Impact of Age, Clinical Conditions, and Lifestyle on Routine Semen Parameters and Sperm Kinematics

VERÓN, GUSTAVO LUIS; TISSERA, ANDREA DANIELA; BELLO, RICARDO; BELTRAMONE, FERNANDO; ESTOFAN, GUSTAVO MARTÍN; MOLINA, ROSA ISABEL; VAZQUEZ-LEVIN, MÓNICA HEBE

CABA

Congreso; XXXVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Andrología; 2018

Sociedad Argentina de Andrología

Objective: To assess the impact of aging on routine semen and computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) motility parameters accordingto the current World Health Organization guidelines; and to evaluate the effect of obesity and lifestyle (alcohol consumption, cigarettesmoking) in older men's semen.Design: Blind cross-sectional study.Setting: Research laboratory and andrology and reproduction laboratory.Patient(s): A population of 11,706 men.Intervention(s): None.Main Outcome Measure(s): Semen analysis: routine (semen volume, sperm concentration and count, motility, vitality, morphology,hypo-osmotic swelling test, round and peroxidase-positive cell concentration) and CASA (straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity,average path velocity, linearity, straightness, beat cross frequency, wobble, amplitude of lateral head displacement, and meanangular displacement) parameters; and body mass index.Result(s): A negative correlation was found between age and routine semen parameters: volume, sperm count, motility, vitality, totalmotile spermatozoa and normal-motile spermatozoa, round cell concentration, and hypo-osmotic swelling test values. Several CASAvariables (straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, beat cross frequency, amplitude of lateral headdisplacement, and mean angular displacement) were also negatively affected. Using 40 years as a cut-off value, significantdifferences in most parameters correlated to age. In a selected subpopulation of men unexposed to known fertility-compromisingfactors, the same evaluations were performed, finding some parameters still decreased. Although obesity exerted a significantdeleterious effect on older patients? semen quality, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking mildly affected it.Conclusion(s): Male aging, with the contribution of unhealthy conditions, are paramount effectors of sperm quality deterioration.