Semen Analysis in Insulin-Dependent/Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Men with/without Neuropathy

Abstract

The present study deals with the diabetic neuropathies prevailing in the male population. In this investigation 100 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 314 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with and without an objective evidence of neuropathy, having an age span of 15 to 80 years and the duration of diabetes distributed over 1-33 years were included along with age-matched nondiabetic controls. The diabetic subjects were evaluated for semen analysis. Results of semen analysis showed a highly significant increase (p > .0005) in total sperm output and sperm concentration in both IDDM and NIDDM neuropathic diabetic men. On the other hand, sperm motility and semen volume were found to be about 30 and 60% less, respectively, in IDDM and NIDDM patients, where as sperm morphology and quality of sperm motility remained unaffected. A comparison between IDDM and NIDDM neuropathic and non-neuropathic diabetic groups further indicated a nonsignificant difference in the parameters of semen analysis, thus suggesting an endocrine basis for the sexual disturbances of diabetic neuropathy. A significant rise in total sperm output in both IDDM and NIDDM neuropathic diabetic patients and a significant decrease in semen volume in both types of diabetic patients thus suggests some kind of Leydig cell hyperplasia, which in turn may stimulate spermatogenesis and atonia of the bladder and urethra, resulting in retrograde ejaculation.

Untitled

“…[4,[25][26][27][28][29]30] Except significant decrease in sperm vitality all physical and microscopic parameters holds good with WHO [19] reference values in our study. This is the first report wherein except vitality; nil variation was observed in all other semen parameters in T2DM considering large sample size, unbiased sampling and confirmation done through 3 rounds of analysis.…”

Comparative study of sperm motility in Metformin-using and Insulin-dependent diabetics

“…Indeed, DM induces change in sperm count as well as sperm volume (Bartak et al, 1974). Some other studies have shown that the concentration and sperm count are increased in diabetics but that sperm motility and semen volume are decreased (Ali et al, 1993).…”

Untitled

“…Ali and associates evaluated 314 men with NIDDM and neuropathy, they reported a higher sperm concentration and lower sperm motility compared with diabetic men without neuropathy and controls [23]. Though limited, these data suggest sperm dysfunction in some men with NIDDM.…”