Spermatogenic arrest in men with testicular hyperthermia

Abstract

Sperm is produced by a highly complex and poorly understood differentiation process known as spermatogenesis. Occupational exposure to high temperatures adversely affect testicular function, causing partial or complete spermatogenic arrest. Dyers, cooks, blast furnace workers, and men with varicocele are known to develop testicular hyperthermia, which leads to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) and azoospermia. Semen analysis of 122 infertile men (and 25 fertile controls), following the WHO guidelines, 1999, showed azoospermia in 106 men and oligozoospermia in 16 men. Twenty azoospermic and fourteen oligozoospermic men had high testiculoepididymal temperatures, either due to occupational exposure to high temperature or varicocele. All the 14 oligozoospermic men showed a very high percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology, impaired motility and they were subclassified as OAT group. Observations made in this study reiterates that high intratesticular temperature causes partial or complete spermatogenic arrest and may lead to increased production of morphologically abnormal sperm with impaired motility. This inverse relationship of sperm function with elevated temperature has implications in clinical medicine both in understanding pathological states and for therapeutic measures.

Cryptorchidism Is Not a Risk Factor for Antisperm Antibody Production in Post-Orchidopexy Males with Infertility

“…Undescended testes exposed to a high temperature are likely to complete spermatogenic failure in that decreases in sperm count and motility are developed [25,26,27], albeit testicular volume is not affected [28]. Early orchidopexy is proposed to prevent morphological changes in undescended testes and can improve fertile outcome [3,24,29].…”

Wet heat exposure: a potentially reversible cause of low semen quality in infertile men

“…Testicular hyperthermia has been known to have a deleterious effect on male fertility since the time of Hippocrates and is a well-recognized cause of impaired sperm production (1). Its detrimental effect has been demonstrated in both animal models and in humans (2)(3)(4).…”

Abnormalities in Semen Parameters of Men Due to Consumption of Alcohol

“…If semen sample contains 4% of morphologically normal forms, it is considered fit. It is observed in this study that twenty one (21) persons in all age groups have shown morphologically abnormal sperm. In the case of semen morphology, there is a report of Teratozoospermia in 72% of heavy alcoholic persons and 63% moderate alcoholic persons [39].…”

“…Spermatogenesis is sensitive to a variety of chemical and physical stressors. Testicular hyperthermia is one such cause which has deleterious effect on male fertility since the time of Hippocrates and is a well-recognized cause of impaired sperm production [21]. In all the persons who consumed alcohol, semen color was found to be white in color.…”