Pathophysiology-based classification of male infertility: evidence from an 800-patient prospective cohort
Authors' conclusion
Comprehensive phenotyping markedly reduces the proportion of patients classified as having idiopathic infertility and identifies clinically relevant subgroups.
Study context
- Population
- Male partners of infertile couples, evaluated October 2024–January 2026, after exclusion of isolated female factor infertility
- Participants
- 800 participants
- Outcome
- Prevalence of male factor infertility (MFI) categories, hormonal patterns across phenotypes, and proportion of idiopathic infertility after comprehensive work-up
Methodological detailsmonocentric, tertiary referral academic centre, Standardized clinical evaluation, hormonal assessment (total testosterone, FSH, LH), testicular US and complete semen analysis in all; microbiological testing, transrectal US and genetic analyses per guidelines
- Monocentric
- Tertiary referral academic centre
- Standardized clinical evaluation, hormonal assessment (total testosterone, FSH, LH), testicular US and complete semen analysis in all; microbiological testing, transrectal US and genetic analyses per guidelines
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of MFI categories
Primary spermatogenic failure (most prevalent)
56.0%
Infection/inflammation
22.4%
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
8.5%
Idiopathic infertility
5.3%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Endocrine profiles across phenotypes
- Distinct endocrine profiles; high-FSH spermatogenic failure the dominant phenotype
Original publication
Pathophysiology-based classification of male infertility: evidence from an 800-patient prospective cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 4 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →