title: A 5-year analysis of semen parameters in Saudi Arabian men attending infertility clinics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate semen parameters in infertile Saudi Arabian men.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, semen analysis and other clinical data were extracted from medical records of men attending an infertility clinic. Patients were stratified according to smoking status and presence or absence of varicocele.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 425 patients. Nonsmokers (n = 322) had significantly higher serum testosterone and sperm motility than smokers (n = 194). Serum testosterone, semen volume, motility, morphology, sperm/ejaculation and sperm count were significantly higher in patients without varicocele (n = 328) than in those with varicocele (n = 188).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, smoking and the presence of varicocele had negative effects on semen parameters in infertile men.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Dammam and King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia drhturki@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Haifa A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Al-Turki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014646:Varicocele; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Saudi Arabia; Sperm count; infertility; male