Significant alterations of serum hormone levels in the spermatic vein plexus of patients with varicoceles

Significant alterations of 6-keto prostaglandin F1a and NO levels in spermatic vein plexus patients with varicocele

To investigate the level variation of correlative factors between the spermatic vein plexus and peripheral blood in patients with varicocele, a total of 22 patients diagnosed with varicocele were enrolled in the study. All patients were performed a testicular artery-sparing microsurgical varicocelectomy. During the operation, a blood sample from the left spermatic vein plexus and a peripheral blood sample were collected. A radioimmunoassay was used to determine the 6-keto prostaglandin F1a (6-keto-PGF1a ). A colorimetric method was performed to determine the NO. The enzyme immunoassay method was used to determine the creatinine, urea nitrogen, adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-HT. The mean age of all patients was 29.3 ± 7.8 years. Compared with the level of 6-keto-PGF1a and NO in the peripheral blood, 6-keto-PGF1a and NO were significantly increased in left spermatic vein plexus (347.3 (230.8-415.1) versus 99.7 (80.4-119.9) pg/ml and 192.3 ± 178.5 versus 107.1 ± 73.6 μmol/L, p < .05). There were no differences in the level of creatinine, urea nitrogen, adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-HT between the peripheral blood and left spermatic vein plexus (p > .05). The 6-keto-PGF1a and NO concentrations in left spermatic vein plexus were significantly higher than that in peripheral blood patients with varicocele.