ASSESSMENT OF SPERM MOTION CHARACTERISTICS IN INFERTILE RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS USING COMPUTERIZED ANALYSIS

A total of 34 kidney transplant recipients (18 infertile and 16 fertil e) and 31 non-transplant persons (15 infertile and 16 fertile) were in cluded in this study. All subjects were assessed clinically and by mea surement of basal concentrations of total testosterone, FSH, cyclospor ine whole blood trough levels, serum creatinine, haemoglobin and semen analysis using computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) as well as scrota l ultrasonography to evaluate testicular dimensions. Our results demon strate a significant decrease (p<0.05) in sperm concentration, the per centage of motile spermatozoa, straight line velocity (VSL), linearity (LIN) and velocity of average path (VAP) among infertile transplant p atients in comparison with the fertile transplant group. Serum testost erone, FSH levels and testicular dimensions did not differ significant ly (p>0.05) between fertile and infertile transplant recipients. Both sperm concentration and VSL were inversely correlated to the cyclospor ine whole blood trough levels (p<0.05). The time spent on haemodialysi s was inversely correlated (p<0.05) with the percentage of motile sper matozoa and the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH). In concl usion, CASA is valuable in evaluation of sperm motility in infertile r enal transplant patients. Stabilization of the cyclosporine whole bloo d trough level within the target therapeutic level and correction of a naemia (if any) could improve the fertility potential in kidney transp lant recipients.