title: Effect of vardenafil on semen parameters in infertile men: a pilot study evaluating short-term treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severeal in vivo and in vitro studies have been carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of long-term treatment with phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitors (PDE5i) on spermatogenesis, but the results are still controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of vardenafil on seminal parameters of infertile men after a short-term treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 205 male subjects were randomized to receive a single dose of vardenafil 10 mg (73 men, group B), a single dose of vardenafil 10 mg every other day for 15 days (67 men, group C), and no treatment (65 men, group A). Semen parameters were evaluated before and after the end of the treatment in each of group A, B, and C, respectively. Additionally, an IIEF- 5 questionnaire was administered to all patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) before and after each treatment period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The semen parameters in groups B and C has shown a significant increase in percentage forward motility after vardenafil administration as compared with baseline (p<0.001). In group C, we observed an increase in the mean semen volume and an improvement in the mean total sperm concentration (p<0.001) as compared with baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We showed the efficacy of vardenafil in the treatment of ED and, on a large series of infertile patients, the positive effect on sperm motility after a single-dose administration. It also showed that after 15 days of treatment on alternate days is also achieved an improvement in sperm concentration.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Andrology and Pathophysiology of Reproduction, S.M. Goretti Hospital, via G. Reni, 04100 - Latina, Italy. roccorago1@gmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rago
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salacone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caponecchia
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebastianelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013450:Sulfones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride