title: [Correlation of bilateral testicular volume discrepancy with semen parameters in men with varicocele].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of varicocele on the volume discrepancy of bilateral testes, and the relationship between testicular volume discrepancy and semen parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 181 varicocele patients and 102 normal fertile men without varicocele. We retrospectively analyzed their clinical data, including the grades and locations of varicocele, testis volume and semen parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bilateral testicular volume discrepancy was found in 132 (72.9%) of the varicocele patients (including 117 cases of left testicular hypotrophy [88.6%]), and 35 (34.3%) of the non-varicocele fertile men. The rates of bilateral testicular volume discrepancy were 61.3%, 3.5%, 20.9% and 14.3% in the grade-III, grade-II, grade-I and non-varicocele groups, respectively (P < 0.05), with statistically significant differences among different age groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm and sperm motility were reduced differently with different degrees of testicular volume discrepancy (P <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testicular volume discrepancy is more common in men with left varicocele, and its prevalence and degree are correlated with the grade of varicocele. Semen quality decreases with the increase of testicular volume discrepancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Liang-Liang
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jin-Hu
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chun-Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult