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

BELLO, R; MOLINA RI; TISSERA AD; ESTOFAN, G; VERON, GL; BELTRAMONE, F; VAZQUEZ LEVIN MH,

FERTILITY AND STERILITY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2018 vol. 110 p. 68 - 75

0015-0282

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of aging on routine semen and CASA motility parameters following the current WHO guidelines and to evaluate the effect of obesity and lifestyle (alcohol consumption, cigarette-smoking) in older men´s semen. DESIGN: Blind Cross-Sectional Study. SETTING: Basic Research Laboratory and Andrology and Reproduction Laboratory (Argentina). SUBJECT(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 (HOS) test, round and peroxidase-positive cell concentration) and CASA (VSL, VCL, VAP, LIN, STR, BCF, WOB, ALH, MAD) parameters. Body mass index (BMI). RESULT(S): A negative correlation was found between age and routine semen parameters: volume, sperm count, motility, total motile spermatozoa, vitality, normal-motile spermatozoa and HOS test. Several CASA variables (VSL, VCL, VAP, BCF, ALH and MAD) were also negatively affected. Using 40 years as cut-off value, significant differences in most parameters correlated to age. In a selected subpopulation of men unexposed to known fertility-compromising factors, the same evaluations were performed, finding some parameters still decreased. While obesity exerted a significant deleterious effect upon 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.