title: Seminal plasma homocysteine, folate and cobalamin in men with obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze homocysteine, folate and cobalamin in men with normozoospermia, obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of plasma and seminal plasma homocysteine, folate and cobalamin in 72 azoospermic and 62 normozoospermic men. Evaluation of the azoospermic patient included testicular biopsy, endocrine, urological and ultrasound examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Homocysteine (1.2 μmol/l) and cobalamin (322.05 pmol/l) concentrations (median values) in seminal plasma were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in men with azoospermia than in men with normozoospermia (2.5 μmol/l and 579.0 pmol/l). Folate and cobalamin concentrations were significantly higher in obstructive than in non-obstructive azoospermia. Significant correlations were determined between testis volume and seminal plasma homocysteine in azoospermic men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower concentrations of homocysteine and cobalamin (but not folate) were found in azoospermic seminal plasma than normozoospermic. Folate and cobalamin were higher in seminal plasma from obstructive azoospermia than in non-obstructive azoospermia patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Masaryk University, Faculty Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic. icrha@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Crha
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kralikova
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melounova
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ventruba
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zakova
authors.forename: Rastislav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beharka
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Husicka
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pohanka
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12