Diagnostic accuracy of sperm DNA degradation index (DDSi) as a potential noninvasive biomarker to identify men with varicocele-associated infertility

摘要

Varicocele is a frequent cause of impaired testicular function that has been associated with increased levels of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). Sperm with degraded DNA (DDS), as observed using the sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test, represent a subpopulation of spermatozoa with extensive DNA and nuclear protein damage. The aim of this work was to determine the usefulness of sperm DNA degradation index (DDSi) as a novel noninvasive biomarker to identify infertile men with varicocele.