Reliable Detection of Excessive Sperm Ros Production in Subfertile Patients: How Many Men with Oxidative Stress?

Abstract

Sperm oxidative stress has been extensively associated to male infertility. However, tests to detect this parameter have not been yet introduced in clinical practice and no definitive data are present on the extent of oxidative stress in male infertility. In this study, we used a novel and reliable flow cytometric method to reveal sperm ROS production in subfertile patients (n = 131) and in healthy donors (n = 31). Oxidative stress was higher in subfertile patients (14.22 [10.21–22.08]%) than in healthy donors (9.75 [8.00–14.90]% (p p < 0.01). Finally, after establishing a threshold as the 95th percentile in healthy donors, we found that 29% of subfertile patients exceeded this threshold. The percentage decreased to 25.56% when we excluded subjects with bacteriospermia and increased to 60.87% when only these patients were considered. In conclusion, 29% of subfertile patients showed an excessive sperm ROS production. Surprisingly, this parameter appears to be independent from routine semen analysis and even sDF determination, promising to provide additional information on male infertility.

Keywords

• oxidative stress
• male infertility
• routine semen analysis
• sperm DNA fragmentation
• leukocytospermia
• semen viscosity