title: Serum inhibin B levels before and after varicocelectomy in early adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whereas no clear relationship has been observed between varicocelectomy and serum inhibin B levels in men, in adolescents comparison between inhibin B levels before and after varicocelectomy is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of varicocele surgical treatment on inhibin B levels in adolescents at the beginning of puberty compared to a group of healthy adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 28 adolescents in Tanner 2 pubertal stage with a grade III left-sided varicocele (patients) compared to 13 age and pubertal stage-matched healthy adolescents (controls). All patients underwent blood tests to determine serum inhibin B levels before and 6 months after varicocelectomy by Palomo procedure. For comparison we investigated inhibin B levels in controls and repeated this test 6 months later. Testicular ultrasound was performed for patients only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline inhibin B concentrations of patients and controls were 109.90 ± 40.26 and 109.33 ± 38.34 pg/ml, respectively. No significant changes were observed in patients' inhibin B concentrations after varicocelectomy (116.00 ± 42.65 pg/ml), or in controls during the 6 months' follow-up (99.12 ± 30.09 pg/ml). Doppler examination after treatment shows a complete resolution of varicocele in all the patients without alterations in testicular parenchyma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Varicocelectomy performed on adolescents at T2 pubertal stage might be useful to avoid alteration in inhibin B production and consequently in testicular function. Further studies are necessary to confirm the prognostic value of inhibin B levels and the benefit of early varicocelectomy in preserving the fertility of these adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Reproduction Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. paolocavarzere@yahoo.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavarzere
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sulpasso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maines
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaudino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chironi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tatò
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antoniazzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: C422364:inhibin B; D007265:Inhibins