Procalcitonin: does it play a role in male reproduction?

Objective: To investigate the presence or absence of procalcitonin in the s eminal plasma of both normal and subfertile men. Design: Controlled clinical study. Setting: Academic research environment. Patient(s): Healthy male volunteers and subfertile men with varicocele or i nfection of the male accessory glands. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Seminal plasma procalcitonin determinations. Result(s): Seminal plasma procalcitonin levels from subfertile men were not significantly different from those found in healthy volunteers. Conclusion(s): Although procalcitonin can be detected in the seminal plasma , these preliminary results indicate that it cannot be used as a diagnostic marker. (Fertil Steril(R) 2000,74:1227-8. (C) 2000 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine).