title: Inflammatory bowel disease in subfertile men and the effect of mesalazine on fertility.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the effect of mesalazine on fertility. In this retrospective analysis of 1,225 male subfertile patients, we reviewed the cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the medical records and evaluated the prevalence of the disease in our reproduction center. Specifically, we examined IBD patients who ceased mesalazine during male infertility treatment, and compared the seminogram of these patients before and after discontinuation of mesalazine. We also analyzed pregnancy outcome after discontinuation. The prevalence rate of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in our male infertile patients was 163 per 100,000 men and 490 per 100,000 men, respectively. Seven patients had taken mesalazine and six of them subsequently stopped the medication. The mean values of sperm concentration, sperm motility, percentage of normal formed sperm, semen volume, and total motile sperm count taken before discontinuation increased after discontinuation of mesalazine. Among these parameters, the sperm motility and total motile sperm count were significantly improved (p < 0.05) after discontinuation. Of the six patients who stopped the drug, four achieved pregnancy with their partners, with two of the four men showing significant improvement not only in the percentage of normal shaped sperm but also sperm motility and total motile sperm count. This study provides further insight into the rarely investigated relationship between male fertility and mesalazine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital , Koshigaya , Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yoshitomo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobori
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwahata
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Shigehiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: Gaku
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D019804:Mesalamine
keywords: Infertility; inflammatory bowel disease; mesalazine; sperm count; sperm motility