Simultaneous analysis of the three hormones involved in spermatogenesis and their interrelation ratios

The objectives of this non-interventional descriptive study was to determine the variation in serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone along with their ratios, among men having abnormal semen and their possible etiological role in male infertility. The study was carried out in the Reproductive Physiology Department of Public Health Laboratories Division, and National Institute of health (NIH), Islamabad during January 2004 to December 2005. Two hundred fifty married men who had presented with a complaint of infertility and who had an abnormal seminal profile on the basis of their prior semen analysis were included in the study. Subjects were classified as azoospermic (50), oligozoospermic (75), asthenozoospermic (50) and normozoospermic (75). In addition (50) normal male subjects, who were known to have fathered children, were included as controls. LH, FSH and testosterone levels were determined in serum by using enzyme immunoassay (EIA), using state-of-art Elecsys-2010 fully automatic immunology analyzer by Roche Diagnostics (USA). The FSH and LH level indicated inverse/negative correlation to sperm concentration in semen, while decreased testosterone levels were associated with depleted sperm concentration. The findings indicate that not only the altered/disturbed concentrations of gonadotrophins and androgenic hormones are responsible for male sub-fertility but also the disturbances in gonadotrophic: androgenic hormones ratios lead to infertility since these all hormones act synergistically.