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Revisiting the assessment of semen viscosity and its relationship to leucocytospermia
Author(s) -
Flint M.,
Plessis S. S.,
Menkveld R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12157
Subject(s) - semen , fertility , infertility , hyperviscosity , semen analysis , population , andrology , male infertility , cohort , gynecology , medicine , biology , physiology , blood viscosity , pregnancy , environmental health , genetics
Summary With infertility challenges posing an obstacle to many couples, the extension of variables to assess male fertility is an important line of research. At the Reproductive Biology Unit where the study was undertaken, a considerable proportion of male patient's seeking fertility assessment presented with hyperviscous semen samples and elevated concentrations of leucocytes. Despite viscosity being included as part of a routine spermiogram, it raises a considerable amount of concern as it is assessed semiquantitatively. The study was undertaken to evaluate the quantification of semen viscosity in centipoise (c P ) and to investigate whether a correlation exists between hyperviscosity and leucocytospermia. A total of 200 semen samples were assessed from a sample cohort of two population groups: 162 male patients undergoing fertility assessment and 38 volunteer donors. Semen viscosity was determined by measuring the filling time of a capillary‐loaded Leja chamber and quantifying the viscosity in c P . Leucocytes were identified histochemically with a leucocyte peroxidase test. The viscosity when quantified in c P was significantly higher in the peroxidase positive sample group (9.01 ± 0.49 vs. 7.39 ± 0.23 c P ; P < 0.005). The introduction of a more accurate method of quantifying viscosity may possibly help to identify, diagnose and treat patients suffering from leucocytospermia to ultimately enhance their fertility potential.