One out of two idiopathic infertile men has pathologic sperm DNA fragmentation values: Potential implications for clinical practice
Authors' conclusion
Approximately half of infertile men categorized as idiopathic had pathologic SDF values. Idiopathic infertile men with pathologic SDF showed worse clinical, hormonal and semen parameters than those with normal SDF values. These results suggest that including SDF testing could be clinically relevant over the real-life management work-up of infertile men.
Study context
- Population
- Primary infertile men (couples failing to conceive within 12 months) after thorough diagnostic work-up; idiopathic = ≥1 abnormal WHO semen parameter without identified aetiologic factor; excluded genetic abnormalities, cryptorchidism, biochemical hypogonadism, clinical varicocele, other known aetiological factors792 idiopathic
- Participants
- 3,224 men
- Exposure
- Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) ≥30% vs SDF <30% in idiopathic infertile men
- SDF ≥30%n = 418
- Outcome
- Distribution of SDF values (SDF ≥30% pathologic)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Pathologic SDF (≥30%) in idiopathic infertile men
SDF ≥30%
52.7%
418
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · older with SDF ≥30% | P = 0.02 |
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · higher FSH with SDF ≥30% | P = 0.04 |
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · lower total testosterone with SDF ≥30% | P = 0.03 |
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · higher HOMA-IR with SDF ≥30% | P = 0.01 |
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · lower sperm concentration with SDF ≥30% | P < 0.001 |
| Clinical, hormonal and semen parametersSDF ≥30% vs SDF <30% · lower progressive sperm motility with SDF ≥30% | P < 0.01 |
Factors associated with SDF ≥30% (logistic regression, adjusted for Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sperm concentration)
- Older age, OR (p = .02)
- 1.1
- Higher HOMA-IR, OR (p = .03)
- 1.8
Original publication
One out of two idiopathic infertile men has pathologic sperm DNA fragmentation values: Potential implications for clinical practice. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 21 June 2024. doi:10.
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