ANTIBIOTIC-TREATMENT OF SYMPTOMATIC LEUKO CYTOSPERMIA PRIOR TO IVF-THERAPY - RESULTS OF A CONTROLLED-STUDY

Objective: In order to evaluate the effects of antibiotic treatment on semen quality and outcome of IVF therapy in asymptomatic infertile pa tients a prospective, controlled, randomized study was performed. Pati ents and Methods: In male patients attending our infertility clinic se men analysis was performed according to WHO criteria (1992). Patients with greater than or equal to 10(6) leukocytes/ml ejaculate and less t han or equal to 10(4) bacteria/ml ejaculate were randomly allocated to antibiotic treatment or control. 156 consecutive patients were includ ed in the study. Patients in the treatment group and their partners re ceived 200 mg doxicyclin/d for 10 days. In the control group no specif ic antibiotic treatment was performed. Patients in both groups were re examined after 4-6 weeks at the time of oocyte retrieval for IVF. Resu lts: The administration of doxicyclin had no effects on leukocyte conc entration, nor on sperm concentration, progressive motility or percent age of normal morphology. There was no difference between treatment an d control group with respect to fertilization rate in vitro and pregna ncy rate after IVF treatment. Conclusion: The results of this study in dicate that short term treatment with doxicyclin for asymptomatic leuk ocytospermia does not affect seminal leukocyte concentration nor does it improve pregnancy rates achieved by IVF treatment.