Relationship between gonadotrophin secretion, inhibin B and spermatogenesis in oligozoospermic men treated with highly purified urinary follicle-stimulating hormone (uFSH-HP): a preliminary report

PURPOSE

To study the potential relationship between circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) gonadotrophin, inhibin B, spermatogenesis and the benefit of highly purified urinary FSH (uFSH-HP) treatment in men with oligozoospermia.

METHODS

Twenty-nine normogonadotropic, normogonadal men with oligozoospermia were evaluated. Serum hormonal concentration and spermiogram were analyzed before and after 3-month treatment with uFSH-HP.

RESULTS

Our results support the hypothesis that inhibin B is involved in the physiological regulation of FSH secretion and reflects the FSH-stimulated Sertoli cell function. After treating with uFSH-HP for 3 months a significant increase in all semen parameters was observed in most of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the benefit of inhibin B as a prognosis factor in oligozoospermic patients treated with FSH is not defined, it can be considered as an important serum marker in reproductive and testicular functions. Treatment of oligozoospermic patients with uFSH-HP has shown to be an effective and safe therapy.

Percutaneous embolization for erectile dysfunction due to venous leakage: prognostic factors for a good therapeutic result

OBJECTIVES

To identify prognostic parameters for patient outcome after embolization for erectile dysfunction (ED) due to venous leakage (VL).

METHODS

23 patients presenting with ED due to pure venous leakage were selected. Intracavernous pharmacological testing, Doppler ultrasound, dynamic cavernosography-cavernosometry and cavernous oxygen tension were done. All patients underwent embolization of the leakage areas visualized. The results were assessed in terms of the response: good, partial or absent. Mean values were calculated for diastolic flow, oxygen tension, maintenance flow and pressure decay, and were compared between the group of patients who responded and the group which did not respond using Student's t test.

RESULTS

26% had a good response, with a mean follow-up of 22 months, if we include partial response and adjuvant therapy this rate rises to 44%. A statistically significant relationship was found between the intracavernous oxygen tension and maintenance flow with a good response to treatment; patients with cavernosography types I and II showed a better response to treatment than those with cavernosography type III.

CONCLUSIONS

Maintenance flow, intracavernous oxygen tension, and cavernosography types can be prognostic factors of success in the treatment of ED due to pure VL with embolization.