Metabolic syndrome in White-European men presenting for secondary couple′s infertility: an investigation of the clinical and reproductive burden

Abstract

We aimed to determine the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on reproductive function in men with secondary infertility, a condition that has received relatively little attention from researchers. Complete demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from 167 consecutive secondary infertile men were analyzed. Health-significant comorbidities were scored with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI; categorised 0 vs 1 vs 2 or higher). NCEP-ATP III criteria were used to define MetS. Semen analysis values were assessed based on the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) reference criteria. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models tested the association between semen parameters and clinical characteristics and MetS. MetS was found in 20 (12%) of 167 men. Patients with MetS were older (P < 0.001) and had a greater BMI (P < 0.001) compared with those without MetS. MetS patients had lower levels of total testosterone (P = 0.001), sex hormone-binding globulin, inhibin B, and anti-Müllerian hormone (all P ≤ 0.03), and they were hypogonadal at a higher prevalence (P = 0.01) than patients without MetS. Moreover, MetS patients presented lower values of semen volume, sperm concentration, and sperm normal morphology (all P ≤ 0.03). At multivariate logistic regression analysis, no parameters predicted sperm concentration, normal sperm morphology, and total progressive motility. Our data show that almost 1 of 8 White-European men presenting for secondary couple's infertility is diagnosed with MetS. MetS was found to be associated with a higher prevalence of hypogonadism, decreased semen volume, decreased sperm concentration, and normal morphology in a specific cohort of White-European men.

The Prevalence and Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Men from Infertile Couples and Its Relation on Semen Analysis

“…However, other studies demonstrated that MetS did not affect to quality of sperm, similar to our conclusion. 19,26,27 Although there was no significant relationship between abnormal SA in general and MetS, our data showed a correlation between the individual elements. Both SBP and WHR affected sperm abnormal morphology (p <0.05).…”

“…This study detected a 23.4% prevalence of MetS in men from infertile couples based on AHA/NHLBI-ATP III guidelines, which was higher than the 10–17% in previous publications. 17 , 19 These differences can result from the study participates’s race, as well as the differences in diagnostic criteria for Asian and international men (WC ≥ 90 cm versus WC ≥ 102 cm) and/or lifestyles. The present study also reported a relationship between age, BMI, HC, WHR, WHtR, hepatitis B infection, and MetS (p <0.05).…”

Effects of Insulin on Porcine Neonatal Sertoli Cell Responsiveness to FSH In Vitro

“…Metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus) have long been considered possible etiopathogenetic causes of male infertility [23,24,25]. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms are still elusive.…”

Moderate Aerobic Exercise May Reduce Metabolic Syndrome Induced Testicular Oxidative Stress and Deterioration in Sperm Parameters

“…Metabolic syndrome has the potential to trigger male infertility unless it is treated. In studies focusing on this subject, it is emphasized that in terms of some parameters, metabolic syndrome has a negative effect on male fertility [15][16][17][18][19]. In diseases such as obesity and diabetes, the therapeutic effects of some exercise practices have been shown in both human and animal studies [20][21][22].…”