ICEECE2012 Poster Presentations Adrenal cortex (113 abstracts)
Semen parameters in men with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxilase deficiency (21-HD)
P. Vitale , A. Cozzolino , C. Simeoli , F. Cariati , D. Iacuaniello , M. Galdiero , F. Lo Calzo , G. Lombardi , A. Colao & R. Pivonello
University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
CAH has been described to be associated to infertility and semen abnormalities in 40–70% of adult male patients, because of hypogonodotropic hypogonadism, consequent to the increased levels of sex steroids, but mostly because of the frequent presence of testicular adrenal rest tumors. The aim of the current study was to evaluate semen parameters and hormonal setting in a subset of men with CAH. Fourteen patients with classical CAH due to 21-HD (six with simple virilizing, and eight with salt-wasting CAH) and 28 controls entered the study. All patients were under treatment with glucocorticoids and, if necessary, mineralcorticoids at the moment of the study; every patients but one were well-controlled by medical therapy. Semen analysis and hormone assessment were performed in the totality of patients and controls. A significant decrease in sperm concentration (P=0.002), total motility (P=0.002), progressive motility (P=0.001) and sperm morphology (P<0.001) was found in patients compared with controls. Serum testosterone, LH and DHEA-S levels were directly correlated with sperm morphology (P=0.002) whereas serum 17-OH progesterone, testosterone, LH and androstenedione levels were inversely correlated with either total or progressive motility (P=0.04). In conclusion, the results of the current study confirmed the evidence of an impairment of semen parameters in men with CAH despite the appropriate treatment for the adrenal disease and seem to suggest that an uncontrolled disease might affect total and progressive sperm motility while an excessive glucocorticoid treatment might impair sperm morphology.
Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.
Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.
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Endocrine Abstracts
ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)
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