TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship of serum inhibin levels to serum follicle stimulating hormone and sperm production in normal men and men with varicoceles
AU - Plymate, Stephen R.
AU - Paulsen, C. Alvin
AU - McLachlan, R. I.
PY - 1992/4
Y1 - 1992/4
N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between serum inhibin levels as measured by RIA and serum FSH and sperm concentration. Three groups of men were used for this study: group I, normal fertile men (n = 67); group II, fertile men with a varicocele (n = 57); and group III, infertile men with a varicocele (n = 21). There were no differences in mean serum inhibin levels between the three groups. The two groups of men with varicoceles exhibited higher serum FSH levels and FSH responses to GnRH than the normal men. Sperm counts in both groups II and III were significantly lower than group I. In the normal men there was an inverse correlation between baseline serum inhibin and serum FSH levels and GnRH stimulated FSH levels, r = -0.415 and 0.422, P <0.005, respectively. Furthermore, the normal men exhibited a positive correlation between serum inhibin measurements and sperm concentration and testicular volume, r = 0.35 and 0.26, P <0.01 and <0.05, respectively. In neither group of men with a varicocele were these relationships found. These data demonstrate that serum inhibin does correlate with FSH in a negative fashion, when the reproductive system is normal, as would be expected for a negative feedback factor. Finally, the relationship of serum inhibin levels to testicular size and sperm count in the normal men suggests that serum inhibin levels reflect to some extent the integrity of seminiferous tubule function.
AB - The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between serum inhibin levels as measured by RIA and serum FSH and sperm concentration. Three groups of men were used for this study: group I, normal fertile men (n = 67); group II, fertile men with a varicocele (n = 57); and group III, infertile men with a varicocele (n = 21). There were no differences in mean serum inhibin levels between the three groups. The two groups of men with varicoceles exhibited higher serum FSH levels and FSH responses to GnRH than the normal men. Sperm counts in both groups II and III were significantly lower than group I. In the normal men there was an inverse correlation between baseline serum inhibin and serum FSH levels and GnRH stimulated FSH levels, r = -0.415 and 0.422, P <0.005, respectively. Furthermore, the normal men exhibited a positive correlation between serum inhibin measurements and sperm concentration and testicular volume, r = 0.35 and 0.26, P <0.01 and <0.05, respectively. In neither group of men with a varicocele were these relationships found. These data demonstrate that serum inhibin does correlate with FSH in a negative fashion, when the reproductive system is normal, as would be expected for a negative feedback factor. Finally, the relationship of serum inhibin levels to testicular size and sperm count in the normal men suggests that serum inhibin levels reflect to some extent the integrity of seminiferous tubule function.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026529798&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 1548351
AN - SCOPUS:0026529798
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 74
SP - 859
EP - 864
JO - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
JF - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
IS - 4
ER -