• PMID: 3096787
• Gene Name: LH-RH
• Condition: Male infertility with varicocele
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 121
• Population details: 121 (55 normal fertile men, 42 fertile men with varicoceles, 24 infertile men with varicoceles)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: LH-RH
• Other associated phenotypes: Male infertility with varicocele

Comparison of gonadal function between fertile and infertile men with varicoceles

Nagao RR, Plymate SR, Berger RE, Perin EB, Paulsen CA.

The high prevalence of men with varicoceles who by history are fertile has led some to question the suggested causal relationship between a varicocele and male infertility. However, testicular function in these fertile men has not previously been studied in detail. Fifty-five normal fertile men, 42 fertile men with varicoceles, and 24 infertile men with varicoceles and normal female partners were studied. Semen analyses were done, baseline serum testosterone and gonadotropin levels tested and the gonadotropin response to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) measured. The infertile men with varicoceles exhibited lower sperm counts, abnormal sperm morphologic features, increased baseline serum gonadotropins, and increased gonadotropin responses to LH-RH, compared with the normal fertile men. The fertile men with varicoceles showed similar abnormalities, although this was not statistically significant in all cases. That semen and hormone abnormalities were observed in both the fertile and infertile men with varicoceles suggests that the presence of a varicocele is associated with some degree of primary testicular dysfunction, regardless of present fertility status. FAU - Nagao, R R AU - Nagao RR FAU - Plymate, S R AU - Plymate SR FAU - Berger, R E AU - Berger RE FAU - Perin, E B AU - Perin EB