TESTICULAR FUNCTION IN ASYMPTOMATIC CHRONIC-ALCOHOLICS - RELATION TO ETHANOL INTAKE

To evaluate the effect of ethanol on testicular function in chronic al coholics without chronic liver disease, we studied 38 asymptomatic chr onic alcoholics and 19 age-matched controls. Detailed clinical history , nutritional status, hormonal analysis, and seminal studies were cond ucted in each case and control. Alcoholic patients had an average of 3 9 +/- 2 years old (range: 26 to 60) and reported a daily ethanol consu mption from 100 to 350 g (mean: 198 +/- 15) over a period of 18.0 +/- 1.2 years. Alcoholics exhibited a significant increase of the luteiniz ing hormone (p < 0.001) and a decrease of the Free Androgen Index, com pared with controls (p < 0.05) that related significantly with the tot al lifetime dose of ethanol (p < 0.01, both). Seminal studies indicate that 39.4% of alcoholics had significantly reduced their spermatozoa count (p < 0.01), whereas significant morphological abnormalities were observed in 44.7% of the alcoholics (p < 0.01). Spermatozoa motility from alcoholics was also found to be altered in half of the patients ( p < 0.01). A significant increase of serum luteinizing hormone, follic le-stimulating hormone, and sex hormone binding globulin levers, and a decrease of Free Androgen Index were observed in alcoholics with morp hology and motility abnormalities (p < 0.05, all). In multivariate ana lysis, the only independent factor that determined the alterations in sperm (count, morphology abnormalities, and motility alterations) was the total lifetime of ethanol intake (p < 0.001, all). We conclude tha t alcoholics frequently develop a situation of primary hypogonadism re lated to a lifetime of ethanol consumption.