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Varicocele and Oxidative Stress

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Studies on Men's Health and Fertility

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Abstract

A varicocele is an abnormal dilatation of the pampiniform plexus within the spermatic cord. It is the most common male infertility factor, with multiple potential etiologies involved in its development. However, despite ongoing extensive research on varicoceles, the exact mechanism(s) by which varicocele influences male fertility is not known. Recent studies have shown that infertile men with varicocele have higher levels of seminal oxidative stress (OS) markers, and/or lower seminal antioxidant levels, than do fertile men and infertile men without varicocele. The abnormally high levels of seminal OS biomarkers (e.g., reactive oxygen species, malonaldehyde) in infertile men with varicocele is clinically relevant as these markers have been associated with poor sperm function and reduced fertility potential. In addition, infertile patients with varicocele possess high levels of sperm DNA damage and the mechanism of varicocele-induced sperm DNA damage is believed to be at least in part due to OS. The observed improvement in seminal OS and sperm DNA damage after varicocele repair supports the premise that varicocele can induce seminal OS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, St. Mary’s Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Armand Zini MD & Naif Al-hathal MD

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  1. Armand Zini MD
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  2. Naif Al-hathal MD
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Correspondence to Armand Zini MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Euclid Avenue 9500, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

  2. Faculty of Science and IT, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive 1, Callaghan, 2308, New South Wales, Australia

    R. John Aitken

  3. , Department of Male Infertility, Centro Androgen, C/FERNANDO MACIAS 8, 1ºC, La Coruña, 15004, La Coruña, Spain

    Juan G. Alvarez

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Zini, A., Al-hathal, N. (2012). Varicocele and Oxidative Stress. In: Agarwal, A., Aitken, R., Alvarez, J. (eds) Studies on Men's Health and Fertility. Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-776-7_18

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