Varicocele Repair Prior to Assisted Reproductive Technology: Patient Selection and Special Considerations

Effect of Varicocelectomy on Serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Testosterone; The Interrelationship Between Hormonal Variables

Purpose

The present study was conducted to analyze the effect of varicocelectomy on serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone. The interrelationship between seminal and hormonal variables is also investigated.

Patients and Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients of the urology clinic from 2012 to 2017. The study was conducted in the Security Forces Hospital, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Infertile patients who had already undergone the FSH examination and testosterone twice were included in the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used to analyze the data.

Results

A total of 186 patients were studied which reveals that the age group of 21-30 years was higher than other age groups 80 (43%), micro varicocelectomy was performed in 138 (74%) of patients and 79 (47%) patients had one-year infertility. The study assessed the effect of varicocelectomy on sperm count and motility serum FSH, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and prolactin, and it was found that none of the variables showed significant association after varicocelectomy, except for luteinizing hormone (P-value = 0.014). Testosterone levels in patients who had FSH ≤10 were also evaluated and it was found that the level of testosterone was increased with a decreased level of FSH (P-value = 0.005).

Conclusion

It was concluded from our results that after varicocelectomy, those patients who had FSH levels ≤10 were found to have increased testosterone levels. LH was also found to be significant; however, other hormones were not found to be significant. This may occur due to the reason that we have the majority of the participants in the age group 21-30. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the association with ample sample size.

Jiawei Runjing Decoction Improves Spermatogenesis of Cryptozoospermia With Varicocele by Regulating the Testicular Microenvironment: Two-Center Prospective Cohort Study

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the evidence of JWRJD in the treatment of cryptozoospermia.

Methods: A total of 162 cryptozoospermia patients with varicocele who refused to undergo surgery were included from January 2021 to December 2021. They were divided into the Jiawei Runjing Decoction group (group A), tamoxifen group (group B), and no treatment group (group C), and after the follow-up for 3 months, therapeutic effectiveness was compared. Network pharmacology was used to analyze and validate the effects and mechanisms of JWRJD.

Results: Fifty-eight patients were treated with JWRJD, 55 with tamoxifen, and 49 without any treatment. After treatment, five patients were lost: one in group A, one in group B, and three in group C. The sperm count and the decrease of FSH in group A were significantly higher, but the degree of decline in the testicular volume and the degree of vein expansion have decreased significantly, which were closely related to the testicular volume (TV) [especially changes in the left testicular volume (ΔL-TV)], citric acid (CC) and its changes (ΔCC), and the vein width (VW) [especially left spermatic vein width (L-VW) and mean vein width (M-VW) and their changes (ΔL-VW and ΔM-VW)], as well as the sperm count before the treatment (bSC), which were the significant indexes to predict the therapeutic effect, especially for patients >35 years old and with grade III varicoceles. Network pharmacological analysis verifies that it can be regulated by fluid shear stress and the atherosclerosis pathway to improve the testicular microenvironment for spermatogenesis.

Conclusion: JWRJD may promote spermatogenesis in cryptozoospermia patients with varicocele, which may be closely related to improving the testicular microenvironment, especially for >35 year olds and grade III varicocele patients.