Studies on plasma endothelin changes in varicocele patients
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1Department of Urology, People's Hospital, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100011, China.
Aim:
To investigate the possible role endothelin may play in the pathogenesis of varicocele and varicocele-induced infertility.
Methods:
In varicocele patients, radioimmunoassay is used to determine the blood endothelin concentration in the spermatic vein and the antecubital vein separately.
Results:
The blood endothelin concentration of the spermatic vein (66.8 +/- 23.5 pg/mL) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the antecubital vein (55.3 +/- 25.3 pg/mL). The endothelin concentration in the spermatic vein in Grade II varicocele patients was not significantly different from that in Grade III patients (P = 0.87).
Conclusion:
The higher blood endothelin level in the spermatic vein may indicate the involvement of endothelin in the pathophysiology of varicocele and varicocele-induced infertility.
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