Search Results (2)

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a therapeutic option in patients with idiopathic oligozoospermia and normal FSH serum levels. However, few studies have evaluated which dose of FSH is more effective. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of the two most frequently used FSH treatment regimens: 75 IU daily vs. 150 IU three times a week. Patients were retrospectively assigned to two groups. The first group (n = 24) was prescribed highly purified FSH (hpFSH) 75 IU/daily (Group A), and the second group (n = 24) was prescribed hpFSH 150 IU three times a week (Group B) for three months. Before and after treatment, each patient underwent semen analysis, evaluation of the percentage of DNA-fragmented spermatozoa, assessment of testicular volume (by ultrasonography), and measurement of FSH and total testosterone (TT) serum levels. Treatment with hpFSH significantly improved conventional sperm parameters. In detail, sperm concentration increased significantly after treatment only in Group A, whereas total sperm count, percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility, normal morphology, or alive improved significantly in both groups. Interestingly, the percentage of sperm DNA fragmentation decreased significantly in both groups after treatment with hpFSH. FSH serum levels were expectably higher at the end of the treatment than before hpFSH was administered to both groups. Remarkably, TT serum levels only increased significantly in Group A. Finally, testicular volume was significantly higher in Group A after treatment, while it did not change significantly compared to baseline in Group B. The percentage of FSH responders did not differ significantly between the two groups (8/24 vs. 6/24). The daily administration of hpFSH 75 IU seems more effective than using 150 IU three times a week. However, this therapeutic scheme implies a higher number of injections and slightly higher costs. Full article

Infertility affects 15% of couples worldwide. A male factor is involved in 50% of cases. The etiology of male infertility is poorly understood, but there is evidence for a strong association between oxidative stress (OS) and poor seminal fluid quality. For this reason, therapy with antioxidants is one of the cornerstones of empirical treatment of male infertility. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)—an essential cofactor for energy production with major antioxidant properties—is commonly used to support spermatogenesis in idiopathic male infertility. This systematic review aims to elucidate the usefulness of CoQ10 supplementation in the treatment of male infertility, particularly with regard to semen quality assessed by conventional and advanced methods, and pregnancy rates. All studies report a beneficial effect of CoQ10 supplementation on semen parameters, although randomized controlled trials are a minority. Moreover, the optimal dosage of CoQ10 or how it can be combined with other antioxidant molecules to maximize its effect is unknown. However, CoQ10 is still one of the most promising molecules to treat idiopathic male infertility and warrants further investigation. Full article