Alterations of seminal and hormonal parameters:An extrahepatic manifestation of HCV infection?

AIM： To evaluate the possible influences of HCV infection and relative antiviral treatment on seminal parameters and reproductive hormonal serum levels. METHODS： Ten male patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis and 16 healthy male volunteers were studied. In all subjects seminal parameters （nemaspermic concentration, progressive motility, morphology） and hormonal levels were determined. Seminal parameters and inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total and free testosterone, estradiol, prolactine in patients were measured after six and twelve months of antiviral combined （interferon ± ribavirin） treatment. RESULTS： Patients before treatment showed a significantly lower nemaspermic motility and morphology as well as lower inhibin B and free testosterone levels than controls. Inhibin B levels in cases were improved six and 12 mo after treatment in five responders （161.9 ± 52.8 pg/mL versus 101.7 ± 47.0 pg/mL and 143.4 ± 46.1 pg/ mL versus 95.4 ± 55.6 pg/mL, respectively）. Hormonal pattern of patients did not significantly change after treatment, with the exception of estradiol levels with an initial reduction and an overall subsequent increment （19.7 ± 6.4 pg/mL versus 13.6 ± 5.0 pg/mL versus 17.3 ± 5.7 pg/mL）. However in 1-year responders a significant increment of free testosterone （14.2 ± 2.54 pg/mL versus 17.1 ± 2.58 pg/mL） occurred. An impairment of nemaspermic morphology occurred, while other seminal parameters did not change significantly during antiviral treatment. CONCLUSION： Patients with HCV infection show worse spermatic parameters than controls, suggesting a possible negative influence of virus on spermatogenesis, with further mild impairment during antiviral treatment. However therapy could improve the spermatic function, as suggested by the increased inhibin B levels and improved hormonal pattern in responders. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary intriguing results.

瞄准：在精液的参数和繁殖神经质的浆液层次上评估 HCV 感染和相对抗病毒的处理的可能的影响。方法：有 HCV 相关的长期的肝炎和 16 个健康男志愿者的十个男病人被学习。在所有使精液的参数遭到(nemaspermic 集中，进步活动性，形态学) 并且神经质的层次被决定。精液的参数和抑制素 B，刺激滤泡的荷尔蒙， luteinizing，总数和免费睾丸激素，雌二醇，在病人的 prolactine 在六和 12 个月以后被测量抗病毒联合(interferon+ribavirin ) 治疗。结果：在治疗前的病人比控制象更低的抑制素 B 和免费睾丸激素层次一样显示出显著地更低的 nemaspermic 活动性和形态学。在情况中的抑制素 B 层次被改进在五个应答者的六和 12 瞬间术后疗法(161.9+/-52.8 pg/mL 对 101.7+/-47.0 pg/mL 和 143.4+/-46.1 pg/mL 对 95.4+/-55.6 pg/mL，分别地) 。病人的神经质的模式显著地没改变术后疗法，与有起始的减小和全面随后的增长(19.7+/-6.4 pg/mL 对 13.6+/-5.0 pg/mL 对 17.3+/-5.7 pg/mL ) 的雌二醇层次的例外。然而，在 1 年的应答者，免费睾丸激素(14.2+/-2.54 pg/mL 对 17.1+/-2.58 pg/mL ) 的重要增长发生了。nemaspermic 形态学的一个缺陷发生了，当另外的精液的参数没在抗病毒的治疗期间显著地变化时。结论：有 HCV 感染的病人比控制显示出更坏的精子的参数，建议精子发生上的病毒的可能的否定影响，与在抗病毒的治疗期间的进一步温和的缺陷。然而，治疗能改进精子的功能，由增加的抑制素 B 层次建议了并且在应答者改进了神经质的模式。进一步的研究被需要证实这些初步的吸引人的结果。