title: Semen quality and associated reproductive indicators in middle-aged males: the role of non-malignant prostate conditions and genital tract inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the associations between non-malignant prostate conditions, genital tract inflammation, and reproductive function in middle-aged men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-hundred and eighty-two voluntary male subjects who underwent the screening for prostate health were recruited for the study. Semen quality and associated reproductive indicators, seminal inflammation, and prostate-related pathologies were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sperm motility and prostate-related parameters were significantly impaired in patients with chronic prostatitis syndromes and lower urinary tract symptoms in comparison with controls. Elevated seminal markers of inflammation were in positive association with body mass index, prostate-specific antigen, and estradiol level in serum while in negative association with semen volume, total sperm count, and sperm motility. According to WHO reference limits, speculative cutoff values for WBC and IL-6 in semen to detect reduced sperm parameters were 0.342 M/mL and 56.8 ng/L, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our data, one of the possible pathways for impaired reproductive quality in male subjects >45 years could be related to infection and inflammation in the genital tract with subsequent (partial) obstruction and damage of prostate and other male accessory glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Kristo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ausmees
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korrovits
authors.forename: Gennadi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Timberg
authors.forename: Margus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Punab
authors.forename: Reet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mändar
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D004958:Estradiol; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen