Effect of varicocelectomy on seminal plasma transferrin values: a comparative clinical trial

The possible effects of varicocele and of the varicocelectomy procedure on Sertoli cell function were investigated. Transferrin concentrations in semi nal plasma in men with varicocele before and 3 months after the operation w ere evaluated. Concentrations were measured in 10 normozoospermic fertile m en as a control group and 32 oligozoospermic men with varicocele. Also, spe rm analysis before and 3 months after the operation was performed. The mean transferrin level in seminal plasma was 108.4+/-17.5 mu g ml(-1) in normoo zoospermic men and 58.1+/-14.4 mu g ml(-1) in patients with varicocele befo re the operation (P<0.0001). Mean sperm concentration, motility and normal morphology ratio showed significant improvement 3 months after the operatio n (P<0.0001). Although the mean transferrin level increased slightly (to 60 .8 +/- 16.2 mu g ml(-1); P=0.2), there was a statistically significant corr elation. between the change in transferrin concentration and the change in sperm concentration after the operation (r=0.56, P=0.0008). These results s howed that elevated transferrin secretion after the treatment seems to be a ssociated with an increase in sperm concentration after varicocelectomy. Th e finding of improvements in seminal parameters after the operation but ins ignificant changes in seminal transferrin levels indicates that varicocelec tomy results in a greater improvement in sperm quality than in Sertoli cell function.