title: Clinical and laboratory profiles of a large cohort of patients with different grades of varicocele.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this retrospective study we attempted to report our own data on the different clinical parameters in association with the presence and severity of varicocele in a large group of Austrian men.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 1,111 consecutive patients with clinical varicocele from 1993 to 2010 were evaluated. The presence, grade, and side of any varicocele were recorded. Semen samples, serum FSH, LH, and testosterone levels, and testicular volume were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 28.8 (±7.3) years. Three hundred seventeen (28.5%) patients presented with grade I varicocele, 427 (38.4%) with grade II varicocele, and 367 (33%) with grade III varicocele. Correlation between different grades of varicocele and semen quality indicated an over-representation of oligospermia and asthenoteratospermia in the group of grade III varicocele (p <0.05), whereas other parameters of semen quality showed no significant difference between the three groups. Serum testosterone levels and BMI were significantly associated (p <0.05) with the grade of varicocele, but no association was found with the other parameters analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis showed a significant relationship between the grade of varicocele and semen analysis. Moreover, higher testosterone levels and lower body mass index were associated with the higher grade of varicocele and decreased semen quality. More prospective studies are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Badereddin Mohamad
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Al-Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rany
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shamloul
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pichler
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Augustin
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pummer
keywords: body mass index; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH); luteinizing hormone (LH); testosterone (T); varicocele