Varicocele-associated decrease in antioxidant defenses

Varicocele is associated with an oxidative stress condition. We have measur ed the antioxidant defenses of varicocele patients both at the local (semin al plasma) and systemic (blood plasma) levels. The antioxidant defenses, as evaluated by the total reactive antioxidant potential parameter, decrease both in the seminal (controls = 676 +/- 128; patients = 386 +/- 186) and bl ood (controls = 519 +/- 63; patients = 268 +/- 110) plasma of varicocele pa tients. Compared with controls, patients with both normal spermiograms and spermiograms altered in motility or morphology demonstrated lower values. T he results obtained suggest that varicocele-associated oxidative stress is evidenced both at the local and systemic levels. This conclusion is support ed by results showing that urinary spontaneous chemiluminescence is also si gnificantly increased in the patients.