Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print September 10, 2009, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.109.007773

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Semen Quality of Male Idiopathic Infertile Smokers and Nonsmokers: An Ultrastructural Study

Giulia Collodel , Serena Capitani , Andrea Pammolli , Valentina Giannerini , Michela Geminiani , and Elena Moretti *

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: moretti{at}unisi.it.

This retrospective study was aimed at evaluating the effects of cigarette consumption on semen parameters in a group of men with idiopathic infertility. The semen quality of two groups of men with idiopathic infertility, smokers (n°118) and non-smokers (n °153), were compared. Conventional semen analysis was performed and sperm morphology was assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM data were elaborated by means of a mathematical formula based on a Bayesian technique able to furnish a fertility index (FI), and the percentages of sperm apoptosis, necrosis and immaturity. Values of normality recommended by WHO guidelines were used as a control for conventional semen analysis and values from sperm of 25 men of proven fertility were used for TEM indices. Infertile smoker and non-smoker patients showed similar sperm parameters, although sperm motility and TEM analysis values in both groups were significantly impaired compared to controls. Smoker patients were then classified as mild (≥1 and ≤10 cigarettes/ day), moderate (>10 and <20 cigarettes/ day) or heavy smokers (≥20 cigarettes/ day). Sperm concentration and FI were significantly (P<0.05) different among the three considered smoker classes. Comparing the pairs of smoker classes, sperm concentration and FI in heavy smokers were significantly lower (P<0.05) than that observed in mild smoker and non-smoker groups. Although semen quality in males with idiopathic infertility seems to not be dramatically affected by cigarette consumption, heavy smokers show significantly lower sperm concentration and FI: another strong reason to stop smoking.


Key words: Infertility • Semen • Sperm • TEM • smoking cigarettes






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