Leucocytospermia: Which Relationship with Male Infertility?

Abstract

Leucocytospermia is usually associated with genito-urinary tract infections and its role on male infertility is currently under debate. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between leucocytospermia and seminal fluid alterations in men with fertility problems. We evaluated 40 consecutive spemiograms of leucocystospermic men, and another 40 from individuals without leucocytospermia, with regard to age, number, motility and sperm morphology, and presence of genito-urinary tract infections. There was a significant difference in terms of motility (23.27% in non-leucocytospermic pts vs. 15.57% in leucocytospermic pts., p=0.0034). Furthermore, asthenozoospermia was more frequent in leucocytospermic pts (45% vs. 72.,%, p=0.0231), as also teratozoospermia (32.5% vs. 62.5%, p=0.0138). The probability to have at least one of the major seminal alterations was greater in leucocytospermic pts (75.3% vs. 52.5%, p=0.0048). The incidence of infections in leucocytospermic group was 13%. Our study underlines the relationship between leucocytospermia, motility, and normal morphology reduction in human semen. These data might suggest the presence of a damage due to the ROS produced by seminal leucocytes on spermatozoa. Our analysis wants to emphasize the need to treat this condition, with special regard to the frequent use of PMA procedures.