Chronic epididymitis and leptin and their associations with semen characteristics in men with infertility

The aim of this study was to ascertain the associations between serum leptin levels and chronic epididymitis and semen parameters in patients with infertility.

A total of 846 patients who were diagnosed as primary infertility were enrolled and divided into four groups. The general information, blood lipids, reproductive hormones, and semen parameters were collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of leptin were plotted for diagnosis of the poor sperm quality. We used Student's t test and the chi-squared test to analyze their relationships and used logistic regression analysis to evaluate potential confounding factors.

Receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that leptin had better sensitivity and specificity at the concentration of 6.02 (0.565 and 0.917). Isolated epididymitis or elevated leptin had no effect on sperm concentration and sperm membrane function, but the combination of these conditions would reduce the concentration and normal morphology rate both (P = 0.002, P = 0.005). Epididymitis or elevated leptin can affect the motility of sperms, the former presented more significance (P = 0.000), and the co-existence would further reduce the sperm motility (P = 0.001).

Low sperm motility and sperm normal morphology were found to be associated with chronic epididymitis and high leptin. Simultaneously suffering from chronic epididymitis and high leptin could produce a more serious effect on sperm quality.