title: Multiple determinations of sperm DNA fragmentation show that varicocelectomy is not indicated for infertile patients with subclinical varicocele.
abstract: Varicocele is one of the most common causes of low semen quality, which is reflected in high percentages of sperm cells with fragmented DNA. While varicocelectomy is usually performed to ameliorate a patient's fertility, its impact on sperm DNA integrity in the case of subclinical varicocele is poorly documented. In this study, multiple DNA fragmentation analyses (TUNEL, SCD, and SCSA) were performed on semen samples from sixty infertile patients with varicocele (15 clinical varicoceles, 19 clinical varicoceles after surgical treatment, 16 subclinical varicoceles, and 10 subclinical varicoceles after surgical treatment). TUNEL, SCD, and SCSA assays all showed substantial sperm DNA fragmentation levels that were comparable between subclinical and clinical varicocele patients. Importantly, varicocelectomy did improve sperm quality in patients with clinical varicocele; however, this was not the case in patients with subclinical varicocele. In summary, although infertile patients with clinical and subclinical varicocele have similar sperm DNA quality, varicocelectomy should only be advised for patients with clinical varicocele.
authors: Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain ; Càtedra de Recerca Eugin, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain ; Centro de Infertilidad Masculina y Análisis de Barcelona (CIMAB), Edifici Eureka, PBM5, Parc de Recerca de la UAB (PRUAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: Agustín
authors: A
authors: García-Peiró
authors: Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Ribas-Maynou
authors: Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Oliver-Bonet
authors: Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: Joaquima
authors: J
authors: Navarro
authors: Departament de Obstetricia i Ginecologia, Parc de Salut Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08003 Barcelona, Spain ; Laboratorio de Andrología, CIRH, Clínica Corachan, ANACER, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Miguel A
authors: MA
authors: Checa
authors: Centro de Infertilidad Masculina y Análisis de Barcelona (CIMAB), Edifici Eureka, PBM5, Parc de Recerca de la UAB (PRUAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: Alexandros
authors: A
authors: Nikolaou
authors: UDIAT, Centre Diagnòstic, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, UAB, 08208 Sabadell, Spain.
authors: María J
authors: MJ
authors: Amengual
authors: Servei d'Urologia, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, UAB, 08208 Sabadell, Spain.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Abad
authors: Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Benet
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*