The role of hormones on semen parameters in patients with idiopathic or varicocele-related oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) syndrome

摘要

Background: Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) syndrome is the most frequently seen phenotype in male infertility. Spermatogenesis relies closely on hormone regulation. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between hormone profile and semen parameters in infertile men with idiopathic or varicocele-related OAT syndrome. We tried to illustrate the correlative factors for better semen parameters in these patients. Methods: A total of 96 patients with idiopathic or varicocele-related OAT were included for assessment. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and the combinative ratios of these hormones, such as T/E2, T/FSH, T/LH, T/(FSH?×?LH), PRL?×?T/FSH, PRL?×?T/LH, PRL?×?T/(FSH?×?LH), were compared individually with sperm parameters. The parameters included sperm concentration, total sperm count (TC), percent motile sperm count, percent normal sperm count, total motile sperm count (TMC), total normal sperm count (TNC), and total motile normal sperm count (TMNC). Results: T correlated well with percent normal sperm count (p?=?0.031). PRL positively correlated with sperm concentration (p?=?0.019), TMC (p?