Relationship between etiological factors and total motile sperm count in 350 infertile patients

The prevalence of different etiologic factors has been evaluated in 350 male patients consulting the same physician in an urban, ambulatory setting for primary or secondary infertility of more than 1 year. Environmental factors such as alcohol or drugs represented 12% of the etiologies, acquired diseases such as varicocele and prostatitis 40%, congenital diseases and primary testicular failure 16.2%, idiopathic cases 19.4%, and abnormality of sperm transport 7.4%. The severity of sperm alterations in the different etiologic categories was evaluated by the total motile sperm count per ejaculate (TMS) (normal > 16). The TMS was less than 5 in classical causes of male infertility such as testicular failure, endocrinopathy, cancer, or antisperm antibodies. It was more than 10 in controversial causes of infertility such as varicocele, prostatis, chlamydial infections, and professional exposure to heat. After treatment, there was a nonsignificant increase of the TMS in the latter cases. In cases of azoospermia of pituitary origin, the TMS was normalized by a hormonal treatment. In some cases of azoospermia of possible obstructive origin, sperm appeared in the ejaculate after diclofenac treatment. The utility of andrological investigation and treatment is discussed.