Seminal insulin-like growth factor-I may be involved in the pathophysiology of infertility among patients with clinical varicocele

Abstract

Varicocele, the most common cause of male infertility, is defined as abnormal dilation of the pampiniform plexus. Although different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the pathophysiology of infertility caused by varicocele, it is still open to debate. Previous studies have demonstrated the effect of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on semen quality in animals and humans, but there are no studies on the probable role of seminal IGF-I in the pathophysiology of infertility among patients with clinical varicocele. We therefore aimed to examine the seminal IGF-I concentration in 49 patients with varicocele and primary infertility before and after varicocelectomy and compare the results with those of 50 healthy fertile men (in the control group). Mean seminal IGF-I level of patients before varicocelectomy (93.7 ± 67.2 ng/mL) was significantly different (P < 0.001) from that following varicocelectomy (58 ± 35.1 ng/mL) and from that of the controls (57.6 ± 22.1 ng/mL). However, mean seminal IGF-I levels of patients after varicocelectomy and the controls were not significantly different. Seminal IGF-I level was not correlated with grade and side of varicocele, and semen quality. We conclude that locally secreted IGF-I in the semen may be involved in the pathophysiology of infertility in patients with varicocele or semen.

Keywords::

• Insulin-like growth factor-I
• varicocele
• semen analysis
• infertility
• Iran

Acknowledgment

This study was supported and funded by The Deputy of Research of Tehran University of Medical Sciences as a thesis to obtain specialist degree in Urology. Dr. Hamed Mohseni Rad had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.