sperm quality between healthy controls and anti-TNF treated patients with SpA. Notably, sperm abnormalities were also found in 102 healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sperm abnormalities are a common finding in healthy men, they are more pronounced in patients with active SpA. The sperm quality of patients with SpA with inactive disease receiving long-term TNF inhibition is comparable to that in healthy controls. The data support continuation of anti-TNF treatment when fatherhood is planned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology and Allergology, University Hospital and University of Bern, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland. peter.villiger@insel.ch
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Villiger
authors.forename: Gion
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caliezi
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cottin
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Förger
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senn
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Østensen
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D025241:Spondylarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept