A STUDY OF SPERMATOZOAL MOTILITY IN TYPE-1 DIABETES-MELLITUS

The aim of the study was to examine an aspect of male fertility in pat ients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 17) compared to healthy contr ol subjects (n = 16) using parameters of sperm motility, measured usin g a computerized image analysis system (the Hamilton Thorn Research HT M-2030 Motility Analyzer), as indicators of potential fertility. Withi n the diabetic group no correlations were found between sperm motility and age, age of onset of diabetes, duration of diabetes or glycated h aemoglobin. When the diabetic and control groups were compared, track speed, path velocity, progressive velocity, and lateral head displacem ent were not significantly different, whereas linearity and linear ind ex, measures of straightness of swimming, were significantly greater i n the diabetic subjects (59.2 % vs 69.8 %, p=0.0005 and 76.4 % vs 83.6 %, p=0.0016, respectively). We conclude that diabetic men, in the abs ence of complications, do not appear to be at a disadvantage in terms of sperm motility compared to healthy individuals.