Sperm Chromatin Condensation Assay in Varicocele Patients Before and After Varicocelectomy

Abstract

The Study was performed including 20 male patients had clinically palpable and ultrasound proved varicocele (study group) and 10 subjects as control group with ages ranging from 18 to 45 years .The aim of the study to explore impact of varicocele on sperm DNA integrity as an important indicator of sperm maturation . We found that preoperative sperm count in the patient's group ranged from 4 million per cc to 50 million per cc while in the control group ranged from 20 to 150 million per cc , preoperative progressive motility ( a+b) in the patient's group ranged from 5 % - 30 % in the control group ranged from 34 % to 55 % . We found significant difference between preoperative and post operative DFI (P<0.05) in patient’s group. The present study showed negative correlation (r =-0.439) could be shown between preoperative motility and baseline DFI while no correlation could be shown between age, preoperative sperm count, morphology, varicocele diameter and baseline DFI. There was positive correlation could be shown between the change of progressive motility postoperatively and the change of DFI (r = 0.504) while no correlation could be shown between change of sperm count and DFI change (r = 0.51). Based on our study we could suggest another way of contribution of varicocele to male infertility by affecting DNA integrity and increasing percentage of DNA fragmentation. Further studies on DFI in varicocele may be recommended on larger number of patients and with longer term follow up periods.