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A comparison of the sperm mixed‐agglutination reaction test with the peroxidase‐labelled protein A test for detecting antisperm antibodies in infertile men with varicocele
Author(s) -
Isitmangil,
Yıldırım,
Orhan,
Kadiogˇlu,
Tahir Çetin Akıncı
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.00283.x
Subject(s) - varicocele , sperm , male infertility , semen , infertility , andrology , autoantibody , medicine , antibody , semen analysis , biology , immunology , pregnancy , genetics
Objective To compare the sperm mixed‐agglutination reaction (sMAR) with the peroxidase‐labelled protein A method (POPA) in infertile patients with varicocele. Patients, subjects and methods The study comprised 30 men with a history of varicocele‐associated infertility and 30 fertile men (control group). Antisperm antibodies against spermatozoa in the semen and against progenitor spermatozoa in testicular tissue were detected using the two methods. Results The tests were positive in 15 (50%) of patients with both the sMAR and the POPA methods, while no autoantibodies were detected in the control group. There were no significant differences between the methods. The sensitivity and specificity of both tests was ≈93%, with no significant difference between them ( P >0.05). Conclusion Both methods may be used for detecting sperm autoantibodies in infertile patients with varicocele.